Photo Credit: Napalm Records

Swiss heavy metal powerhouse Burning Witches have announced their new studio album, Inquisition, out 22nd August 2025 via Napalm Records. They have also premiered the album's title track single / video.

Watch the video to 'Inquisition' here: https://youtu.be/p2C5FDpKO-g

Pre-order Inquisition here: https://napalmrecords.com/burning-witches

On their sixth studio album, the band return with a darker, more thunderous brew diving headfirst into the themes of medieval persecution, religious oppression, and the unbreakable spirit of resistance. Featuring 12 brand-new tracks, the album marks a bold new era: forged in the flames of power/heavy metal, sharpened by anthemic songwriting and epic instrumentation.

This first single breaks open the gates with a tempest of high-energy power metal, as thunderous bass lines, pounding drums and twin guitars dripping in witchery support Laura Guldemond’s hair-raising vocals, channeling raw emotion and groove.

The band comment on the single: "We are happy to present you with this epic, classic heavy song full of depth and occult moments that go straight under your skin! From a dark time of mankind, this song was composed with respect to all blood that this time has poured. ‘Inquisition’ will stay as a song that moves our engine with power to do more and more..."

Catch the band in the UK on the following dates:

23.01.26  London - The Dome UK
24.01.26  Birmingham - The Asylum  UK
25.01.26  Manchester - Academy 3 UK

When Burning Witches take the stage, the world trembles beneath their firestorm of heavy metal might! Following the classic heavy metal tones of their previous record, The Dark Tower (2023), Inquisition delivers tight production and an unrelenting onslaught of burning riffs, crushing drums, and vocal sorcery, driven by producers Damir Eskic (Destruction) and V.O. Pulver (Little Creek Studio, Pro-Pain, Destruction), and shaped by the songwriting of founding guitarist Romana Kalkuhl.

With Inquisition, Burning Witches unleash their most focused and ferocious album yet, honoring classic heavy metal roots while diving into darker, more powerful territory. From mystical ballads to breakneck shred-fests, the album channels both the sacred and profane, the melodic and the menacing - a testament to a band unafraid to evolve, fight, and enchant.

"As we celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary in 2025, I am very happy as well to announce our sixth album with pride and satisfaction. I am extremely happy to start the next chapter of our metal journey with my girls. The album Inquisition is for those of you who are into legends like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Slayer. Full of power, melodies, double bass drums, heavy riffs and speedy guitar solos, Inquisition is not only our style and lifestyle, it's our life! From the beginning to the end, it's the best of us,” Romana Kalkuhl comments.

"We and our label Napalm Records are a huge supporter of vinyl records, so with passion and joy we chose some great editions to add to your collectables. Now it’s your time to pick your Inquisition!"

Burning Witches are:
Romana Kalkuhl - Guitar
Laura Guldemond - Vocals
Courtney Cox - Guitar
Jay Grob - Bass
Lala Frischknecht - Drums

Burning Witches online:
https://www.facebook.com/burningwitches666
https://twitter.com/burningwitches_
https://www.instagram.com/burningwitchesofficial
https://www.burningwitches.ch
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuba8pbIQpqiM58ULyQczzw
https://www.tiktok.com/@burningwitches1   

Track list:

1. Sanguini Hominum
2. Soul Eater
3. Shame
4. The Spell Of The Skull
5. Inquisition
6. High Priestess Of The Night
7. Burn In Hell
8. Release Me
9. In For The Kill
10. In The Eye Of The Storm
11. Mirror, Mirror
12. Malus Maga

Formats:

- 1 CD Digipak
- 1 LP Black
- 1 LP Translucent Orange (GSA, CH)
- 1 LP Translucent Orange Black Splatter
- 1 LP Cross Red Black
- 2 LP Die Hard Gold Black Marbled (feat. 1 LP Inquisition + 1 LP The Night Of The Witch, 8p Booklet)
- Deluxe Wooden Box (feat. CD + Live CD  + Autograph Card + Pendant + Gloves + Patch)
- Music Cassette
- Digital Album

Photo Credit: Niklas Karlsson 

Orbit Culture return from the frozen north with a new album and their first with Century Media Records that is aptly titled Death Above Life, due for a release on 3rd October 2025. After braving a storm with the first single 'The Tales Of War', Orbit Culture take a bold step out of debilitating twilight with the next single and album title track 'Death Above Life'.

Once again produced by Riivata Visuals, watch the video here: https://youtu.be/4Z5KP0qRS3M

Pre-order Death Above Life here: https://orbitcultureband.lnk.to/DeathAboveLife-Album

”The album represents change, a new beginning,” says guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Niklas Karlsson. “It brings up a lot of good and bad emotions but it’s a big change for the better. It feels like a rebirth.”
 
On the new single, the band comment: “Our next song is the title track of the album - ‘Death Above Life’. While the first single, ‘The Tales Of War’, acted as a bridge to the next chapter, this one kicks the doors wide open. It’s darker, heavier, and leans into a more horror-driven side of Orbit Culture. Lyrically, it reflects a choice: when faced with the idea of continuing down a path surrounded by the wrong people, we sometimes know that we have to cut ties. It is not literally about choosing death but walking away from what is holding us back. ‘Death Above Life’ is about letting go of what no longer fits to make space for something real. It will see the light of day for the very first time at Download Festival."

Having just concluded the Poisoned Ascendancy EU/UK tour supporting the mighty Trivium & Bullet For My Valentine, Orbit Culture show no sign of slowing down as they embark on a number of summer dates, including festivals and supporting In Flames on selected shows:

15 June 25 (UK) Donington - Download Festival
17 June 25 (FR) Toulouse – w/ In Flames
18 June 25 (FR) Lyon – w/ In Flames
19 June 25 (BE) Dessel - Graspop Metal Meeting
20 June 25 (DE) Leipzig – w/ In Flames
26 June 25 (NO) Oslo - Tons Of Rock
28 June 25 (FIN) Helsinki - Tuska
13 October 25 (J) Loud Park Japan

Hailing from the small town of Eksjö, Sweden (located between the revered metal cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm), the quartet (guitarist and vocalist Niklas Karlsson, guitarist Richard Hansson, bassist Fredrik Lennartsson and drummer Christopher Wallerstedt) have grown into a global force, melding together riffs that are equal parts thrash, death metal and industrial with arresting hooks and a layered atmosphere that invites comparison to Gojira, Metallica and Static-X while carving out something that is uniquely their own.

Orbit Culture’s 2023 album Descent and their subsequent EP release The Forgotten topped many year-end lists in 2023, including Metal Hammer who described the album as: “a formidable entwining of modern metal’s most effective and exciting strands into an impressive milestone.” Exhaustive worldwide touring and a steady stream of crowd-pummeling festival slots across the globe, have set the stage for something much larger. 

Orbit Culture are a band poised. They are the sound of metal in the most modern sense.

Orbit Culture are:
Niklas Karlsson - guitar / vocals
Richard Hansson - guitar
Fredrik Lennartsson - bass
Christopher Wallerstedt - drums

Orbit Culture online:
https://www.orbitculture.com/
https://www.facebook.com/OrbitCulture/
https://www.instagram.com/orbitculture
twitter.com/orbitculture
https://www.youtube.com/user/OrbitCultureOfficial
https://www.tiktok.com/@orbitcultureofficial

Track list:
1. Inferna
2. Bloodhound
3. Inside The Waves
4. The Tales Of War
5. Hydra
6. Nerve
7. Death Above Life
8. The Storm
9. Neural Collapse
10. The Path I Walk

Death Above Life comes in various formats and is up for pre-order:
Ltd. CD Digipak
Gatefold black 2LP
Ltd. Gatefold greenish ReVinyl 2LP (600x) via cmdistro.de & selected Indie retailers, Orbit Culture & MerchCare
Ltd. Gatefold transp. red 2LP (500x) via Levykuappa Äx (FIN), HMV (UK) & in France
Ltd. Gatefold neon yellow-black marbled 2LP (500x) via EMP
Ltd. Gatefold Sparkle Starlight 2LP (500x) via Orbit Culture & MerchCare
Ltd. Gatefold transp. light blue-black marbled 2LP (500x) via Orbit Culture live on EU tour
Gatefold fruit punch 2LP (US version)
Ltd. Gatefold transp. coke bottle green 2LP (US version) (1000x) via all US Indie retailers
Ltd. Gatefold white 2LP (US version) (300x) via Revolver Magazine
Ltd. Gatefold metallic golden 2LP (US version) (500x) via centurymedia.store, Orbit Culture & Night Shift Merch
Ltd. Gatefold black-grey marble 2LP (US version) (500x) via Orbit Culture & Night Shift Merch
Standard CD Jewelcase (Japan)
Digital Album

Photo Credit: Tommy Sommers

Buckcherry have released new single 'Machine Gun', the fourth single from their upcoming eleventh studio album Roar Like Thunder, out this Friday, 13th June, via Earache Records.

Stream 'Machine Gun' here: https://earache.lnk.to/MachineGun

Pre-order the album from Earache here: http://earache.com/buckcherry

Vocalist Josh Todd commented on the single: "Shootin’ the good boys down. 'Machine Gun' is about a hot girl that only likes bad boys; growing up in Southern California as a teenager there was a lot of them."

On new the new album, he continues "We made a point on this record to have no ballads and no cover songs, Roar Like Thunder kicks ass and that’s pretty much it."

'Machine Gun' follows the release of previous singles 'Set It Free',  'Roar Like Thunder' and 'Come On'.

Roar Like Thunder was recorded in Nashville and produced by Marti Frederiksen, who also produced the band's prior two releases: Hellbound and Vol. 10.  The album will be released in North America by Round Hill; in Japan by Sony Japan; and by Earache for the rest of the world. 
 
The two-time GRAMMY-nominated band have created an album that's bursting at the seams with lightning-hot rock'n'roll. From the the horn-swelling swagger of 'I Go Boom' and the honey-dripping riffs of 'Blackout', to the AC/DC stomp of 'Come On' and the frantic runaway train rhythm of the title track, Roar Like Thunder sees a band that bring live rock'n'roll to the stage more days a year than the sun is seen in Britain, and set that energy off like a bottle rocket in the studio. The album was mastered by Anthony Focx (Metallica, Aerosmith).
 
Buckcherry are:

Josh Todd (vocals)
Stevie Dacanay (guitar)
Billy Rowe (guitar)
Kelly LeMieux (bass)
Francis Ruiz (drums)

Buckcherry online:
https://www.buckcherry.com
https://www.facebook.com/buckcherry
https://www.instagram.com/buckcherry

Track list:

1 - Roar Like Thunder
2 - When The Sun Goes Down
3 - Come On
4 - Talking Bout Sex
5 - Blackout
6 - I Go Boom
7 - Set It Free
8 - Hello Goodbye
9 - Machine Gun
10 - Let It Burn

Photo Credit: Rhys Bennett

Maverick Aussie rockers Battlesnake today, 6th June, celebrate the release of their magnificent new record Dawn Of The Exultants And The Hunt For The Shepherd. 

Stream and purchase Dawn Of The Exultants And The Hunt For The Shepherd here: https://battlesnake.lnk.to/DawnOfTheExultantsAndTheHuntForTheShepherd

The band have released the epic, sprawling focus track 'Moto Exordium', which they encourage you to indulge in here: [link]

6th June is also an auspicious date for the Australian sextet in that they today begin a odyssean three-month trek of the UK and Europe, including performances at Download Festival, Boomtown, Copenhell, ArcTanGent, 2000trees, supporting Eagles of Death Metal, and many more. The band have also today announced two more German headline dates in Berlin and Hamburg on 23rd and 24th July. A full list of dates can be found below.

In 2024, Battlesnake's momentum exploded internationally across the UK and Europe where their unique sound resonated with fans and critics alike. Their album The Rise and Demise of the Motorsteeple (2024) marked a significant milestone in their career, blending high-octane metal with intricate storytelling. The album’s success propelled Battlesnake into the global spotlight, securing their place as one of the most anticipated bands in the scene.

Now, with 2025 rattling ahead, Battlesnake are steaming through their biggest year yet, with the release of their mindbending new record Dawn Of The Exultants And The Hunt For The Shepherd. With each performance, Battlesnake will prove their reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts in modern rock.

Dates:

8 June     Markthalle, Hamburg, DE
10 June     Kesselhaus, Berlin, DE
11 June     Täubchenthal, Leipzig, DE
12-13 June     Download Festival, UK
14 June     Rock For People, CZ
16 June     Essigfabrik, Cologne, DE          
17 June     Speicher, Husum, DE*     
18 June     Copenhell, DK
19 June    Den Atelier, Luxembourg, LU    
20 June    Freak Valley, DE  
21 June     Pinkpop, NL
1 July    L'Aeronef, Lille, FR
3 July    Bootleg Social, Blackpool, UK*
4 July     The Grand Social, Dublin, UK*
 
With DZ Deathrays
7 July    Bodega, Nottingham, UK (co-headline) 
8 July    Chalk, Brighton, UK (co-headline)
9 July    Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK (co-headline)

10 July    2000trees, UK    
11 July     MadCool, ES    
15 July    DB's, Utrecht, NL     
16 July    Altstadt, Eindhoven, NL*
17 July     Zwarte Cross, NL     
18 July     Rockland Festival, ES    
20 July     Ilosaarirock, FIN
23 July     LARK, Berlin, DE*
24 July     Molotow, Hamburg, DE*
25 July    Rock Im Wald, DE
1 August    Open Air Graenichen, CH
3 August    Multitude Festival, UK
5 August    Voodoo Daddy's, Norwich, UK*    
6 August    Underworld, London, UK*
8 August    Boomtown, UK
9 August    Rebellion, Manchester, UK*
11 August    Cluny2, Newcastle, UK
12 August    Hug & Pint, Glasgow, UK*
13 August    Lending Room, Leeds, UK*
14 August    ArcTanGent, UK    
15 August    Hoflärm Festival, DE

*Headline shows

The rising titans of Australian hard rock and pure heavy metal, Battlesnake have quickly ascended from the underground, captivating audiences worldwide with their unique blend of powerful riffs and dynamic songwriting. Channelling the likes of Queen, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath into something familiar yet ground breaking at the same time. Renowned for their high-octane live performances, epic theatrical compositions, and relentless energy, they have firmly established themselves as one of the most exciting acts in contemporary metal.

Formed in 2019, Battlesnake quickly captured attention with their debut EP, Myths and Legends from Gorbag’s Domain (2020), followed by their self-titled full-length album in 2023. With each release, their sound has evolved into a mighty force, blending heavy riffs, soaring vocals, and intricate melodies, while keeping the raw, unrelenting energy that defines their live shows.

The band's explosive rise in Europe and the UK was complemented by their collaboration with renowned acts like KISS (on their "End of the World Tour"), The Smashing Pumpkins, and Jane’s Addiction (on the "World Is a Vampire Tour"). The Australian outfit’s electrifying live performances were met with widespread acclaim, leading to sold-out shows and a rapidly growing fan base in these territories.

As they prepare to unleash their next chapter, Battlesnake remains steadfast in their pursuit of musical excellence. With a rapidly expanding fan base, critical acclaim, and an unyielding commitment to their craft, they are on track to conquer new territories and continue captivating audiences across the globe.

All hail Battlesnake! 

Battlesnake are:

Nick Zammit (drums)
Sam Frank (vocals)
Ben Frank (guitar)
Daniel Willington (guitar)
Billy O'Key (keytar)
Elliot Hitchcock (bass)

For more: 

https://www.instagram.com/battlesnakeband
https://www.facebook.com/battlesnakeband
https://www.youtube.com/@BattlesnakeTV
https://sptfy.com/PVxI

Tracklisting:

1 Dawn of the Exultants
2 The Fathers of Iron Flesh
3 Shepherd Hunter
4 Beelzebug’s Nativity
5 Beelzebug II
6 Murder Machine
7 Fowl of the South
8 Sanctum Robotos
9 The Borning of the Golden God
10 Aurous Automatic
11 Moto Exordium

Photo Credit: Leo Baron

Rock legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Glenn Hughes returns with his new studio album Chosen set for release on 5th September 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

To mark the announcement, Glenn shares the title track, along with an accompanying music video, available now.

Watch 'Chosen' single here: https://youtu.be/t-fj5sl_Rqc

Pre-order Chosen here: https://ffm.to/glennhugheschosen
 
This year will also see Glenn Hughes touring across Europe and South America, with The Chosen Years tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on 2nd September, and ending on 29th November in Bogota, Colombia. For the full list of dates and tickets, please see here: https://www.glennhughes.com/tour.html

UK dates as follows:

14/10 - O2 Academy - Bristol, UK
15/10 - Guildhall - Portsmouth, UK
17/10 - KK's Steel Mill - Wolverhampton, UK
18/10 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
21/10 - O2 Ritz - Manchester, UK
22/10 - Boiler Shop - Newcastle, UK
24/10 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
25/10 - The Garage - Glasgow, UK

Commenting on the new album, Glenn stated: "Songwriting is deeply personal to me, and l generally write and record when I have something to say. It’s been nine years since I recorded my last solo album, Resonate. There have been recordings and collaborations with other artists, since 2016."

"When writing Chosen, I went back to my life drawing board, writing about the human condition, love, hope, faith and acceptance. I write about how I feel on the inside and not externally. My life is lived from within, in the present moment. It’s an album of soul food, and I’ve never been so grateful, right here, on planet earth. Music is the healer!" he added.

Vocalist/bass guitarist/songwriter Glenn Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is his calling card. He's known as a singer's singer. Stevie Wonder once called Glenn Hughes his favorite white singer.
 
After a nine years hiatus as a solo artist, Glenn Hughes is back with Chosen, his brand-new solo record: an album which presents Glenn in his most hard rockin’ fashion. An explosive record that offers Glenn Hughes at its absolute best with a state-of-the-art album, both from a songwriting and production standpoint. A truly captivating return.
 
Glenn Hughes, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, The Beatles and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.
 
Glenn Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band Trapeze, before joining Deep Purple in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial scepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of Burn (1974), a powerful album that revitalized Purple’s sound and remains a classic.
 
During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, Stormbringer and Come Taste The Band, before disbanding in 1976.
 
Glenn's first solo album Play Me Out was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes - among others - Gary Moore, John Norum, and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.
 
Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated - among others - with such musicians as Chad Smith (RHCP), Dave Navarro, and John Frusciante.
 
He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as California Breed (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt), Black Country Communion (with Joe Bonamassa) and The Dead Daisies.
 
Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single 'Rocket', which was released on 22nd May 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Tony Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released 'Fused' together.
 
Glenn Hughes has also recently joined forces with Satch Vai, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single 'I Wanna Play My Guitar'.

Line Up:
Glenn Hughes - Vocals
Soren Andersen - Guitar
Ash Sheehan - Drums
Bob Fridzema - Keys
 
Follow GLENN HUGHES:
Facebook
Instagram
X
Website

Tracklisting:

1.    Voice In My Head
2.    My Alibi
3.    Chosen
4.    Heal
5.    In The Golden
6.    The Lost Parade
7.    Hot Damn Thing
8.    Black Cat Moan
9.    Come And Go
10.    Into The Fade

Photo Credit: Alexander Skepp

Stockholm experimentalists Gösta Berlings Saga have unveiled new single 'Ascension', taken from their highly anticipated 7th studio album, Forever Now, out today via Pelagic Records. 

Purchase Forever Now and stream the single here: https://orcd.co/gostaberlingssaga

Listen to the full album stream on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/wQn9xJ2Azto

The band comment on the new single: “'Ascension' might be the most exploratory track on Forever Now - born from a series of “what if” moments. We flipped ideas upside down, pulled them apart, and reassembled them in ways that made it all feel fresh and alive to play. Somehow, the chaos aligned, and what emerged was a track that opened up yet another passage into the forever that is now."

A masterful collision of intricate songwriting, raw rock spontaneity and their signature disregard for genre limitations, Forever Now rests on no laurels; it’s a driving continuation of a journey that suggests, even after two decades and counting, the band’s best work may still be ahead of them.

On the new album, the band continue: "Super stoked to soon unleash Forever Now upon the world. It’s an album we’ve put our heart, soul and every atom of our beings into. Written, recorded, mixed and produced by ourselves it fills us with great pride that even after 20+ years we still find joy, creativity and new ways to approach music. Forever Now is a journey in search of small fragments of eternity within the present moment - where time dissolves, and music becomes the gateway to the infinite."

Gösta Berlings Saga began in 2000 with a creative spark keenly felt between keyboardist David Lundberg and drummer Alexander Skepp. Taking formative inspiration from the ‘60s jazz fusion improvisations of fellow Swedes Hansson & Karlsson, Gösta Berlings Saga broadened their sonic palette with the addition of bassist Gabriel Tapper and guitarist Mathias Danielsson before the release of their debut album Tid Är Ljud in 2006. Danielsson subsequently left the project to be replaced by Einar Baldursson, contributing to the darker and more complex sound of 2009’s Detta Har Hänt, 2011’s Glue Works and 2016’s Sersophane.

The overt manipulation of sound and melody on this trio of early releases helped set Gösta Berlings Saga apart from the rest of the progressive pack, swerving easy cliché and navel gazing nostalgia in favour of a fervently forward-thinking ethos. Undoubtedly influenced by the greats of prog, art-rock, electronica and the avant-garde, Gösta Berlings Saga have remained thrillingly impervious to categorisation.

2017 saw another evolution within the band as Baldursson left to be replaced with Rasmus Booberg whilst percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Jesper Skarin also joined the ranks. Rejuvenated and revitalised, Gösta Berlings Saga’s subsequent albums, ET EX (2018) and Konkret Music (2020), introduced a whole new audience to the band’s idiosyncratic fearless experimentation, breakneck rock ‘n’ roll infused with even more found sound electronics and sonic obscura. Uncompromising and utterly distinct, these albums solidified the band’s belief that staying true to their own artistic vision was always the only way forward.

Forever Now is 10 tracks of hand-crafted chaos that bear all the brilliance of Gösta Berlings Saga’s 25 years of irreverent innovation. Entirely written, recorded, produced and mixed by the band for the very first time, the album sees synthesizers and arpeggiated guitars spiral ever higher, colliding with helter skelter percussion and pulse-racing drums on the way, whilst the band’s innate trust in each other and in their music form the propulsive core of a perpetual energy engine five years in the making.

Although not established as a concept album as such, personal tragedies during the early writing process ultimately left their mark. For a time the band tried to separate their collective creativity from the events of their private lives but, rather than grief and darkness making their presence felt, Gösta Berlings Saga built this album on the pursuit of the eternal - a euphoric glimpse beyond time, where music becomes a bridge between the present and what was and will be, echoing connections that never fade.

Gösta Berlings Saga are:
Jesper Skarin - Percussion
Gabriel Tapper - Bass
David Lundberg - Keys
Rasmus Booberg - Guitars
Alexander Skepp - Drums

Gösta Berlings Saga online:
https://www.tnor.se/gosta-berlings-saga
https://www.instagram.com/gostaberlingssaga

Forever Now track list:

1. Full Release
2. Through The Arches
3. Arrangements
4. Forever Now
5. The Sprig and the Birch
6. Fragment II
7. Ascension
8. Dog Years
9. Make of Your Heart a Stone
10. Ceremonial

Photo Credit: Dazey Doom

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Experimental metal band Kaonashi stream new single / video on album release day
 

New single 'Slower Forms Of Suicide' streaming now via Equal Vision / Rude Records

I Want To Go Home album includes guest features from Anthony Green (Circa Survive, L.S. Dunes), Piantini Toribio (Newcomer) and more

UK/EU tour announced with God Complex in support including 2000trees performance

Credit: Dazey Doom | High-Res here

"Kaonashi keep things wonderfully bizarre on excellent third album" - 4/5 Kerrang!

Hotly-tipped experimental metal group Kaonashi have unveiled their new / video single 'Slower Forms Of Suicide' and have released new album I Want To Go Home via Equal Vision/Rude Records.

Watch the video for 'Slower Forms Of Suicide' here: https://youtu.be/DwX3Z28Zn9M

Stream / purchase I Want To Go Home. here: https://kaonashi.lnk.to/home

The blistering follow-up to Dear Lemon House, You Ruined Me: Senior Year - and the second part of a concept series that was taken through three additional companion EPs - I Want To Go Home. finds the experimental trio taking their metallic and melodic tendencies to deafening new heights that defy categorisation, ultimately bringing this powerful and suspenseful saga to a close.

Kaonashi will be hitting the road in support of I Want To Go Home. across the UK and Europe with God Complex opening, including a performance at 2000trees festival.

Dates:

03/07 Berlin, DE @ Cassiopeia
04/07 Velké Meziříčí, CZ @ Fajtfest
05/07 Stuttgart, DE @ Juha West
06/07 Ypres, BE @ Ieperfest
08/07 London, UK @ Shacklewell Arms
09/07 Newcastle, UK @ The Grove
10/07 Glasgow, UK @ The Hug & Pint
11/07 Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees
12/07 Lincoln, UK @ Lincoln Labour Club
13/07 Exeter, UK @ Cavern Club
15/07 Paris, FR @ Glazart
16/07 Ghent, BE @ JH Asgaard
17/07 Tilburg, NL @ Little Devil
18/07 Arnhem, NL @ Uffie's
19/07 Bielefeld, DE @ Flacore Fest

Tickets: https://kaonashipa.com/pages/tour

Kaonashi’s music is difficult to define. It combines death metal growling, unexpected time changes and technical flourishes that bring to mind nineties metalcore legends like Coalesce and The Dillinger Escape Plan. However, there isn’t anything dated about the band’s sound — and in fact, there’s something inherently progressive about the Philadelphia trio’s unique brand of music. Although the act was started by vocalist Peter Rono and guitarist/vocalist Alex Hallquist in 2012, things really solidified for Kaonashi in 2016 when drummer Pao joined the band and they started touring all over the country, eventually gaining the interest of Equal Vision Records who released the band’s sophomore full-length Dear Lemon House, You Ruined Me: Senior Year in 2021. 

“[Conceptually], this album answers any questions anyone has ever had about the story,” Rono says, adding that the band’s 2024 EP collection - The 3 Faces Of Beauty: A Violent Misinterpretation Of Morgan Montgomery/A Second Chance At Forever: The Brilliant Lies From Casey Diamond - helps further expand on this compelling narrative. “It was written to be heavy, chaotic and overwhelming,” he summarises.

Since 2021, Kaonashi have toured relentlessly with everyone from The Fall Of Troy to Protest The Hero, a fact that has made the band sound tighter and more ferocious on I Want To Go Home.. “I think [touring] has influenced the record because we’ve been playing further out than we ever have to the most people we ever have and [getting] the craziest reactions we ever had this far from this band,” Rono explains. “I can’t help but take that into consideration when I’m writing because it's really inspired. Before I was just trying to prove to people that we were worth listening to and now we have a dedicated audience, so I want to provide the best music that I can.” 

That said, it hasn’t always been easy for Kaonashi to be a band that exists on the outskirts of so many genres — and at times they weren’t even sure if their message would find an audience. “I’ve been saying this a lot on this tour to summarise the band, but people hate what they don’t understand and I think that’s been extremely polarizing,” Rono explains. “It hasn’t been this simple, easy trajectory, it’s been love and hate. It’s been one or the other and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The people who do understand it genuinely support us and the people who don’t actively dislike us,” he adds with a laugh. “So I embrace it and I love it and I’m glad it’s been that way… it’s been equally easier and harder.” 

While it would be easier for Kaonashi to lean into an established subgenre, I Want To Go Home. sees them further pushing their musical boundaries and expanding their sound in the face of this admiration and criticism. So what keeps them inspired to continue working toward their unified sonic vision? “I don’t just go in and write a song, I go into it with aim and intention and try to emulate these things that I love,” Rono responds. “It just so happens that a lot of the things I love are polarizing artists that are creative and expressive for no other reason than just to make music that they like.” 

Whether it’s guttural screaming or fingerpicked guitars, there isn’t any musical idea that’s off limits to Kaonashi, and that phenomenon is ultimately baked into the DNA of the band. “It really just comes from chasing the same thing I’ve always loved and what got me here in the first place,” Rono continues. “That hasn’t changed and it’s been like a through line of this band from 2012 until now: Extreme art, extreme aggression and originality. I’ve seen the easy way — and that’s just not the way I want to go.” 

Kaonashi online:
Official | Instagram| Facebook | Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | Shop

Track-list:
1. Confusion In A Car Crash
2. Fairmount Park After Dark
3. Extra Prayers
4. When I Say
5. J.A.M.I.E. (feat. Anthony Green)
6. Red Sink, Yellow Teeth
7. Slower Forms of Suicide
8. Fly On The Wall (An Orange Sidewalk Paved Around Your Feet)
9. Elephant In The Room (If You Can Keep A Secret)
10. The Sanguine I — Nevermind, Narcissist
11. The Sanguine II — Misguided Malice
12. The Sanguine III — Auditorium Annihilation
13. The Sanguine IV — Exit Pt. VII (The Confession of Classroom 2114)

Photo Credit: Curtis Perry

Internationally acclaimed Canadian cellist and composer Raphael Weinroth-Browne has announced his new solo album Lifeblood, set for release on 3rd October. Today, he unveils the album’s powerful title track, an electrifying artistic manifesto accompanied by a stunning cinematic video shot in a Polish monastery by the esteemed production house Grupa13 (Behemoth, Leprous).

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/3sfvAPxeEGw 

Stream 'Lifeblood' here 

A deeply personal body of work, Lifeblood captures the raw duality at the core of Weinroth-Browne’s expression: the transcendence of creative flow alongside the consuming intensity of ambition. Blending the weight of progressive metal with Middle Eastern modalities, modern classical precision and immersive electronic textures, Lifeblood marks his most audacious and fully realised solo work to date.

Raphael reflects on the album :"Lifeblood is a reflection on my journey as an artist and my relationship with music. Music has always been my life force; it has been there for me in all the seasons of my life and has given me everything I have, and in turn, I have devoted myself fully to it." 

Shot on location in the remote Polish countryside, the video for first single 'Lifeblood' brings the music’s mythic, spiritual undercurrents to life with ritualistic imagery and architectural decay. The result is an extension of the song’s emotionally charged tension, a sense of becoming a vessel for something otherworldly.

He adds, "I consider this album to be my most autobiographical work to date. As a metalhead turned full-time professional cellist making original music outside the classical realm, I have taken the road less travelled, nurturing my artistic vision and trusting my intuition even on an unorthodox path. I have forged a unique career and identity around my musical voice and the way it manifests itself through the cello. The defiant, audacious energy of this music represents my inexorable drive to continue pursuing my dream in spite of all obstacles." 

Lifeblood was engineered and co-mixed by Darren McGill at Union Sound Company in Toronto, with a final mix by acclaimed producer Adam Noble (Leprous, Katatonia). The album was then mastered by Robin Schmidt (Placebo, Ben Howard). Adding a visual dimension to the album’s immersive sound, the captivating cover artwork was created by Maldivian artist Maahy, celebrated for her ethereal, nature-inspired aesthetic.

Known for his emotionally charged performances and boundary pushing vision, Raphael Weinroth-Browne has become one of the most innovative cellists of his generation. Merging his roots in progressive metal with a passion for Middle Eastern music, he has forged a singular artistic voice that defies traditional expectations. His cello work can be heard on over 200 studio albums, including Woods of Ypres’ Juno Award-winning W5: Grey Skies & Electric Light and in major film and TV soundtracks. Viral cello covers of Opeth, Katatonia and Steven Wilson have earned praise from the artists themselves, while his genre-spanning studio and stage career continues to attract international attention.

Since joining Norwegian progressive rock icons Leprous in 2016, Weinroth-Browne has played over 200 shows worldwide with the band and helped shape the sound of three studio albums. He has shared stages with Evanescence, Apocalyptica, Devin Townsend and performed in front of 40,000 at Hellfest, as well as at prestigious venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall. As a solo artist, he has opened for artists ranging from Polish neoclassical pianist Hania Rani to Nordic folk ensemble SKÁLD and UK legends Soft Machine.

In recent years, Weinroth-Browne has pushed further into experimental performance and contemporary dance. His solo debut Worlds Within (2020), a 40-minute composition built entirely from layered cello, earned critical acclaim for its emotional depth and innovative form. In 2023, he performed the album live with Ottawa Dance Directive to a sold-out audience at Canada’s National Arts Centre. In 2024, he was commissioned by the UK’s James Wilton Dance to compose BACH Reimagined, an 80-minute score that toured leading venues across the UK and Germany in spring 2025. Following this, his recent single 'Speed of Light' continued the forward momentum, merging baroque motifs with crushing distortion and polyrhythmic intensity, earning acclaim for its fearless fusion of past and future. As his creative output grows increasingly multidisciplinary, Weinroth-Browne continues to defy genre boundaries and redefine what the cello can be in the 21st century.

With more to come later this year, Lifeblood marks a major milestone in Weinroth-Browne’s uncompromising creative journey, an album that channels passion, pain, discipline and defiance into a work that feels at once ancient and immediate, cerebral and gut-wrenching.

Catch Raphael live on the following dates: 

Jun 18 - Calgary, Canada - Solo performance at Sled Island Festival (BLOX Arts Centre)
Jul 17 - Ottawa, Canada - Solo performance at Rainbow Bistro supporting PAKT
Jul 25 - Suffolk, UK - Performing with James Wilton Dance at Latitude Festival
Aug 28 - Ottawa, Canada - Solo performance at Speakeasy Tapas Lounge 

Raphael Weinroth-Browne online:

Official Website || Facebook | Instagram || Youtube ||  X || Bandcamp || Tik Tok 

Lifeblood Tracklist: 

1. Lifeblood
2. Possession
3. Ophidian
4. Pyre
5. Labyrinthine
6. Nethereal
7. Winterlight
8. The Glimmering

Photo Credit: Matthias Willi

Today, Swiss doom/sludge outfit Zatokrev announce their return with their immense and immersive new album. Bring Mirrors To The Surface will be released 29th August via Pelagic Records - a record that obliterates the past and conjures a previously unimagined future. In celebration, the quartet has revealed the first single from the album; 'Blood' featuring vocals of the Swiss band Inezona. This collaboration is not the only guest appearance on the new album, as vocal contributions from Schammasch, Zeal&Ardor, Minsk, and Bölzer elevate this release to masterpiece status.

Watch the visualiser for 'Blood' here: https://youtu.be/37I8OfRQYXY
Pre-order the album here: https://orcd.co/zatokrev
 
The band comment on the new album:  "Our new album, completed in 2022, reflects a time of profound change and resilience. It's a testament to how challenges were overcome and new beginnings were embraced, both personally and creatively. The fact that the new album is only released three years later is due in no small part to the overcoming of serious life challenges and profound changes. The new album is the follow-up to the previous album, Silk Spiders Underwater, where the story began. Now, Bring Mirrors To The Surface tells the story to its conclusion."

After all the detritus of pain, time, and letting go has been slogged through, 2025 sees Zatokrev return with an immense and immersive new (double LP) album: Bring Mirrors To The Surface obliterates the past and conjures a future previously unimagined, pleading with humanity to remember the power of the will and the imagination.
 
An album in which to truly lose oneself, these songs provide a candle in the dark, an arcane map, providing directions to the tearing down, and the painful realizing, as a means to metaphysical freedom. A beauty unmatched in any previous Zatokrev material has become entrenched in every aspect of this record. Moments of comfort fow freely into the deafening sounds: Bring Mirrors To The Surface encourages one and all to stare into the abyss of the self. Zatokrev have given us a musical grimoire. Sounds heard through the ages have congregated in a unique moment in time. 

“Changes, recognize, release. A black fame splitting the ground in two, opens the gate to where we lose ourselves” 

Line-up: 
Frédéric Hug: Drums
Frederyk Rotter: Guitar, Vocals
Lucas Löw: Bass, Vocals
Matthieu Hardouin: Guitar, Vocals

For more:
INSTAGRAM • FACEBOOK • FULL BIO

Track-list
1. Red Storm (ft. Bölzer & Schammasch)
2. Blood (ft. Inezona)
3. The Only Voice
4. Unwinding Spirits (ft. Manuel Gagneux of Zeal & Ardor)
5. Faint
6. Changes (ft. Schammasch)
7. Pearl Eyes
8. Deep Dark Turns Green (ft. Minsk)