RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/triggertone This delightfully hard-hitting outfit from Belfast blew my socks off by means of the four riff-fueled, passion-soaked compositions that constitute their upcoming EP titled Bombs Away and judging by the depth and electrifying vibe of this particular piece of work, something tells me that Triggertone will go far in life. …
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://metasoma.bandcamp.com/ The London-based squadron known as Metasoma will release their five-track EP titled Core in early August, and if thick, massive grooves and body-slamming riffs designed to numb your skull stimulate you, now is the time to get excited. There is a modern edge and a subtle melodic sensibility on display that…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://thosemadebroken.bandcamp.com/ The Glaswegian purveyors of heavy, emotionally charged, and occasionally brooding alt. rock sporting the appropriate moniker Those Made Broken are a most enticing and rewarding musical proposition, and judging by the overall quality of this muscular-sounding effort, this writer needs to check their entire discography out asap. A Door You Can…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/cairiss Formed back in 2013 and having released a well-received demo the following year and then an EP two years later, this intriguing debut album of theirs may be said to have been a long time coming – ten years to be exact – and the term blackgaze is most definitely an…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://deafbeatvanguard.bandcamp.com/album/libido-induced-anabasis Given that this highly entertaining gem came out in early June and that I either missed or subconsciously overlooked its release date due to laziness, I shall keep it short and simply tell you why Libido-induced Anabasis by the intriguing outfit Deaf Beat Vanguard is worth your time and money. This…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://www.relapse.com/pages/left-to-die-initium-mortis What we have here is akin to a wet dream for any fan of old-school death metal performed by veterans of the genre. As the title of the album, the splendid artwork, and the line-up itself all indicate, this is a homage to the early catalog of the legendary Death and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://open.spotify.com/album/3PsAZFXqy2Sb94LbMEApbJ?si=xAbw8ytbQ4mtUktAzz9Ryw The hard-hitting and musically excellent metal constellation known as Tessia hails from the flourishing underground scene in Bergen and has made quite the name for itself these past few years thanks to some killer outputs and impressive live performances. The Cataclysm is essentially two EPS along with brand-new material combined into…
VENUE: HulenDATE: 05.06.2026ORGANIZER: HulenPHOTOGRAPHER: Sander Lindholm AndersenPhotos copyrights belong to the photographer. No unauthorized usage allowed. Please contact photographer if you wish to reuse images in any context. Two superb Norwegian acts from Bergen and Trondheim respectively, more specifically Goatmilker and Dune Sea, paid the excellent venue that is Hulen a visit last Friday, and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://hexad.bandcamp.com/album/surgical-cuts-in-the-cosmos Three years on from the near-flawless LP titled Delightful Sharp Edges comes a new output by the magnificent Norwegian doomsters Hex A.D., and that is cause for celebration if you are as much into the band’s potent mixture of prog rock, classic heavy metal, stoner rock, and old-school doom metal as…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/kaasinmusic/?locale=nb_NO Norwegian hard rockers Kaasin, which is the brainchild of Come Taste the Band guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin, impressed yours truly quite a bit a few years ago when they released the melodically strong and impeccably crafted Fired Up. Said album was a superb mixture of eighties classic heavy metal and late…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-a-future-dead-24-bit-hd-audio The renowned and legendary Swedish constellation known as At the Gates surely need no introduction as they have been at the vanguard of melodic death metal for decades now and helped shape and pioneer the very genre. Admired and cherished by both fans and critics alike, their unique take on the…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://drakentheband.bandcamp.com/album/here-be-draken From the fertile Norwegian underground comes an excellent new outfit named Draken whose eleven-track recent offering charmingly titled Here Be Draken, which will be released via the ever-dependable Dark Essence Records, is guaranteed to melt brains and tear faces clean off. Consisting of members of such fabulous and musically forward-thinking constellations…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026 BAND URL: https://kreator.bandcamp.com/album/krushers-of-the-world With Gods Of Violence2018, Kreator, an ANTIFAscist German band who, having attempted formation as Tyrant and Metal Militia in 1982 and Tormentor until 1984, finally had settled on Kreator as Miland “Mille” Petrozza (vocals, guitars), Jürgen “Ventor” Reil (vocals-1987, drums-1994) and Roberto Fioretti (bass-1992), seemed to have lyrically tried…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025 BAND URL: https://testament.bandcamp.com/album/para-bellum The great Roman General Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus once said “if you want peace prepare for war” and that latter sentiment, in Latin “para bellum”, is the driving force behind the legendary Oakland Californian thrash metallers Testament’s 13th full length. After a very good but creatively staggering Titans Of Creation2020,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://paradiselostofficial.bandcamp.com/ Paradise Lost’s Ascension2025 (Nuclear Blast) is a towering return that finds the Halifax, UK legends operating at a level few bands their age could dream of. Clocking in at 51:02 with 10 tracks as their 17th studio album, Ascension stands as their strongest and most satisfying full-length since the untouchable Icon1993,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://linkin.bio/studfarmmafia/ Sweet mother of lord, this is some incredibly catchy and infectious stuff, and rarely has an EP struck these ears as being so uplifting and . . . well, entertaining, really. This is just what I needed today, but we should probably discuss its musical qualities (of which there are many)…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/JoelHoekstra13 Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Revolution Saints, Cher) is not only one of the hardest working musicians out there but also one of the most talented and productive that I can think of, and a brief glance at his impressive resume should tell you all you need to know about this…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://gjenferdbergen.bandcamp.com/album/black-smoke-rising Just when I thought that it would be impossible for this quartet to improve on their flawless self-titled debut offering from 2024, they go ahead and do something like this, i.e. bringing a lovely crafted piece of magical hard rock with vintage vibes to life and doing it in such a…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://primalucerock.bandcamp.com/album/way-of-perfection The French prog metal act known as Primaluce released the impressive Dark Mirrors LP last year, which generated quite a lot of well-deserved praise, and it is therefore a thrill to see and hear that they have maintained their momentum and crafted an equally worthwhile offering in the shape of the…
Photo: Ross Sewage The long-running and legendary death metal hounds known as Exhumed are about to unleash their brand-new onslaught titled Red Asphalt via Relapse Records on February 20, and it is an inspired and utterly stimulating piece of work that sees the veteran act on fine form and as musically potent, vile, and entertaining…
VENUE: GrieghallenDATE: 03.02.2026ORGANIZER: FKP Scorpio NorgePHOTOGRAPHER: C. Nepper Legendary British hard rockers Uriah Heep surely need no introduction as their classic song material is the stuff that prog-esque dreams are made of. Timeless outputs such as Demons and Wizards and The Magician’s Birthday from 1972 still resonate with fans of old while simultaneously finding new…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: www.beforethesirens.com The British metalheads in Before the Sirens are back with another EP, ready to impress audiences around the world with their take on a well-established formula. They offer a form of melodic metalcore that might appear a bit generic at times, but it works surprisingly well. It has a universality to…
RELEASE YEAR: 2026BAND URL: https://www.megadeth.com/ How to sum up the vital importance and pioneering spirit of thrash metal titans Megadeth? To many of us, Dave Mustaine and his supremely talented cohorts delivered a string of flawless soundtracks to our youths that still resonate with us to this day, and which will undoubtedly continue to inspire and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://lnk.to/vampyricwarinblood The Flemish entity known as Bloedmaan impressed this scribe greatly two years ago when mastermind Ronarg (Antzaat, Ars Veneficium) unleashed the epic-sounding and surprisingly catchy Castle Inside the Eclipse via the rock-solid Immortal Frost Productions, which has proven to be one of those uniquely crafted black metal releases that I find myself…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.electrichighband.com/ The debut album by these hard rocking Norwegians impressed this writer greatly and was a vigorous, vibrant, and riveting tour de force of groove, hooks, crunchy riffs, and 70s vibes. All of that is very much present throughout this sophomore effort of theirs too, but what sets the latter slightly apart…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/ozzy-osbourne/last-rites/9781408724057/ Last Rites by the sadly missed and inimitable Ozzy Osbourne is nothing short of a triumph in every sense of the word. Published just a few months after his unforgettable performance at the historic Back to the Beginning event in Birmingham – the place where he and his mates in Black…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://zebulondoom.bandcamp.com/album/come-day-of-reckoning-2 The splendid Norwegian doom metal outfit known as Zebulon unleashed this musically dynamic force of nature just a couple of weeks ago, and there is an exciting and emotive edge as well as heaps of gloom to the 6-track effort, which sports the evocative title Come Day of Reckoning, reflecting its…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/LunaMarble Manchester’s very own Luna Marble are set to release this self-titled opus of theirs in early November, and I might as well start out by saying that it is a proper gem that weaves the best parts of Led Zeppelin, the Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix, early Fleetwood Mac, Rival Sons, and Pink…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://lnk.to/theaphoticvortex Spawned in Austria nearly twenty years ago and having undergone quite the interesting musical evolution since then, Asphagor recently unleashed their fifth full-length onslaught via Immortal Frost Productions, and it just so happens that The Aphotic Vortex ticks pretty much all the right black/death metal boxes and delivers plenty of chills…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/grahambonnetofficial/ The legendary Graham Bonnet (whose highly productive career in music has lasted for more years than he probably cares to remember himself) is set to release this cool-looking live album just in time for Christmas, and it is a robust-sounding affair all around. Bonnet is arguably best known for his work…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.tobyjepsonofficial.com/ The second installment in the talented Toby Jepson’s (Wayward Sons, Little Angels) “Look Out” chronicle will be out in late October and trumps its predecessor in every conceivable way. As simple as that, really. Now, do please read on, okay? Weaving traits and influences from classic rock, early seventies glam rock,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/ronnieromeroofficial/ The immensely talented vocalist Ronnie Romero has become a household name in hard rock and heavy metal circles, which is hardly surprising given that he has lent his incredible voice to recordings by Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Vandenberg, Sunstorm, and Lords of Black just to list a few examples. His…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://ffm.to/vagrantheimland Fresh off a successful tour with Taake and Asagraum, the purveyors of melancholy Norwegian black metal known as Heimland unleash yet another impressive, emotionally charged torrent of well-composed material that reeks of longing and desolation. Edged Circle Productions undoubtedly have a keen ear for quality metal with soul, passion, and longevity…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://goatmilker.bandcamp.com/album/goatmilker From the wonderful albeit rain-soaked city of Bergen comes a strangely invigorating and energetic outfit named Goatmilker, and if for some reason their charming moniker is not enough to convince you that these chaps are fucking cool then their songs undoubtedly will. Somewhere between raw and catchy stoner rock and progressive…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://asira.bandcamp.com/ What we have here is a highly interesting and uniquely crafted release that displays passion and ambition in equal measure. Somewhere between post-black metal, modern progressive rock, and experimental shoegaze lies this epic and emotionally intense opus titled As Ink in Water by the Reading-based outfit intriguingly named Asira. Sweeping melodies,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://babymetal.com Origins and Evolution Formed in 2010 as a genre-defying blend of idol pop and heavy metal, BABYMETAL quickly became a global phenomenon with their theatrical performances, intricate choreography, and innovative “kawaii metal” sound. Anchored by the core trio of Su-metal, Moametal, and new member Momometal, they have evolved from viral…
RELEASE YEAR: 2024BAND URL: https://the-true-deceased.bandcamp.com/ Let me paint you a picture of a bright unscathed new world where mankind would live in joyous peace and cherish his life on Earth, our children would play in safety and real love would own our hearts, true sincerity lives away from greed…Now let me paint you reality’s picture,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2024 BAND URL: https://infraredmetal.ca/ There are few things more satisfying as a metal fan than watching a band evolve and consistently deliver, and few modern thrash bands have done that quite like Ottawa’s Infrared. With Manifestation²⁰²⁴, their fourth full-length released (again) independently last September 6th, the Canadians reaffirm their place in the XXI-st…
RELEASE YEAR: 2024 BAND URL: https://www.witherfall.com/ The following expose is not a mere review – it is a personal reflection by a listener reborn.There are moments in a music fan’s life when an album doesn’t just impress—it devastates, heals, confronts, and ultimately resurrects you. Sounds Of The Forgotten²⁰²⁴, the fourth full-length offering from Los Angeles…
RELEASE YEAR: 2024 BAND URL: https://www.fourstrokebaron.com/ After carving out a niche with their theatrical blend of heavy progressive rock and ’80s-inspired new wave with Four Stroke Baron²⁰¹⁴ EP, and King Radio²⁰¹⁵, Planet Silverscreen²⁰¹⁷ (debut for Prosthetic) as well as Classics²⁰²¹, Nevada trio Four Stroke Baron returned with last year’s May 31st Data Diamond²⁰²⁴, their fourth…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://lnk.to/nihilist Following a rather obnoxious and pointless intro piece, the French underground black metal constellation known as Myrkvid launches into a full-frontal attack on the senses and delivers its potently bleak and destructive old-school madness in a convincing manner. What we have here is called Nihilist and harkens back to the mid-90s in terms…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://shocknarcotic.bandcamp.com/album/my-flesh-is-afraid-but-i-am-not The fabulous yet underrated extreme metal squadron known as Shock Narcotic released this bone-shattering affair of theirs via the ever-reliable Housecore Records roughly a week ago, and there is plenty to get excited about here, friends. Why is that? Well, these chaps have honed their sound and sharpened their musical claws…
RELEASE YEAR: 2024 BAND URL: https://www.flotstildeath.com/ For the past three albums, the eponymous²⁰¹⁶, The End Of Chaos²⁰¹⁹ and Blood In The Water²⁰²¹, the Phoenix Arizonian power thrash heavy metal outfit Flotsam And Jetsam have been on a roll with fantastic records full of heavy metal anthems that make Metallica, Megadeth and even Anthrax sound outdated…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://alicecooper.lnk.to/RevengePR The phrase “highly anticipated” does not quite do this one justice in that we are talking about a marvelous new opus by the original Alice Cooper group – the first one in fifty years no less. Excited? You should be as this one is a real belter in more ways than…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://tarjaturunen.com/circus-life/ The talented Tarja Turunen recently released this 18-track live offering via earMUSIC titled Circus Life in the shape of a great-looking 2CD/Blu Ray set, and this is a rather interesting symphonic metal release for a number of different reasons. Recorded in Bucharest just a couple of months shy of the Covid-19…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://variety-jones.bandcamp.com/album/shell-shocked What a lovely, rabble-rousing debut offering this is! Variety Jones hail from Bergen but sound like they crawled out of the gutter in Los Angeles roughly thirty-eight years ago, which is obviously meant as a compliment. With an emphasis on raw and concise riffs that will make you raise your fist,…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.instagram.com/vader_band_official/ Polish death metal legends Vader are not merely one of the foremost purveyors of insanely catchy and pummeling tunes of darkness but also exceptionally consistent with respect to delivering outputs that ooze quality and great songwriting chops. They have been around for what seems like forever, yet they have lost none…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://lordimusic.bandcamp.com/album/limited-deadition The ridiculously endearing monsters known as Lordi are back with a new output and sound as over the top and joyous as usual, which means that there is nothing new under the sun as such, but the best parts of the sixteen-track offering are so cool and funny that you would…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://haxan.co.uk/ Häxan is a musically explosive trio hailing from South Wales, and there must be something in the water in those parts of the UK as Death of Me delivers an abundance of hooks and thrills that will make you want to revisit the disc again and again. Their debut offering, White…
RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://www.kingkraken.co.uk/ The hard-hitting Welsh metal outfit known as King Kraken impressed me greatly with their pounding and groovy debut album titled MCLXXX back in 2023, and a few weeks ago they unleashed a brand-new maelstrom of heaviness named March of the Gods, which sees the quintet conjure up ten catchy and concise…
