Photo Credit: Arne Beschorner

Rock outfit PLAIINS present new single 'Happy Faces' along with a music video. This is the first single from their debut album which will be released this summer via Long Branch Records.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/AItykSQ9zw0

Stream the single here: https://plaiins.lnk.to/happyfaces

“'Happy Faces' is a fast and raucous punk indie song about the duality of the protagonists views of the importance of putting on a happy face to promote a joyful view on the world and being courageous, throwing yourself into the unknown and the compromising hypocrisy of going too far," comments singer Chris Reardon. "Do you become a happier freer person or is it a mere mask obscuring a person's view on reality? As the song starts it all seems to point toward the first but as the song progresses the protagonist takes things further and further. Buying a whole bar a round of drinks on his credit card without any thought. As he burns out into an insanity, screaming "Happy dumbass faces"."

PLAIINS hit you like a freight train - songs full of power and character, craziness and energy. Founded by singer Chris amidst the pandemic PLAIINS are growing on the soil made fertile by bands like IDLES, QOTSA and Turnstile. Since the release of their debut single 'The Wolf' in March 2022, Dizzy, Flo, Timon and Chris have racked up tons of streams, been featured in major editorial playlists on all important platforms (All New Rock, All New Punk etc) and been a recurring guest on big radio stations like BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing and RBB Fritz.

PLAIINS are:
Chris Reardon - Vocals, Guitars
Timon Lanzinger - Bass
David Suhlrie - Drums
Florian Kaninck - Guitars

PLAIINS online:
https://www.tiktok.com/@plaiinsband
https://www.facebook.com/plaiinsband
https://www.instagram.com/plaiinsband_
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3gUHDc3I3G1bFRElrj90fR?si=cIPo71aqRg-Cr_gHw_3svQ

Photo credit: Luke Shadrick

Interlaker have unveiled a powerful and emotive redux version of their single 'Ghostride', released ahead of their UK headline tour. 'Ghostride' is the second of four redux versions of Interlaker songs, which will appear on a digital delux edition of their self-titled debut, set for release on 30th May via Hassle Records.

Recorded & filmed live at The Ranch, watch the video here: https://youtu.be/KHpUnVTPa6E

Stream here: https://hasslerecords.ffm.to/ghostride-redux

Catch the band on the following dates:
**review and interviews opportunities available, contact james@holdtight.co**

Apr 03: Bristol, Rough Trade (w/ Death Is A Girl)
Apr 04: Southampton, Heartbreakers (w/ Dirtsharks, Wolf Culture)
Apr 10: London, Downstairs at The Dome (w/ Blue Stragglers)
Apr 11: Manchester, Yes Basement (w/ The Throwaway Scene)
Apr 25: Glasgow, SWG3 Poetry Club (w/ Caseveti)
Apr 26: Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club (w/ False Advertising, Nightsway)

Tickets: https://interlaker.com/live/

Anyone who has loved rock music over the last decade or so will be familiar with David Jakes and Jack Wrench. Jakes was the broodingly intense singer with Lonely The Brave; a complex character blessed with a once-in-a-generation voice. And Wrench was the explosive drummer with Arcane Roots, a man equally at home with math-rock complexity and sheer rock power. These two exceptional talents have been united in Interlaker, who might just be the sensational rock band you’ve been waiting for since they walked away from their former projects. 

Jakes and Wrench – who only knew each other vaguely from their previous bands – brokered their new partnership on Instagram; exchanging casual messages, discovering a mutual love of REM and Pearl Jam, before progressing to swapping demos and song ideas, eventually writing and recording their brilliant debut album entirely online. 

The sense of the unpredictable that courses through Interlaker’s album has also extended to an unlikely return to the live arena. The band – augmented by live members including Wrench’s brother – made a triumphant live debut at London’s Omeara last year, and played throughout 2024, including their debut festival performance at 2000trees festival in July.
. 
Rest assured, Interlaker are a tale of the unexpected that everyone is going to love.

For more:
https://interlaker.com/sign-up/
https://interlaker.com
https://facebook.com/InterlakerOfficial
https://instagram.com/interlakerofficial
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1sgjRSBP1ij45SrUmvuLJq?si=zAO-tx7hTfmsm9-msHjtpg

Photo Credit: Frances Carter

This Friday, 28th March, New Zealand modern groove metal trio ALIEN WEAPONRY will release their heaviest, most powerful and mature offering to date, Te Rā, via Napalm Records. Today, in celebration of this week's release, the band has unleashed one of the album's most aggressive, death-metal leaning offerings, 'Taniwha', featuring a raw, heavy-hitting contribution from longtime supporter and metal icon Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God.

Take a listen to the new track now – a special bonus listen two days in advance of the album's drop – and see below for insight into the track's inspirations. The new anthem follows acclaimed latest singles 'Mau Moko' ("...top-notch technical thrash metal..." - Heavy Consequence) and '1000 Friends' ("a driving, riff forward affair that makes it super easy to bang your head to" - MetalSucks).

Watch here: https://youtu.be/U8HuDJTqvEU

Of the new single, ALIEN WEAPONRY comment: "Lamb of God played a significant role in making Alien Weaponry what it is today and this collaboration with Randy Blythe feels like one of those ‘pinch yourself’ moments that our teenage selves would never believe possible. Randy’s lyricism and vocal expertise was an amazing addition to this song and we are beyond stoked to share this song/milestone with the world."

Pre-order Te Rā here: https://lnk.to/AlienWeaponry-TeRa/napalmrecords

Alien Weaponry have solidified themselves as one of the greatest young metal bands of their generation with renewed musical tenacity and crucial messaging. Te Rā is a bold, unwavering cry for a future in which we can all take part in the legacy of peoples like the Māori and others all around us – people who, if they aren’t seen, most certainly need to be heard.

With their third full-length album, Alien Weaponry expand on their hallmark messages of cultural, societal and environmental resilience while delivering their most massive-sounding, focused musical output ever. In the hands of veteran producer/mixer Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God, Gojira, Megadeth) and featuring a guest vocal appearance from longtime Alien Weaponry champion Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Te Rā’s gnashing blend of groove, nu, math and thrash metal shines with anthemic choruses and refreshed technical skill.

On Te Rā, listeners can hear the band doubling-down on the aggression in the verses before applying temperance, especially in the case of 'Taniwha', a death metal-leaning banger featuring the particularly raw guest vocal from Randy Blythe. Lyrically, there’s a noticeable tilt towards despondency, hopelessness, and frustration on Te Rā. While bassist Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds' lyrics in Māori on songs like 'Tama-nui-te-rā' and Ponaturi' draw from the themes of history, battle lore and mysticism that made the first two albums so rich, frontman/guitarist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong's English-language lyrics illustrate the impact when culture collides with disenfranchisement day to day.

'Crown' and 'Hanging by a Thread' take us into the headspace where struggle pushes people to the brink of desperation, while on 'Blackened Sky' and '1000 Friends', Lewis addresses universal woes like the looming threat of World War III and the damaging effects of social media. On album closer 'Te Kore', Tūranga dives into primordial nothingness at the root of the Māori origin story, while on 'Mau Moko', he finds the middle ground between these perspectives. Taken as a whole, Te Rā grapples with what it’s like to be caught in the pull of divergent cultures – not just for the descendants of colonized people, but for all of us.
 
Alien Weaponry are:                      
Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong - Drums, Backing vocals 
Lewis Raharuhi de Jong - Guitars, Lead vocals         
Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds - Backing vocals & guitar
 
Alien Weaponry online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM 
NAPALM RECORDS

Te Rā will be available in the following formats:      
- 1-LP Deluxe Gatefold Splatter Vinyl w/ 20'' Booklet, Patch, Slipmat - Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
- 1-LP Gatefold Marbled Vinyl - Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
- 1-LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
- 1-CD Digisleeve  
- Digital Album

Te Rā tracklisting:

1. Crown    
2. Mau Moko    
3. 1000 Friends    
4. Hanging by a Thread    
5. Tama-nui-te-rā    
6. Myself to Blame    
7. Taniwha (feat. Randy Blythe)
8. Blackened Sky    
9. Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea    
10. Ponaturi    
11. Te Kore    

Iconic Berlin label Pelagic Records is immensely proud to unveil the complete lineup for Pelagic Fest 2025, set to unfold on 23rd and 24th August at Muziekgieterij in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Headlined by blackened progressive metal virtuoso Ihsahn, Pelagic Fest 2025 will feature a standout lineup showcasing unique sounds and experiences. Also headlining are post-rock pioneers This Will Destroy You, known for their evocative soundscapes and God Is an Astronaut, whose cinematic instrumental rock has earned them global acclaim. This two-day event promises to traverse the full spectrum of Pelagic's musical universe, where innovation, depth and emotion converge in a truly transformative experience.

Full line up:

Ihsahn
This Will Destroy You
God Is An Astronaut
Bruit ≤ (two sets: The Age Of Ephemerality in full; The Machine Is Burning-centred set with Monolith EP)
Psychonaut
Hypno5e
Gösta Berlings Saga
You, Infinite (performing 'S/T’ in full)
Pothamus 
LO!
A Burial At Sea
Telepathy
Bear
Barrens
Hemelbestormer
TÖRZS
The Gorge
Astrosaur 
Blessings
Johan G. Winther
The Hills Mover

The lineup's diversity spans from the engaging post-metal of Belgium’s Psychonaut to the tranquil, instrumental sounds of Hungarian ensemble TÖRZS. Sydney’s LO! will deliver their powerful, intense energy, while Hypno5e combines metal with atmospheric soundscapes. Swedish group Gösta Berlings Saga introduces a dark, krautrock influence. Each act offers a unique voice, collectively weaving a tapestry of emotions, innovation, and musical exploration.
 
The festival will also feature several exclusive full album sets. French instrumental rock pioneers Bruit ≤ will perform two sets: Sunday's set will focus on their trailblazing debut album The Machine Is Burning… alongside material from their Monolith EP. Saturday's performance will showcase upcoming album The Age Of Ephemerality, in full, live for the first time ever.

Additionally, the enigmatic You, Infinite will debut their new self-titled album in an exclusive live performance, offering a rare experience of their latest evolution whilst This Will Destroy You will serve some older classics. These performances promise to be both a celebration and a deep dive into the creative depths of these bands.

As a special Artist Focus event, Swedish artist John G. Winther will be sharing the full spectrum of his creative vision at Pelagic Fest. Beyond his performances with his bands Barrens and Blessings, Winther will present a  one-of-a-kind solo set centred around his 2021 album The Rupturing Sowle. As a testament to his multifaceted artistry, the festival will also feature an exhibition of his visual artwork, displayed in the venue’s foyer, blending his music and visual art into an experience that invites reflection.

Robin Staps, Head of Pelagic Records, comments, "Pelagic Fest 2025 will continue right where last year’s anniversary edition left off: it’s promising to be a killer weekend loaded to the brim with exceptional music from exceptional artists. I’m happy that we managed to avoid repetitions — NO band on this bill played last year already — whilst still remaining (almost) entirely within the Pelagic roster. Yes, that does include Ihsahn, who delivered a stunning reinterpretation of Lustmord’s Dark Awakening as part of our pandemic Lustmord tribute album, The Others… and God Is An Astronaut’s All Is Violent, All Is Bright was the 3rd album we ever released. "

Tickets are on sale now: www.PELAGIC-RECORDS.com

Artist images can he found HERE

More information on Pelagic Records:

Founded in 2009 by post-metal spearheads The Ocean and their Berlin collective, Pelagic Records has grown into one of the most influential labels in the realms of post-rock, post-metal, and progressive/left-field heavy music. Over the years, Pelagic has worked with an impressive roster of artists, including MONO, Årabrot, Sugar Horse, Year of No Light, and Bruit ≤, among many others. Celebrating it's 15th anniversary last year, Pelagic Records is focused on further solidifying its legacy by establishing Pelagic Fest as an annual event, an occasion that removes barriers and brings together artists and fans for a captivating celebration of the music that defines the label’s diverse and forward-thinking sound.

Pelagic Records online:
https://pelagic-records.com
https://www.facebook.com/pelagicrecords
instagram.com/pelagic_records
https://pelagicrecords.bandcamp.com/

Photo Credit: Erika Larsson

Dark post-rock trio BARRENS have today unveiled their stellar new single 'Periastron' via Pelagic Records.

Stream here: https://orcd.co/barrens
Watch: https://youtu.be/A6s42QrGdVA

'Periastron' is an expansive, sweeping statement from the trio. A gently persistent synth underpins the majestic, otherworldly melody, leading to a beautifully grandiose climax. The band comment: "'Periastron' concludes the A-side of corpse lights, at the point closest to the burning core of the album, before falling away again. 

"The track went through several different versions before finding its current form, but ended up “sui generis” and became the perfect first part of the albums midpoint, as well as serving as one of its strongest pieces concerning one of the albums central themes; relationships. 

"The video for the track was created by Grammy-nominated video artist Linus Johansson from the creative collective Try New Things, who took the artwork made for the single (by band member Johan G Winther) and used it as a starting point to build a brilliant, haunting, immersive, otherworldly experience through the red thread of the track titles and themes of the album." 

BARRENS are a highly-regarded group from Gothenburg, Sweden, and feature two members of Scraps Of Tape, veterans of the scene who've been touring for over twenty years.

BARRENS have developed their own idiosyncratic sound since their stunning debut album Penumbra (2020): as driven by synths as by guitars, Penumbra oscillates between the dark and the brighter side of post-rock, but leaning more towards the dark. The album conceptually circles around themes of change, metamorphosis and transformation, "especially movement into, through and out of shadows and back again", as guitarist Johan G Winther explains. "Being both lost in darkness, yet finding comfort there. Seeking it. Afloat in blinding light, suspended in darkness" - the message etched on the album vinyl.

BARRENS were already touring together before they were even a band. In 2018, Markku Hildén joined Scraps of Tape, Johan and bassist Kenta’s other band, as a live drummer for two tours of Europe and a tour of China. "Finding an immediate chemistry between us both playing and hanging out, we quickly realised we had very similar ideas regarding music and creating art together. So the outlines for what BARRENS would become were sketched out back then in vans, trains, planes and over post-show beers at local bars", comments Kenta Jansson.

Once back home, the newly formed band started writing demos, drawing inspiration from new sources and venturing through both well known and unknown territories. In the summer of 2019, Penumbra was recorded in Uppsala and Gothenburg and produced by the band, and mixed and mastered by Cult of Luna's Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios in Stockholm.

Since then, BARRENS have gone from strength to strength. In the intervening time the trio have supported the legendary Mogwai, God Is An Astronaut, signed with the famed Pelagic Records and opening ArcTanGent's main stage for the 2023 edition.

For more: 

https://www.instagram.com/barrens_official
https://www.facebook.com/BARRENStheband
https://pelagic-records.com/artist/barrens

Photo Credit: Matteo Vdiva Fabbiani for VD Pictures

POWERWOLF finally return to the UK on 7th March 2026 to play the legendary OVO Arena Wembley in London – their biggest UK show ever. The band have proven that metal is much more than just music; it is a religion to which they pay homage at every show, with a holy heavy Metal Mass-like celebration attended by their devoted cult of worshippers. One highlight follows another at a show that borders on perfection, leaving fans speechless.

Grandiose sound, unending special effects, unparalleled production, massive pyro and a gigantic LED video screen with changing stage sets tailored to each song are only a few exciting elements one should expect at a POWERWOLF performance. Now, after many years, the time has finally come for the band to celebrate their Metal Mass with this enchanting display in the United Kingdom once again.

Falk Maria Schlegel states:

“POWERWOLF LIVE AT WEMBLEY ARENA – THE METAL MASS IS COMING!

"London, are you ready to howl with us? We will come back to your beautiful city! On March 7, 2026 we will bring our metal mass to the legendary Wembley Arena for a night of pure, unrelenting power!
Get ready for an unforgettable night! I invite you all to a show that will shake Wembley to its foundations!”

Support comes from heavy metal legends Hammerfall and metal Dwarfen legion Wind Rose.

Tickets will be available here: www.myticket.co.uk - £1 from every ticket to be donated to the LIVE Trust.

POWERWOLF are touring in suport of their no.1 charting album Wake Up The Wicked LP out now via Napalm Records. Purchase HERE.

POWERWOLF live:

Latin Amercian Crusade 2025:
23.04.25 MX – Mexico City / Auditorio BB
24.04.25 MX – Guadalajara / Guanamor Teatro Estudio
25.04.25 MX – Monterrey / Showcenter
27.04.25 CR – San Jose / Peppers Club
29.04.25 SV – San Salvador / Museo Marte
01.05.25 CO – Bogota / Royal House
05.05.25 CL – Santiago / Teatro Cariola
07.05.25 AG – Buenos Aires / El Teatro Flores

Summer Of The Wicked Tour 2025:
06.06.25 FR – Nancy / Heavy Week-End
07.06.25 DE – Nuremberg / Rock im Park
08.06.25 DE – Nurburg / Rock am Ring
10.06.25 FR – Toulouse / Zenith (+ Dragonforce)
11.06.25 FR – Lyon / Halle Tony Garnier (+ Dragonforce)
13.06.25 AT – Nickelsdorf / Nova Rock
15.06.25 NL – Leeuwarden / Into The Grave
17.06.25 FR – Lille / Zenith (+ Dragonforce)
20.06.25 DE – Rostock / Stadthalle (+ Dragonforce)
21.06.25 DK – Copenhagen / Copenhell
22.06.25 SE – Huskvarna / Folkets Park (+ Amaranthe & Dragonforce)
24.06.25 SE – Uppsala / Fyrishov (+ Amaranthe & Dragonforce)
25.06.25 NO – Oslo / Tons Of Rock
27.06.25 EE – Tallinn / Tallinn Rock Festival
28.06.25 FI – Helsinki / Tuska Festival
30.06.25 PL – Lodz / Atlas Arena (+ Epica & Dragonforce)
02.07.25 HU – Dunaujvaros /Rockmaraton
04.07.25 DE – Ballenstedt / Rockharz Festival
11.07.25 DE – Saarbrücken / E-Werk Open Air (+ Warkings)
13.07.25 CZ – Vizovice / Masters Of Rock
02.08.25 RO – Rasnov / Rockstadt Extreme Fest
09.08.25 ES – Villena / Leyendas Del Rock
 
Exclusive United Kingdom Show 2026:
07.03.26 UK – London / OVO Arena Wembley

POWERWOLF are:
Attila Dorn – vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel – organ
Charles Greywolf – guitar
Matthew Greywolf – guitar
Roel van Helden – drums

More Info:
HOMEPAGE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

Powerwolf Wake Up The Wicked tracklisting:

1.    Bless 'em With the Blade
2.    Sinners of the Seven Seas
3.    Kyrie Klitorem
4.    Heretic Hunters
5.    1589
6.    Viva Vulgata
7.    Wake Up the Wicked
8.    Joan of Arc
9.    Thunderpriest
10.    We Don't Wanna Be No Saints
11.    Vargamor

German metalcore band SENNA are back with a storm, delivering their electrifying new single 'Hurricane', the latest preview of their forthcoming debut album Stranger To Love, released 23rd May via SharpTone Records.

Stream 'Hurricane' here: https://bfan.link/hurricane-16
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/I3HaOPvOKvg

With its relentless energy and captivating soundscapes, 'Hurricane' embodies the chaos of the mind and the struggle to find clarity within it. Speaking on the new single, the band shares: "'Hurricane' is an intense, electrifying track that takes you on a journey through emotion and energy. With its powerful rhythm and captivating sound, we wanted to capture the chaos of the mind and the struggle to find clarity amidst it. It’s a song for anyone navigating their own storm, seeking release and strength in the face of adversity."

Pre-order Stranger To Love here: https://bfan.link/stranger-to-love

Following the success of their previous singles 'High Note', 'Rain' and 'Blackout', 'Hurricane' further cements SENNA’s ability to craft music that resonates on a deeply personal level while pushing the boundaries of their sound. With Stranger To Love, SENNA present an intimate and deeply reflective collection of songs that explore the subtleties of human connection and personal growth. Guitarist Marcel Dürr, speaking on the album’s themes, shares:

"Stranger To Love is a collection of anecdotes from our own personal lives. These stories are not special in the sense that they are not extraordinary or unique to just us. They are not these once-in-a-lifetime experiences that change everything. They’re the kinds of experiences that happen quietly, in everyday moments. A conversation that didn’t go as planned. Feelings that linger longer than they should. Slowly realizing that things have changed in a relationship.

"What makes these stories meaningful is not that they are special, but that they are real. They happen to us, they happen to people everywhere, every day. Sometimes they happen in obvious ways, sometimes in ways that barely get noticed. They’re part of what it means to figure things out. In the end, these moments connect us, even if we experience them in our own way."

SENNA have been steadily carving out their space in the alternative music scene with their raw lyricism and dynamic sound. With Stranger To Love, the band expands their sonic landscape, delivering a record that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

For more:

https://linktr.ee/senna.band
https://www.facebook.com/senna.band
https://www.instagram.com/senna.band

1. Hurricane
2. Rain
3. Blackout
4. High Note
5. Bodyguard
6. Drunk Dial Anthem
7. Potential
8. Breeze
9. Cliffhanger
10. NS:LC
11. Polarised

Photo Credit: Alex Krauss

Today, 21st March, avant-death metal trio Imperial Triumphant have released their sixth full-length, Goldstar, via Century Media Records. Their most instant and evocative work to-date, Goldstar reins in their musical wanderlust with a newfound focus that the band have only hinted at with past works.

The trio also release their new single and video for 'Gomorrah Nouveaux', directed by Brendan McGowan, which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/7Ios6fwqrSU

Purchase Goldstar in various formats here: https://imperialtriumphant.lnk.to/Goldstar-AlbumPR

Imperial Triumphant comment: "Goldstar is alchemy in sound—turning discord into something radiant, something beyond us. This album captures the tension between grandeur and collapse, channeling the energy of a world in flux. It's meant for those who seek not just to listen, but to be transformed."

Imperial Triumphant will be touring the UK and Europe this autumn, supporting Igorrr. Fans worldwide can expect a gilded mask-lift when Imperial Triumphant returns to the stage; new masks and an upgraded show will be part of their live experience with Goldstar and beyond.

UK dates:

Oct 21, 2025: Bristol (UK) - Crane Bristol
Oct 22, 2025: London (UK) - Shepherd's Bush Empire
Oct 23, 2025: Manchester (UK) - O2 Ritz

Watch the videos for the previously released singles below:
'Pleasuredome (ft. Dave Lombardo & Tomas Haake)': https://youtu.be/cPzQ9wsYT0Q
'Lexington Delirium (ft. Tomas Haake)': https://youtu.be/v9cDvwwbj6A
'Eye of Mars': https://youtu.be/58IvVWKjKZQ
'Hotel Sphinx': https://youtu.be/KnNHaH2kfkE

With their new release, Goldstar, the masked triumvirate Imperial Triumphant continue their exploration of the urban and arcane. The band have found inspiration in the sound of metal pushed to its darkest extremes, gilded, art deco temples, and looming cityscapes. Recorded in early 2024 with longtime collaborator and producer, Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice), as the final project recorded at Marston's Menegroth Studios in Queens, the album was done in a breakneck five days. "As we recorded the final tracks, the experience felt like the universe was aligning," the band observe. "Colin, who is basically a fourth member of the band to us, held space for this transformative moment, offering his incredible artistry and expertise, which only deepened the connection we had to the music. The sound that we captured in that sacred space was the crystallization of everything we've worked for, and the memories of those sessions will resonate within us for years to come. Music exists as a force beyond the infinite."

Imperial Triumphant are currently touring North America as part of the 2025 Decibel Magazine Tour, which also features Mayhem, Mortiis and New Skeletal Faces. Zachary Ezrin (vocals/guitar) comments: "We are ecstatic to set out on the 2025 Decibel Magazine Tour. This is one of the most extreme packages and we are proud to be a jewel in the crown of insanity. Buy your tickets and buy Goldstar!"

See the link for all dates; Decibel Magazine Tour tickets can be purchased at: www.decibelmagazine.com/events/tour
 
Imperial Triumphant are:
Zachary Ezrin - Vocals, Guitar
Steve Blanco - Bass, Keyboards
Kenny Grohowski - Drums
 
Imperial Triumphant online:
http://www.imperial-triumphant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/imperialtriumphant
https://www.instagram.com/imperialtriumphant/
https://twitter.com/imperialnyc

Album artwork by: Zbigniew M. Bielak
Goldstar track-listing

1. Eye of Mars
2. Gomorrah Nouveaux
3. Lexington Delirium (ft. Tomas Haake)
4. Hotel Sphinx
5. NEWYORKCITY (ft. Yoshiko Ohara)
6. Goldstar
7. Rot Moderne
8. Pleasuredome (ft. Dave Lombardo & Tomas Haake)       
9. Industry of Misery

Photo Credit: Nick Fancher

Six-time RIAA gold-certified modern rock powerhouse Pop Evil have released their eighth studio album What Remains today via MNRK Heavy. The band celebrate with a new, dark video for the track 'Side Effects'. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/VmFIGYpU1Ps
Listen to the full album here: https://popevil.ffm.to/whatremainsalbum

The song is an arena-ready juggernaut and boasts rueful lines such as "The world I built you tried to tear apart" and "Why did I try so hard to prove / What's killing you is killing me too," serving a powerful, unshielded message for anyone who has found themselves in a toxic situation and seeks the strength to break free for their own happiness and growth.
 
"Every action causes a reaction, a side effect," says Kakaty. "Toxicity is a virus that spreads and kills, but liberation and healing lies in an antidote you already possess. And now is the time to take it."

"Pop Evil manage to remain fresh and authentic, which is remarkable in itself; others have yet to achieve that." - OX Fanzine (DE)

"'What Remains' is truly an exciting piece of music, from front to back, proving that post-grunge and nu-metal can still sound fresh and exciting in 2025." - Blabbermouth (US)

"This is not my usual listening fare, but what Pop Evil have created here is phenomenal!" - Powerplay (UK)

For two decades, Pop Evil frontman Leigh Kataky has needed to mine the deepest of reserves in order to drag the band up from the blue-collar grassroots of his local Michigan scene to stand proud at the top of the modern rock game. Soaring successes, bitter defeats… Leigh Kakaty has survived it all.

What Remains is the culmination and story of this journey with Pop Evil, laid bare like never before. Continuing in the recent vein of 2023's acclaimed Skeletons, the new opus is both sonically and thematically Pop Evil's heaviest ever offering; a thundering collection of arena-ready modern rock and metal hits in which Kakaty opens heart, mind, and soul.

"There are a lot of issues and things that I've dealt with in this journey of Pop Evil that I've buried for a long time," the frontman explains of this document of resilience, perseverance, and accountability.

Pop Evil were born in North Muskegon, Michigan in 2001, Kakaty drawing on the lessons of a youth first shaped not by music, but by high school basketball — leadership, team work, the drive to improve in the lonely hours put in at the gym at 5am, the will to win suppressing any fear — in order to fight tooth and nail for their break-out moment.

"I was hustling and learning every day to make my dreams come true," Kakaty recalls of his time playing local bars and slinging early EPs out of the back of his truck. "Studying never interested me. Neither did getting a regular job. A knee injury wrecked my shot at playing sports. Music was all I wanted to do from that moment, and I didn't give myself a backup plan. Pop Evil gave me a purpose, and a reason to get up every day. It became a crusade."

Lipstick on the Mirror, their 2008 debut, and its follow-up, War of Angels, brought acclaim and global attention; 2013's Onyx delivered the first of the band’'s nine No.1 singles and six RIAA-certified gold and platinum plaques, but also a period of darkness brought on by the grief of Kakaty losing his father. "I was completely lost … I had just missed the last five years with my dad, chasing this dream when I could have been with him. I didn’t know if I wanted or could do Pop Evil any more," he says. The band’'s 2017 self-titled album, opened by the smash-hit 'Waking Lions' was written "pretty much to save my life" – but in turn “reminded me of the fire I have inside, and that God put me here to make music that could help people."

It's a mission statement enshrined in Pop Evil to this day — and which provided the spark for the genesis of What Remains.

“You're always chasing that one song that can connect with that one person," Kakaty says. "And that process has to start with yourself. There's a lot of personal healing on this record, a lot of things I wanted to get out for my own mental well-being. I'm finally at a place where I can confront my demons."

Sonically, the album is a riotous explosion of life-affirming noise; a vortex of scything riffs and gut-punch drum beats that regularly give way to Pop Evil's hallmark anthemic choruses. 

"We set out to push boundaries” nods Kakaty. "Metal has always been a part of our DNA, but we've never made it such a focal point before. A lot of writing on this record has been about listening to what my soul is saying and letting the songs find their own path, rather than chasing a sound that might fit in on the radio. I think you can really hear the mood and emotion of the album's themes in the music."

Pop Evil online:
www.popevil.com
www.facebook.com/popevil
www.twitter.com/popevil
www.instagram.com/popevil

Track-list:
1. When Bullets Miss    
2. Deathwalk
3. What Remains
4. Wishful Thinking
5. Side Effects
6. Criminal    
7. Enough Is Enough    
8. Zero To None    
9. Knife For The Butcher    
10. Overkill