Photo Credit: VD Pictures

Lord of the Lost indulge in darkness with the complex 'Bazaar Bizarre', the latest single off their upcoming studio album OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, out this Friday, 8th August 2025 via Napalm Records. Appropriately opulent, the album opener 'Bazaar Bizarre' immediately proves the bands’ sonic recalibration, re-adding their early edge to create somber mysticism in irresistible guise. Lord of the Lost hauntingly unite the children of the night in a sophisticated anthem, reassuring: No one lost behind.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/5FET9-hz2U8

Pre-order OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 here: https://lnk.to/LOTL-OPVSNOIR/napalmrecords

'Bazaar Bizarre' ornately crafts a new doorway into Lord of the Lost’s ever expanding universe – a testament to their ability to constantly uncover new angles while staying true to their roots. Following the success of their #1 Blood & Glitter album (Official German Album Charts) and their celebrated appearance in the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Lord of the Lost continue to push boundaries with unmatchable versatility. OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 is the first album of an exciting album trilogy, featuring several strictly limited special editions.

Vocalist Chris Harms commented on the single: “‘Bazaar Bizarre’ is too long, too complex, and too weird to be an album opener – almost like a mix between an acoustic hidden-object painting by Hieronymus Bosch, Apocalypse Now, and the underground troll market from the Hellboy universe. Everything hurts and is somehow eerie, but at the same time too fascinating to want to escape.

"We could’ve picked a simple and accessible song to kick things off – but we didn’t want that. We wanted a long cinematic trailer for the ears, one that instantly makes it clear what kind of world all three parts of OPVS NOIR will drag you into. And 'Bazaar Bizarre' captures that perfectly – sonically, and in the music video, also visually – covering the full spectrum of our upcoming trilogy.”

What is the essence of Lord Of The Lost in 2025? That is one of the questions OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 fearlessly begins to answer. Once again, the band proves not only musical excellence but also masterful craftsmanship: Produced by Chris Harms, recorded, mixed, and mastered at the legendary CHAMELEON STUDIOS in Hamburg, the 11 tracks hit with a force and brilliance that immediately transport us into a dark yet colourful ballroom. From there, the tone is set: Dark Wave Metal on an amphitheater scale.
 

Chris Harmscomments on the album: “Darkness, melancholy, loneliness - all words that often have negative connotations, that we may associate with danger, sadness and loss, and not without reason. But darkness can also be security, melancholy the warm and sentimental feeling of our memories, and loneliness becomes necessary silence, peace and inner contemplation. OPVS NOIR is a travel guide, or perhaps also a travelogue, through the dark sides of our inner world, which so often move precisely in the area of tension between what we emotionally categorize as positive or negative. And with Vol. 1, all of this is just the beginning of this 3-part journey...”

Lord Of The Lost will tour the UK in November with support from UK metal outfitSkarlett Riotand the synth-rock pioneersJULIEN-K(featuringRyan ShuckandAmir DerakhofORGY) from the US. Dates:

30.10.25 UK - Wolverhampton / KK’S Steel Mill
31.10.25 UK - Manchester / O2 Ritz
01.11.25 UK - Whitby / All Tomorrows Ghosts
02.11.25 UK - Glasgow / Garage
04.11.25 UK - Belfast / Limelight 1
05.11.25 UK - Dublin / Academy
07.11.25 UK - Bristol / The Prospect Building - Crane
08.11.25 UK - London / Electric Ballroom
09.11.25 UK - Southampton / Engine Rooms

Lord Of The Lostare:
Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar
Pi Stoffers – Guitar
Class Grenayde – Bass
Gared Dirge – Piano, Synths, Percussion, Guitar
Niklas Kahl – Drums

Lord Of The Lostonline:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Tiktok 
Napalm Records 

OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 will be available in the following formats:

Wooden Book Collectors Box

3 CD Digipak in cross format, containing OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 CD plus two placeholders for the upcoming OPVS NOIR Vol. 2 and OPVS NOIR Vol. 3, 48 pages booklet, Bonus Live CD (details to be revealed later) plus 80 pages notebook with handwritten album lyrics by Chris Harms – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)

Earbook Collectors Edition with 48 pages, containing OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 CD plus two placeholders for the upcoming OPVS NOIR Vol.2 and OPVS NOIR Vol. 3 – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)

1-LP Liquid Gatefold Vinyl NOIR & MOONSHINE SILVER with 12p booklet – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe exclusive (strictly limited)
 
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Deluxe SPLATTERED DARK NIGHT BLUE (translucent) with 12 pages booklet – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited)
 
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl CRISTALLO with 12inch booklet - LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
 
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Recycled NOIR
 
Music Cassette NOIR WITH SILVER PRINT – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
 
1-CD Digisleeve with 16 pages booklet
 
Digital Album

OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 track list:
 

1 Bazaar Bizarre
2 My Sanctuary
3 Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness (feat. Sharon den Adel)
4 I Will Die In It
5 Moonstruck (feat. Stimmgewalt)
6 Damage (feat. Whiplasher Bernadotte)
7 Ghosts (feat. Tina Guo)
8 Lords Of Fyre (feat. Feuerschwanz)
9 The Things We Do For Love
10 The Sadness In Everything (feat. Anna Maria Rose)
11 Dreams Are Never Alone

Photo Credit: Joe Dilworth

After a three-year creative process, German hard rockers Wucan will return with new album Axioms, due 29th August via Long Branch Records.

Today sees the release of ‘Pipe Dreams’, the fourth single from the upcoming album Axioms. 

"'Pipe Dreams' started as a jam session in the rehearsal room – based on a drum groove that Phil just threw on the table, instantly pulling all of us in," says singer Francis Tobolsky. "It was the second song we wrote for the album, and it feels like a snapshot of where we were at that time. A driving beat, heavy guitars and floating vocal harmonies explore the tension between disillusionment and hope. To me, this song also carries a warning: shared dreams require the support of the whole community." 

Watch the video to 'Pipe Dreams' here:
https://youtu.be/wF07DS1PgeM

Stream the single and pre-order the new album here:
https://wucan.lnk.to/axioms

True art is characterised above all by its constant renewal - a combination of the tried and tested with the innovative. Like all influential artists who follow this golden rule, Wucan demonstrate their capacity for artistic evolution with their new album, Axioms.

On the new record, the four-piece heavy rock outfit led by frontwoman Francis Tobolsky blend the distinctive elements of their previous studio records - Sow The Wind (2015), Reap The Storm (2017), and Heretic Tongues (2022) - with fresh ideas, resulting in a broader stylistic range and a more clearly defined conceptual approach. While the band continues to reference hard rock, krautrock, East German rock, and metal, the eight new tracks are also infused with touches of progressive rock, isolated electronic elements, and a playful jazz attitude. Or as Francis Tobolsky aptly puts it: “The foundation of our music is international 70s hard rock enriched by contemporary influences – this time with even more bombast, brutality, and complexity.” 

Wucan's videos for previous singles 'KTNSAX' and 'Irons In The Fire' can be viewed here: https://wucan.lnk.to/axioms/youtube

"The title Axioms stands for the fundamental convictions our band is built upon, convictions we no longer question," says bandleader Francis Tobolsky. "After ten years of making music together – seven of them in this lineup – there were moments when everything could have fallen apart. This album was created during a time when each of our lives was changing significantly, and it bears the imprint of those personal experiences. The fact that we’re still making music together is neither a coincidence nor a matter of convenience – it’s our axiom."

For more:

http://wucan-music.de
https://www.facebook.com/wucanmusic
https://www.instagram.com/wucantheband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FsZ5HKdtDFJ1xmK6NICBO?si=nlHnoldOSsaJehcl_jC3Zw

Wucan are:
Francis Tobolsky - Vocals / Guitar / Flute / Theremin
Tim George - Guitar
Philip Knöfel - Drums
Alexander Karlisch - Bass

Tracklisting:

1 Spectres Of Fear
2 Irons In The Fire
3 Wicked, Sick and Twisted
4 KTNSAX
5 Holz auf Holz
6 Pipe Dreams
7 Axioms
8 Fountain Of Youth

Photo Credit: Sheri Furneaux

Connecticut’s self-deprecating noise rock entity INTERCOURSE have released their third single, 'Another Song About The Sun', a jagged, soul-stripping track taken from their forthcoming full-length, How I Fell In Love With The Void, on 12th September via Brutal Panda Records.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/_xDHgm4sFPM 

Listen to 'Another Song About The Sun' on all streaming services at https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT 

Pre-order How I Fell In Love With The Void on the Brutal Panda store at: https://www.brutalpandarecords.com/collections/intercourse

INTERCOURSE vocalist Tarek Ahmed comments on 'Another Song About The Sun' video: “The song is about having sobering moments of reflection about your station in life. The video was directed collaboratively between our guitarist Sean and Karen Jerzyk. It stars Greg Weeks from The Red Chord/Umbrae Vitrae as a coked up punishing Jesus. Also, our homies in Don’t Grow Old have a cameo as corpses in the end.”

Additionally, INTERCOURSE will tour the US in September alongside Nerver. All dates can be found here: https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT

INTERCOURSE’s How I Fell In Love With The Void delivers ten searing new tracks that merge elements of metallic hardcore into an antagonistic foundation of corrosive noise rock. The album was recorded by Chris Teti (The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die) at Silver Bullet Studios in Burlington, Connecticut. It was mastered by George Richter (Thy Will Be Done) and mixed by Chris Teti and Greg Thomas. The photograph on the album cover was shot by Sherilyn Furneaux (Portrayal Of Guilt) and features exotic dancer Clementine.

“I have no life. I don't fucking do anything else. I don't have any hobbies. I don't play video games. I don't do fantasy football. I'm just obsessed with making music and writing.” 

That’s INTERCOURSE vocalist Tarek Ahmed explaining how the acclaimed Connecticut noise rock band has averaged a release per year since forming in 2013. From their self-titled debut and 2018’sEverything’s Pornography When You’ve Got an Imaginationto 2023’sHalo Castration Instituteand last year’sEgyptian DemocracyEP, INTERCOURSE have kicked against the pricks, power brokers and pissants who make America “great” while tempering their outlook with a self-deprecating look inward. 

Which brings us toHow I Fell in Love with the Void. Ahmed and his bandmates - guitarist Sean Prior, drummer Caleb Porter and bassist Pete Stroczkowski - spent more time and money on their fourth full-length than any of their previous releases.“Usually we record in a basement home studio, or they’re done super quickly,” Ahmed says.“This time, we figured it was a really good investment to book a full week of studio time and challenge ourselves to write better songs.” 

In fact, Ahmed ended up rewriting his lyrics three times.“I f*cking wrote my ass off, and then I do this thing about two months out where I'm like, ‘Everything I wrote sucks, so I'm going to rewrite all the lyrics.’ Then a month before recording, my wife and I decided to split, so I tried to punch up the lyrics and make them funnier by throwing some divorce stuff in there. But I think I made it more depressing.” 

Marital bliss aside, the lyrical themes onHow I Fell in Love with the Voidaren’t dissimilar from those on INTERCOURSE’s 2016 EP,Pissing Into the Abyss, which features a cover illustration of a woman fucking a giant insect while an alien watches.“On the new record, there’s definitely a lot of talking about the void and that emptiness that a lot of us try to fill with food, booze or sex,” Ahmed explains.“Pissing Into the Abysswas about being so comfortable with the void that you’ll just piss there. Unfortunately, I’m super acquainted with it. But once you realize that nothing will ever fill the void, it will no longer rule over you.”

Ultimately,How I Fell in Love with the Voidis about being on the outside looking in.“We’re music for weirdos and freaks,” Ahmed says.“I grew up as the only Egyptian kid in a little white town. I’m an outsider, and we make music for outsiders. Every time we play a faraway place that we haven’t been to before, there’s always one person there that has followed us for years and is there specifically for us. They are always the weirdest person in the room, and I love that. Those are my people.” 

INTERCOURSE formed in 2013 and have been annoying ever since. With the lofty (or pointless, depending on who you ask) goal of ditching the pretension of noise rock and fusing it with the immediacy of hardcore, they’ve managed a release a year since 2014. 2023’sHalo Castration Institutehelped the band reach a new level of notoriety with positive reviews across the board. With the release of a last year’s EPEgyptian Democracy, and nowHow I Fell In Love With The Void the band is sure to become the high watermark for annoying adults who dress like they’re 17 and simply will not quit.

INTERCOURSE have played sold-out shows with the likes of Chat Pile, Deadguy, The Red Chord and The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die. The quartet have been featured on notable websites Decibel, Lambgoat, New Noise Magazine and were recently featured on The Needle Drop’s top 15 EPs of 2024.

Familiarise yourself with INTERCOURSE on Bandcamp here: https://intercourse.bandcamp.com and watch their previous video, the horrifying 'The Ballad of Max Wright',here

INTERCOURSE are:
Tarek Ahmed - Vocals
Caleb Porter - Drums
Sean Prior - Guitar
Pete Stroczkowski - Bass

INTERCOURSE online:
https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT 
https://www.instagram.com/intercoursenoise
https://www.facebook.com/outsiderxhardcore
https://x.com/intercoursect

How I Fell In Love With The Void Tracklist:

1. The Ballad Of Max Wright
2. Another Song About The Sun
3. Zoloft And Blow
4. Unsuccessfully Attempting To Parse Nightmare From Reality
5. Slightly Less Than A Feeling
6. Cadaver Resume
7. Running A Cemetery Without A License
8. Cryptid Divorce Court
9. I’m Very Tired Please Let Me Die
10. Family Suicide Gun

Photo Credit: Erika Larsson

Swedish post-rock trio BARRENS have released 'The Derelict', the fourth single from their forthcoming album Corpse Lights, out on 12th September via Pelagic Records.

Stream here: https://orcd.co/barrens

Corpse Lights is the name given to the folk belief that small coloured lights often appear near the home of someone about to die, leading them along the path to their eventual resting place. Often considered to be evidence of the soul leaving the body, the concept of corpse lights embodies BARRENS’ approach to creating music as a cathartic release; not just because they want to, but because they have to. Their writing process is one of joy, light, and release as much as it is dark, heavy, and tense.

Five years in the making, Corpse Lights sees BARRENS strike a breathtaking balance between light and dark; beauty and brutality; the calm and the chaos as the three fast friends refine their formidable command of composition and dynamic even further.

One listen to BARRENS and the revelation that Markku Hildén, Johan G. Winther and Kenta Jansson had already been playing and touring together before forming the band suddenly makes sense. In 2018 Markku joined Scraps of Tape, Johan and Kenta’s other project, as a live drummer for two tours of Europe and a tour of China. Recognising an immediate chemistry, the outlines for what would become BARRENS were sketched out in countless vans, trains, planes and bars as they travelled together across the world.

Back home, the trio wasted no time and quickly turned their collection of notes and motifs into demos; drawing unique inspiration from the experiences they shared as well as exploring new and unknown territories. The result was debut album Penumbra, a dense, elegant and passionate collection of instrumental, synth-driven post rock pieces that sounded in no way like the debut album from a brand new band. 

Corpse Lights, BARRENS’ sophomore album, is somehow deeper, richer and headier; imbued with an alluring compositional patience that serves as unspoken testament to the combined creativity of the trio in their element, as something so much greater than the sum of its parts. Recorded and produced by Kristofer Jönson, who also helmed Penumbra, and mixed and mastered once again by Cult of Luna’s Magnus Lindberg, shimmering synthesizers and sprawling guitars lead the charge propelled by exhilarating drums and percussion but Corpse Lights also finds BARRENS using space, silence and atmosphere as another instrument if not as another band member entirely.

‘Corpse Lights’ is the name given to the folk belief that small coloured lights often appear near the home of someone about to die, leading them along the path to their eventual resting place. Often considered to be evidence of the soul leaving the body, the concept of corpse lights embodies BARRENS’ approach to creating music as a cathartic release; not just writing music because they want to but because they have to. Their writing process is one of joy, light and release as much as it is dark, heavy and tense.

In their time, BARRENS 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.

BARRENS are:

Johan G. Winther (Guitar, Synths)
Markku Hildén (Drums, Percussion)
Kenta Jansson (Bass, Synths)

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

Corpse Lights tracklisting:

1. Memory Eraser
2. The Derelict
3. Sorrowed
4. Periastron
5. Apastron
6. No Light
7. Collapsar
8. Remnants
9. A Nothing Expands

Photo Credit: FRAYLE

Following chillingly dark recent single 'Walking Wounded' – a track Revolver named one of the best tracks of its release week and "exquisitely funereal" – Cleveland, Ohio doom metal dealers FRAYLE are pleased to reveal details about their upcoming third full length album, entitled Heretics & Lullabies, out 10th October 2025 via Napalm Records.
 
Alongside today's album announcement, FRAYLE have unveiled a cover of Lana Del Rey favourite 'Summertime Sadness'. Embers of the original slowly burn through the band's ethereal, shadowy sonic rework of the hit song, providing a fitting closer to the summer season as autumn looms near.

Watch the video for 'Summertime Sadness' here: https://youtu.be/my26tU0KeLA

Pre-order Heretics & Lullabies here: https://lnk.to/Frayle-HereticsandLullabies/napalmrecords

FRAYLE has been lauded as one of the fastest-rising, most haunting currently active modern doom metal outfits of late, infusing their sound with eclectic elements and now reinventing their trademark spectral sonic profile. Merging the heaviness of occult-driven doom and blackgaze with frontwoman Gwyn Strang's distinctively eerie vocal stylings and the crushing guitars of Sean Bilovecky, the band has fully realized their "lullabies of chaos" musical vision with Heretics & Lullabies.
 
FRAYLE comment on the 'Summertime Sadness' cover: "We’ve always been fans of songwriting with notes of melancholy, no matter what the genre. Hearing 'Summertime Sadness' for the first time was special. Everything seemed to fall into place for us with little resistance on this song. It was the first rough mix we got back from our producer. He added the pause before the breath leading into the first chorus and upon hearing it, we knew we had something special.

Following head-turning performances at international festivals such as Damnation, Desertfest, Soulcrusher, Gloomnar, Post Fest and Inkcarceration, FRAYLE vows to enrapture audiences everywhere with Heretics & Lullabies. Recorded by FRAYLE and produced, mixed and mastered by Aaron Chaparian at Iron Audio (Bleeding Through, Harms Way), Heretics & Lullabies is a must-listen for any fan of doom, post-metal or atmosphere-heavy alt-rock, but also a pristinely phantomic journey for any heavy music fan as it maintains its accessible edge throughout.

The album kicks off with first single 'Walking Wounded', a whispering wall-of-sound that crushes with spine-tingling stacks of harmony. The deeply punishing atmosphere continues into second track “Summertime Sadness”, an entirely reworked doom-laden cover of the Lana Del Rey hit. Airy anthem 'Boo' injects mid-tempo flavour and multifaceted vocal balance into the album as crushing weight lands alongside each hook, with bending guitar tone and dark, sparkling atmosphere swirling amid pounding percussion. Mid-album cuts such as 'Demons' and 'Glass Blown Heart' flirt with threateningly macabre lyrical poetry and otherworldly melody, while glacially-paced anthems 'Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal' – described as a deeply personal look at the depths of despair after a painful deception – and 'Run' double down on the aggressive, suffocatingly beautiful ambience and Gwyn Strang's shimmering, beckoning vocal timbre. Hair-raising 'Hymn For The Living' and standout single 'Heretic' inject heavy rock edge and arena-ready drums into the mix, before the album concludes with droning melodic masterpiece 'Only Just Once' – an unforgettable closer to this colossal modern doom compendium.antomic journey for any heavy music fan as it maintains its accessible edge throughout.
 

 
Heretics and hypocrites beware – Heretics & Lullabies will perpetually etch itself into the darkest corners of your psyche, taking deeper hold with each spin.

FRAYLE just kicked off their European headline tour - featuring several festival stops at the likes of Brutal Assault, Bloodstock, Summer Breeze and more. Dates:
 
Aug 6 - Fortress Josefov, CZ - Brutal Assault
Aug 8 - Derbyshire, UK - Bloodstock
Aug 10 - Kortrijk, BE - Alcatraz
Aug 11 - Cologne, DE - Helios37
Aug 12 - Frankfurt, DE - Frankfurt Am Main
Aug 13 - Dinkelsbuhl, DE - Summer Breeze
Aug 16 - Hamburg, DE - Turmzimmier
Aug 27 - Haarlem, NL - Patronaat
Oct 11 - Jackson, TN - Tennessee Metal Devastation Festival

Track list:

1. Walking Wounded
2. Summertime Sadness
3. Boo
4. Demons
5. Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal
6. Glass Blown Heart
7. Hymn For The Living
8. Run
9. Heretic
10. Only Just Once

Heretics & Lullabies will be available in the following formats:
-1 Digipak CD   
-1 LP Black Gatefold    
-1 LP Inkspot White/Red with 8-Page Booklet (available via Napalm Records international mailorder only, limited to 400)
-Digital Album

Photo Credit: Napalm Records

Grammy winning songwriter, solo artist, and Creed frontman Scott Stapp has released Deadman’s Trigger: A Short Film. The 9 minute, 13 second short co-stars Scott Stapp & Anthony Stapp, directed by Tyler Dunning Evans, with music by Scott Stapp. The film features 'Deadman’s Trigger' the 3rd single from chart-topping solo album Higher Power (Napalm Records) – the track is climbing the rock charts now after two consecutive radio hits – 'Higher Power' and 'Black Butterfly' reached Top Ten and Top Five, respectively (US).
 
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC2hLiDqO8g

Stream and purchase Higher Power here: https://lnk.to/SCOTTSTAPP-HigherPower/napalmrecords

As the inspiration and soundtrack for the father/son saga, 'Deadman’s Trigger' is an explosive track that pulses with sonic swagger, anguish, and idealism.
 
The rock-fuelled Western was shot over two days at Whitehorse Ranch in Landers, CA. It’s a classic Hollywood show-down as a man of faith, haunted by unspeakable nightmares and villains, is forced to take matters into his own hands when what he loves is threatened. In a hail of Hellfire he protects, and is saved in return, by an unlikely hero.

Online speculation about the premiere began when a live-action trailer framed by film credits appeared on Monday (28th July). In it, a fully-loaded cowboy strolls frame as Old West music conjures Doc Holliday, cracked earth, and tumbleweeds. Their questions were answered when Deadman’s Trigger: A Short Film premiered Thursday, 31st July, exclusively on YouTube.
 
Director Tyler Dunning Evans says:
“Adapting Scott’s storyline for the screen was easy because he is a narrative songwriter – the arc is already there. As a collaborator, he’s clear on his vision and values other creators’ expertise. With Anthony on-set and Milan working behind the scenes, Scott was hands-on in establishing safety measures and his love for his kids translated to a vulnerable but fierce performance in the final cut.”

SCOTT STAPP online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
X
NAPALM RECORDS

German metalcore outfit ACCVSED unleashed their debut Dealers of Doom today via Arising Empire. 

Watch their latest video 'Senescence' here: https://youtu.be/utW-uj6muQ8
Stream the full album here: https://arisingempire.com/accvsed

ACCVSED have been making noise for a while now with singles like 'Day of the Locust', 'Avoider', 'Never Enough', 'Don't Let Me Fall Apart' and 'Killer of Minds', gradually building a solid rep as one of the most promising heavy acts coming out of Germany. Each release has only added to their momentum, with fans digging their emotionally raw songwriting and explosive live energy.

Dealers of Doom feels like ACCVSED are laying down their mission statement – unfiltered, intense, and diving headfirst into the darker side of life.

Freshly signed metalcore outfit Lost in Hollywood have released a brand new track and video 'The Art Of Being Torn Out'. The song is taken from their upcoming second studio album, which will be released later this year via Arising Empire. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/P_bepEPMrwU
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/lih

Lost in Hollywood started in early 2023 and quickly made a name for themselves in the metalcore scene. Their first album The Beauty of Death was a huge success, with over 1.8 million streams to date.

For the new single, the band worked with none other than Chris Zühlke of label mates Half Me, one of the most exciting new forces in heavy music.

For more: 

https://www.instagram.com/lostinhollywood.official
https://www.arising-empire.com/artists/lost-in-hollywood

Photo Credit: Curtis Perry 

Canadian cellist and musical chameleon Raphael Weinroth-Browne returns with ‘Ophidian’, the gripping third single from his upcoming solo album Lifeblood, out 3rd October. A visceral homage to the early 2000s vampire aesthetic, complete with nods to the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, the track entwines Middle Eastern melodies, black metal bowing and nu-metal riffing into a serpentine composition that slithers between the sensual and the savage.

Filmed in Poland’s haunting Temple of Art and Light by visual masterminds Grupa13 (Behemoth, Leprous), the accompanying video captures an inner battle between order and chaos, tradition and rebellion, mirroring Raphael’s own musical transformation as he embraces the unorthodox and the otherworldly.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/HbUek0JZRQE 

Stream 'Ophidian' here.

Pre-order the album Lifeblood here. 

Raphael comments on the new single: "Over the past four years, my Middle Eastern cello videos on social media have consistently elicited comparisons to the vampire Lestat's violin solos in the movie Queen of the Damned (2002). 

"'Ophidian' pays musical homage to this cult classic - particularly its iconic soundtrack - and evokes feelings of nostalgia for early 2000s aesthetics and the vampire genre. Here, Middle Eastern melodies, nu-metal inspired riffs, and black metal tremolo bowing converge in a piece that juxtaposes sensuality and brutality, steeped in the scent of exoticism and otherworldliness. 

"A far cry from the traditional cello repertoire, 'Ophidian' is a celebration of all that is dark and unholy, hence the title, which refers to the reptilian order of serpents. Unlike the previous video for 'Possession', where my audience is the adversary, here I am locked in a duel with myself. My idea was to depict an inner war between the voices telling me to follow a traditional, “acceptable” path, and the dark side that wants to rebel against the status quo and take a more unorthodox direction in life, the road less travelled. In a sense it’s the dilemma of choosing between the angel and the devil on one’s shoulder and ultimately embracing the “devil” and one’s inner chaos as an authentic manifestation of self, instead of trying to suppress it. On a musical level, I interpret this as abandoning one’s classical background and taking an alternative artistic direction."

Lifeblood is Raphael Weinroth-Browne’s most daring and fully formed solo statement yet, a strikingly personal work that channels both the euphoria of creative flow and the relentless drive of ambition. Fusing the heft of progressive metal with Middle Eastern scales, modern classical finesse and enveloping electronic textures, it captures the raw tension and release at the heart of his musical identity.

Commenting on the album, 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 on the horizon later this year, Lifeblood stands as a defining chapter in Weinroth-Browne’s uncompromising artistic path, an album that distills passion, pain, discipline and defiance into a sound that feels both timeless and urgent, intellectually rich yet emotionally visceral.

Watch the videos for previous singles 'Lifeblood' and 'Possession'. 

Catch Raphael live on the following dates: 

Aug 28 - Ottawa, Canada - Solo performance at Speakeasy Tapas Lounge 
September 11 - Montreal, Canada - Le Studio TD - Solo supporting VOLA and Daedric
October 24 - Ottawa, Canada - Carleton Dominion Chalmers Centre - Lifeblood Album Release show
October 28 - Winnipeg, Canada - International Cello Festival of Canada - Original duo works with cellist Matthias Bartholomey
October 30 - Winnipeg, Canada - International Cello Festival of Canada - Excerpts from Lifeblood with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra
Dec 5-6 - Halifax, Canada - Performing Worlds Within w/ Ottawa Dance Directive at Live Art Dance

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