Classic King Diamond line-up launch new band Lex Legion

Photo Credit: Lex Legion

Lex Legion are a brand new band comprised of old friends with incredible heavy metal pedigree. Comprising of four-fifths of the classic late 1980s King Diamond line-up – drummer Mikkey Dee, guitarists Pete Blakk and Andy La Rocque, and bassist Hal Patino – the group is infused with the jaw-dropping vocals of Nils K. Rue (Pagan's Mind). And let's not overlook that their members also boast Motörhead, Scorpions, and Death on their collective resume. 

Lex Legion have also announced their self-titled debut album, set to be released on on 12th June via MNRK Heavy, and unveiled their ebut single 'Sleep Eternally'.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/8QhmkfLI1bA

Pre-order the album here: https://lexlegion.ffm.to/lexlegion-album

Lex Legion's eponymous debut album is a single-minded, future-facing throwback of world class hard rock/metal distinguished by tasteful, less-is-more arrangements, virtuoso musicianship, and relentless melody and harmony. 

"Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the '80s," said Mikkey Dee. "We wrote what we wanted, and if you liked it, that was a great bonus. If you didn't like it, that was fine with us, too!" 

Watch the  band members introduce themselves and talk about this exciting next chapter as Lex Legion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4O6PzmCqJ4 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDo8rONU2GY

Lex Legion were formed by Blakk and Dee, and completed by Patino, alongside La Rocque (a King Diamond constant since 1985, who also played on Death's seminal Individual Thought Patterns), and finally, Rue.

This is music for hard rock/metal fans, but also with a freshness and sense of excitement that only a debut album can capture. Lex Legion's members find themselves more musically accomplished than ever before, but now free of the egos of youth; and with friendship that comes with careers spanning more than forty years. 

Despite their impressive resumes (Dee is also a Grammy winner and both La Rocque and Hal Patino are nominees) and busy individual schedules, Lex Legion is a serious passion project that's been gestating for a quarter century, until the time was right. 

Lex Legion's self-titled debut will be released by MNRK Music Group in June of 2026, with possible touring beginning the following year. And the band state their case within the first few seconds of its album opener and first single 'Sleep Eternally.'

"It has elements of everything on the album," said La Rocque. "The right tempo and the right kind of vocals, starting out like a fist in your face!"

Rue's soaring pipes and ominous harmonies are framed by Dee's unmistakable powerhouse drumming, imaginative leads from both guitarists, Patino's melodic basslines, and shifts of pace and tempo that will satiate fans of more progressive sub genres. 

"This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music and there's a big hole for us to fill," Blakk concluded. "Welcome to our new journey of friendship and hard rock!"

Lex Legion are:

Nils K. Rue - vocals 
Pete Blakk - guitar 
Andy La Rocque - guitar 
Mikkey Dee - drums 
Hal Patino - bass 

Lex Legion online:
https://lexlegionofficial.com
https://www.instagram.com/officiallexlegion
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialLexLegion

Track list:
1) Sleep Eternally
2) Gypsy Tears
3) When The Stars Align
4) (I Am) The Resurrected
5) Lost Inside
6) Dreams of Darkness
7) Saviours
8) Life Eternal
9) Far Away

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Swedish post-rock duo Oh Hiroshima announce new album 'And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter'

Photo Credit: Ellen Hemström and Oskar Nilsson

Swedish post-rock duo Oh Hiroshima return with their latest album And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter, arriving 5th June via Pelagic Records. Once again emerging from Scandinavia’s rich atmospheric landscape, the record sharpens their signature balance of restraint and release, where shimmering guitars and slow-building intensity rise into cathartic peaks. Rooted in existential reflection and modern disillusionment, And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter navigates the space between despair and meaning with a quiet defiance. Alongside the announcement, the band unveil first single ‘Broken Sunlight’, offering an initial glimpse into the album’s immersive, emotionally resonant world.

Watch the video for 'Broken Sunlight' here: https://youtu.be/ArJPgAQAkXg

Pre-order And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter here: https://orcd.co/ohhiroshima-atdtgns

The band comment on the new single: "With 'Broken Sunlight' we wanted something that hits you directly, with rhythm and melody tightly interwoven. It’s about holding onto something fragile, a shard of hope in a reality that feels increasingly fractured."

Oh Hiroshima have built a reputation for transforming introspection into vast, cinematic sound. The Swedish band has spent the better part of the last decade refining a musical language that balances fragility with overwhelming emotional force. Their music exists in the space where atmosphere, melody and gradual intensity converge, where hushed textures evolve patiently into towering waves of sound. With each release, the group has deepened their identity as one of the genre’s most evocative and emotionally resonant voices.

And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter continues Oh Hiroshima’s pursuit to refine the balance between vulnerability and power. At the core of their sound lies a delicate interplay between restraint and release. Their compositions carefully cultivate tension, letting each layer unfold organically: chiming guitars, distant reverberations, and minimal rhythmic pulses that feel suspended in air, all contrast against the heavily drenched power they can unleash. Whether the passage be titanic or still, Oh Hiroshima establish a sense of openness and emotional ambiguity, allowing listeners to settle into the sonic landscape as the music works its slow ascent.

Commenting on the album, the band state: “The album title And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter is taken from T. S. Eliot’s epic poem The Waste Land. For this album, the dead tree works as a metaphor for ways of living that drain the world of meaning and offer no real way of navigating the hardships of life. We are living in a time when it has become harder and harder to imagine a bright future. This leaves many of us with a deep sense of hopelessness that easily breeds cynicism and apathy. In that state it becomes easy to shut the world out and give up any attempts at meaningful interaction with the world around us. A destructive cycle follows, as this leaves us with no way of sheltering ourselves from our initial despair at the state of things. But these songs also aim to paint something meaningful and hopeful. A form of idealisation not rooted in naivety but in realism, because we need ideals to gather enough strength to leave the shelterless dead trees of our lives behind.” 

Oh Hiroshima consistently demonstrate a growing confidence in exploring the edges of their sound. Backed by special guests, a whole array of instrumentation and a growing pallet for wider experimentation, And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter evokes Oh Hiroshima’s unique emotional landscape, each composition a relentlessly captivating journey that inspires reflection and release. Every motif, choice and touch contribute to the shifting terrains that gradually unfold into luminous intensity. By blending harmonics, immersive production and a deeply intuitive sense of pacing, Oh Hiroshima have crafted an album that is woven with intimacy and expansively felt.

“We tracked the foundation of the record (drums, bass and electric guitars) at Studio Gröndahl with Karl Daniel Lidén (Swarm of the Sun), who has worked with many really good bands before, he took great care in the drum setup and recording, and we’re especially happy with how that turned out, adds vocalist Jakob Hemström. The rest of the album was recorded in Örebro by me and my brother, with a little help from some friends of the band. Production-wise this is our most ambitious record by far because of the number of instruments and musicians that contributed. Ten additional musicians were involved this time around. Magnus Lindberg mixed and mastered the album. It’s the third time in a row. He’s great to work with, has a great résumé, and always delivers quality work.”

Catch the band live on the following dates and atPelagic Fest in August, with more dates to be announced soon. 

April 18 - Echoes of Erebos - Vienna (AT) 
May 22 - Jaz - Rostock (DE) 
May 23 - Wave-Gotik-Treffen - Leipzig (DE) 
May 24 - Speicher - Husum (DE) 
Aug 29 - Pelagic Fest, NL 

Oh Hiroshima are:

Jakob Hemström: Guitar, Bass and Vocals
Oskar Nilsson: Drums and Percussion

For more information:

INSTAGRAM • FACEBOOK • BANDCAMP • PELAGIC ARTIST PAGE

And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter track list:

1. Servant of All
2. Meridian
3. Angelos
4. Skeleton Key
5. Tree of Life
6. Broken Sunlight
7. Ivory Tower
8. Exit Cloud

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PLUME release new single '!REAL SPIRIT! Caught on Tape'

PLUME don’t ease into a release, they make an entrance you can’t ignore. With their new single '!REAL SPIRIT! Caught On Tape', the emo/alternative force push things further into their own lane. It’s chaotic in the right places, intentional where it needs to be, and carried by a pulse that feels more like a moment than just a song.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/4LcOBDgLp_4

Freshly signed to Arising Empire, PLUME aren’t here to follow what’s already happening around them. There’s a new wave forming, rougher around the edges, more expressive, less predictable and '!REAL SPIRIT! Caught On Tape' sits right at the center of it. Not by calculation, but by instinct.

Blending emo sensibilities with alternative grit and a visual identity shaped by distortion, nostalgia and digital overload, the band create something that feels immediate and alive. It’s not polished for comfort, it’s built to leave a mark. PLUME are stepping in at full speed. And this is only the first signal.

PLUME online:
https://www.instagram.com/plumeofficial
https://www.facebook.com/weareplume

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Of Virtue release new single 'The Art Of Love'

Michigan metalcore outfit, Of Virtue, have torn open a new wound, as they've released their brand new single 'The Art Of Love' via Arising Empire today. Following the explosive reception to their previous single 'Death Of The Altar', today's brand new single arrives as Of Virtue's latest chapter in an already commanding year. 

Watch 'The Art Of Love' here: https://youtu.be/zFYGCbjvIiQ

Where 'Death Of The Altar' turned addiction and self-destruction inward, 'The Art Of Love' widens the lens, zeroing in on the quiet, yet deafening, devastation of a connection that consumes more than it gives. Co-written alongside Lee Albrecht (Bilmuri, The Devil Wears Prada, etc) and Evan McKeever (Starset, Koe Wetzel, etc), 'The Art Of Love' and 'Death Of The Altar' continue the band's ongoing focus on the emotional and relational toll that addiction, mental health, and the stigma surrounding both leave in their wake.
 
On reckoning with everything that love can cost you, vocalist and guitarist Damon Tate shares:
 
"Sometimes you have songs that embody more of the existential problems we have in the world and other times, you just need that blunt force reminder that we all go through a lot of the same things. Toxicity in relationships will exist until the end of time - scorned lovers that are navigating their own character growth while refusing to let go or move on from abusive situations.
 
"Love is one of the most powerful and complex emotions we can experience in our lives. The right person makes you levitate above the clouds and can also make you feel like you're living in a nightmare every day. This song brings our self worth, value and how we accept/show that love to ourselves and others into question.
"
 
Be sure to stay tuned for more Of Virtue news coming very soon.

Catch the band live supporting Unprocessed:
29/09 — Botanique — Brussels, BE
01/10 — Academy 3 — Manchester, UK
02/10 — Electric Ballroom — London, UK
03/10 — Maroquinerie — Paris, FR
04/10 — 013 Next Stage — Tilburg, NL
05/10 — Doornroosje — Nijmegen, NL
06/10 — Gebaude 9 — Cologne, DE
07/10 — Kent Club — Hamburg, DE
08/10 — Hole 44 — Berlin, DE
09/10 — Strom — Munich, DE
10/10 — Batschkapp — Frankfurt, DE

Of Virtue online:
https://www.instagram.com/ofvirtue
https://www.facebook.com/ofvirtue

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Chilean proggers Aisles unveil new single 'Now Is The Time'

Chilean progressive rock band Aisles today release their new single 'Now Is The Time', the second track unveiled from their forthcoming studio album, scheduled for release in the second half of 2026.

Watch the lyric video here: https://youtu.be/-x-eqXrt7Yg
Stream here: https://farolatino.ffm.to/now-is-the-time

The release arrives during a period of growing international recognition for Aisles. In December 2025, they became the first South American band to sell their records and merchandise through the influential UK progressive music platform Burning Shed, placing them alongside artists such as Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson and Opeth in the store’s catalogue.

'Now Is The Time' continues the creative chapter that began with the single 'Blue Skies', released in July 2025. Following that release, Aisles toured the United Kingdom, performing in Edinburgh, Southampton, Camden and Sheffield, and appearing at HRH Prog Festival in Great Yarmouth.

During the same trip, the band recorded a special live session inside Studio 3 at Abbey Road Studios, one of the most iconic recording spaces in music history. The performance, filmed during the tour, made Aisles the first Chilean band to present a live performance recorded inside the legendary London studios.

Watch the video of 'Blue Skies (Live at Abbey Road)' here: https://youtu.be/8Fxl3JcCf0s

Their recent single 'Now Is the Time' offers another glimpse into the musical direction of the band’s upcoming album. The song is inspired by the idea of forbidden love: two people who care deeply for each other but face pressure from the world around them. Family, social expectations, religion, or authority figures may disapprove — even though the two people involved genuinely love each other and want to be together.

The lyrics explore what happens when someone chooses to obey those external voices instead of their own heart. In the story, one person ultimately walks away, leaving the other questioning how something real could be abandoned simply to satisfy the expectations of others.

The chorus becomes a turning point: “Now is the time” emerges as a mantra — a call to live authentically and act according to one’s own feelings rather than surrender to fear or pressure. In the final section of the track, a choir enters and expands the emotional scale of the music, turning the message into something universal: an invitation to live truthfully and follow the voice of one’s soul.

Musically, the track highlights the evolving chemistry of the current lineup: Boris Seeder (vocals), Germán Vergara (guitar), Juan Pablo Gaete (keyboards), Daniel Concha (bass), and Álvaro Poblete (drums). Mixed by Adam Noble (Leprous, Placebo) the track showcases the unique combination of intricate melodies, expansive atmospheres and ambitious conceptual storytelling that across five studio albums has made Aisles develop a distinctive voice within modern progressive rock and gain in return a loyal international fan base. 

This is the second single taken from their forthcoming sixth studio album, the first full-length recording developed entirely with Boris Seeder as lead vocalist. 

Having released five highly acclaimed studio albums, progressive rock band AISLES have created an unparalleled musical approach that combines intricate melodies and sonic openness. They have toured the Americas, Europe, and performed with prog legends Marillion, Focus, and Riverside.
 
In 2005, AISLES released their debut album, The Yearning, recognized for its elegant and delicate melodic work. In 2009, their second album, In Sudden Walks, inspired by existential literature and theatre, was nominated for Best Foreign Record at the Prog Awards in Italy. Their third record, 4:45 AM (2013) was ranked among the best albums of that year in numerous publications specialized in progressive rock.
 
Their fourth studio album, Hawaii (2016), a conceptual double album that narrates the life of humanity in space after the destruction of the Earth, was called a “masterpiece”. The success of the album allowed AISLES to tour in Europe, the United States and Mexico.
 
In 2018, they released the EP Live from Estudio del Sur, complemented by four live-recorded videos available on YouTube. The band released their fifth album, Beyond Drama, on 5th April, 2023, after the departure of three members and the reconfiguration of the group. On 30th April, 2023, AISLES released the instrumental suite Bahamut, inspired by the science fiction novel of the same name written by Chilean author Francisco Ortega. On May 2024, they released the EP Obras de Los Jaivas, where they tribute Chilean prog folk group Los Jaivas, featuring four guest singers - and closed the year with new single 'The Dream', introducing new vocalist Boris Seeder. In 2025 Aisles performed alongside Leprous in the CL Prog festival - before releasing 'Blue Skies'.

Aisles are: 
Boris Seeder: vocals
German Vergara: guitars and vocals
Juan Pablo Gaete: keyboards
Daniel Concha: bass guitar
Alvaro Poblete: drums
 
Follow Aisles:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM / SPOTIFY / FACEBOOK

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Winterfylleth release new album and title track 'The Unyielding Season'

Photo Credit: Aaron Scott

“The most mature and technically strongest Winterfylleth album to date, awe-inspiring, suspenseful, and sublime.” - Legacy (DE)

“If melancholy would be translated in terms of music, it definitely should be called Winterfylleth.”
- Rock Tribune (BE)

With the release of their ninth album, The Unyielding Season, out now via Napalm Records, black metal legends Winterfylleth have unveiled the title track as their third single. 'The Unyielding Season' captures the overarching theme of the album, the song a reflection of the current state of the world wrapped in raging, yet refined atmospheric black metal, guiding the way to a worthy follow up to 2024’s celebrated predecessor The Imperious Horizon.

Winterfylleth's new album is a social commentary wrapped in meticulously crafted poetry and prose. Where the preceding album described an ominous, malevolent force, lurking in the distance, The Unyielding Season now explores said threat becoming a reality.
 
Chris Naughton on single 'The Unyielding Season':
“‘The Unyielding Season’ – the song that puts music and emotion to the album concept as a whole. A beautiful, haunting and reflective track that tries to capture the weight and gravity of the current social circumstances we are living through in the world. It shares its concept with that of the wider album, and essentially tries to be a voice of the people against the tide of pressures in the world.”

Watch the visualiser here: https://youtu.be/rFbcnMJM6qc

Order The Unyielding Season here: https://lnk.to/Winterfylleth-TheUnyieldingSeason/napalmrecords

Winterfylleth about the new album:
“2026 marks a year of big changes for Winterfylleth! A new label, a new member, a new album, and the landmark of 20 years making music together. We are enthused by what this new chapter will bring, and as a result, we are now able to share our ninth album, The Unyielding Season, with the world. It is also a powerful and virulent first output, through which we seal our new collaboration with Napalm Records.     
In many ways, the new album is a reflection on – and a rebellion against – the turmoil’s and fears that are tearing the lives of many individuals apart. It is a cry against the unsustainable & constant weight of malevolence and pressure being pushed into the world by agents of an un-resting and unyielding force for evil. We hope the album resonates with you, stirs your soul, and gives you a source for hope. But, we also hope it makes you ask questions of your own circumstances and gives you pause to consider the unnerving state of the world we all share.”

The raging wildfire to its predecessor’s calculating, icy cold, Winterfylleth's first offering for their new record label is a reflection and a rebellion against the turmoils tearing individuals apart. The Unyielding Season is a cry against the unsustainable weight of fear and pressure being pushed into the world, by the agents of an unresting, and unyielding force for evil. Where our surroundings grow more challenging every day, Winterfylleth offers a pause for respite and resistance. The world is on fire, and The Unyielding Season is a warning.

Previous single 'Heroes of a Hundred Fields' is the first revolt in their ten-song manifesto, depicting brave minds joining forces against a common oppressor in the fight for freedom. The song unfolds in marvellous grandeur as chants of “Rebellions beacons now alight”, ring out against a tide of evil. With 'Echoes In The After', Winterfylleth deliver a striking epic: adapted from a poem by Sir Philip Sidney’s late 16th-century romance “The Countess Of Pembroke’s Arcadia”, the track was written as a reaction to the felling of the famous 'Robin Hood' tree at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall, in the North East of the UK. The following track, 'A Hollow Existence', opens up with galloping drums and explodes into equally aggressive and atmospheric black metal fireworks.

The band’s trademark sound continues throughout 'Perdition’s Flame' into the album’s title track, a powerful observation of our world’s current situation and a voice for those silenced by its hostility. Atmospheric masters Winterfylleth then pause their rage, making room for 'Unspoken Elegy', an acoustic guitar-driven instrumental enriched by equally hopeful and menacing cello melodies, a hauntingly beautiful illustration of the dichotomy within The Unyielding Season. 'In Ashen Wake' takes up the perilous undertone, taking its time before unveiling itself as another highly melodic black metal saga. 'Toward Elysium' expands on that with a strong, old-school-inspired guitar riff, thrilling and catchy. Following another instrumental, the beautifully structured 'Where Dreams Once Grew', Winterfylleth end the album running order with a bonus track, a cover of fellow Brits Paradise Lost’s 'Enchantment', originally released as the opening track on their 1995 classic Draconian Times.

Winterfylleth will bring The Unyielding Season to the stage this April, touring the UK and Ireland alongside Blackbraid and Noctem.

9.04.26 The Fleece - Bristol/UK
10.04.26 Rebellion - Manchester/UK
11.04.26 Whelan's - Dublin/IE
12.04.26 Limelight 2 - Belfast/NI
13.04.26 Slay - Glasgow/UK
14.04.26 Asylum - Birmingham/UK
15.04.26 The Garage - London/UK

Winterfylleth are:
Chris Naughton – Vocals, Guitars
Simon Lucas – Drums
Mark Doyle – Bass, Backing Vocals
Mark Deeks – Keyboard, Synth, Backing Vocals
Russell Dobson – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

Find out more:
Facebook || Instagram || Bandcamp

“Long at the forefront of UK black metal Winterfylleth have quite rightly become one of the most revered extreme metal bands from these isles.” - Dayal Patterson, Cult Never Dies 

“They elicit an aura of naturalistic vastness that’s worthy of Bathory.” – Metal Hammer

The Unyielding Season track list

1. Heroes of a Hundred Fields
2. Echoes In The After
3. A Hollow Existence (feat. Flagrum)
4. Perdition’s Flame
5. The Unyielding Season
6. Unspoken Elegy (feat. Arthur Thompson)
7. In Ashen Wake
8. Towards Elysium
9. Where Dreams Once Grew
10. Enchantment (Paradise Lost Cover Version - Bonus Song)

The Unyielding Season will be available in the following formats:

2LP Gatefold Marbled Orange Black Red, incl. 16pp Booklet – strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide (Napalm Mailorder exclusive)
2LP Gatefold Marbled Black Smoke, incl. lyric sheet – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide (Napalm Mailorder exclusive)
2-LP Gatefold Solid Fuchsia, incl. lyric sheet
1-CD Digisleeve
2LP Gatefold Marbled Christallo Gold, incl. lyric sheet – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide (band shop exclusive)
Digital Album

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French post-metal quartet Lost in Kyiv announce new album and stream single

Over the course of more than a decade, French quartet Lost in Kyiv have refined a sound that fuses cinematic ambition, electronic precision, and visceral live energy into something unmistakably their own.

Today the post-metal band announce their new album We’re All Going To Be Fine (19th June, Pelagic Records), along with the first single, the transcendent 'Burst'.

Stream 'Burst' and pre-order the album here: https://orcd.co/lostinkyiv
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/fgN6jOg06_w

The band state: "'Burst' is the perfect introduction to this new chapter for Lost in Kyiv. It really showcases the heavier, more raw direction we took on this record. The addition of our new drummer Jérémie and the use of lower tunings allowed us to create something more brutal and direct, while keeping the atmospheric emotion that defines us."

On the new album Lost in Kyiv push their identity further than ever; sharpening their production, intensifying their dynamics, and embracing a darker, more immersive sonic architecture.
 
The band state: "We're All Going To Be Fine explores the tension between hope and inner collapse, and how modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other. The songs were inspired by personal experiences, societal pressure, and the idea that we often become our own worst enemy. We were also inspired by the work of Carl Gustav Jung (who is the voice at the end of the album), especially his ideas about exploring the human psyche, as well as themes from movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Melancholia." 
 
Lost in Kyiv’s music has always thrived on tension between the organic and the synthetic. On We’re All Going To Be Fine, that integration reaches a new level of clarity and depth. The writing and production process was long and exacting, allowing the band to refine every transition and tonal detail. Songs unfold with architectural precision, motifs are introduced subtly before expanding into vast, multi-layered climaxes. Dynamics are handled with patience and control, silence and minimalism are deployed as strategically as explosive crescendos. This careful pacing gives the album a cinematic flow and larger narrative in which struggle and compassion coexist.
 
"We always wanted to write music around strong themes, and for the first time, we decided to focus on something more internal than on previous albums. This time, we wanted to explore the fragility of mental health and the human psyche, the relation we have with ourself."
 
This is the first album with new drummer Jérémie Legrand. Rhythm plays a central role in the band's identity - the drums provide impact and structure, locking into intricate patterns that interact with bass-driven synth pulses. At times the groove feels almost mechanical, echoing the steady insistence of electronic music; at others, it breathes and swells with human elasticity. This interplay creates a powerful sense of movement, an impression that the music is always advancing, even in its most introspective passages.
 
Embracing a more direct connection with their audience, through studio session glimpses and carefully curated visual teasers, Lost in Kyiv are opening a window into their creative process, revealing the human dimension behind the meticulously crafted sound. This balance between mystery and transparency mirrors the music itself; enigmatic yet emotionally accessible, precise yet deeply felt.

The band state: "We almost consider this album as the first record of a new version of the band. That’s why we decided to use the name Lost in Kyiv now. We don’t want to erase the past, but it really feels like a new direction. The choice of spelling Kyiv instead of Kiev felt natural to us. We use this spelling more often now and feel it aligns better with our values and how we see the situation. We had been thinking about it for a long time, but we needed the right moment in the band’s history to do it. It’s a change, but it’s still clear that we are the same band. Artistically, I think this album marks the beginning of a new direction, louder and more metal-oriented than what we did before."

Lost in Kyiv are:
Jean-Christophe Condette : Bass, Synths
Dimitri Denat : Guitars
Maxime Ingrand : Guitars, Synths, Machines, Programming
Jérémie Legrand : Drums, Programming

Lost in Kyiv online:
PELAGIC ARTIST * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * BANDCAMP * SPOTIFY

Track list:
1. Enlightened
2. Burst
3. Mantra
4. Eclipse
5. Becoming
6. Euphoria
7. Liminality

Hold Tight!
London metal mob Negative Frame release new single / video

Photo Credit: Negative Frame

London metallers Negative Frame have released their new single 'New Lows', a crushing barrage of riffs and breakdowns, with themes of endless suffering.

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

Stream here: https://linktr.ee/negativeLDN

Vocalist Kesari Gorin commented on 'New Lows': "Life is a roll of the dice, it’s suffocating and can close in on you. The hole can always get deeper, there is always a new low to sink to."

Negative Frame will release their debut album in 2026, news coming soon.

Catch the band live:

3 Apr - New Cross Inn, London, UK w/Headbussa UK
11 Apr - the Underground, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
1 May - Mortal Metal Fest (headline), High Wycombe UK
2 May - Incineration Fest 2026, London UK
23 May - The Old Salutation, Nottingham UK
29 May - The Underworld, London UK w/Pintglass 
19 June - Return To Strength Fest, UK Querfurt DE
23 Jun - Druckluft DE, w/Kenya 
24 Jun - Ghent, DE w/Kenya
25 Jun - Lille FR w/Kenya
26 Jun - Paris FR w/Kenya
28 Jun - Strasbourg FR w/Kenya
03 Jul - Facedown, London UK
11 Jul - Tombstone Open Air (headline), Stevenage UK
25 Jul - The Croft, Bristol UK
05 Sep - Burn It Down, Torquay UK
12 Sep - Deathfest, Colchester UK

Negative Frame are a London-based metallic hardcore band formed in 2017, emerging from the city’s DIY underground with a sound that fuses groove-heavy riffs, thrash intensity and punishing breakdowns. Originally brought together through skating and college life in North London, the band channelled frustration with everyday monotony into something far louder and more physical, quickly becoming known for their raw, high-impact approach.  Drawing influence from acts like Acid Bath, Disembodied and Lamb of God, their music leans into dense, groove-led structures and visceral, emotionally charged vocals that hit as hard live as they do on record.

From early DIY tours and self-booked shows to sharing stages with hardcore heavyweights, Negative Frame have built their reputation on relentless live energy and a deep connection to the UKHC scene. Their debut releases and later material, including the Mercy Killing EP and singles like 'Bad Blood,' showcase a band evolving into a heavier, more intricate force while staying rooted in hardcore’s communal chaos—stage dives, mic grabs and all.  With a growing following and a reputation for explosive performances, Negative Frame are part of a new wave pushing UK hardcore into darker, more aggressive territory without losing its sense of grit or fun.

Negative Frame are here to execute, haunting each listener with a passionate blend of hardcore to epic metal.

Negative Frame are:
Kesari Gorin - Vocals
Olly Coyne - Lead Guitar
George Evil - Guitar
Mark Maccutchan - Bass
Luke Walker - Drums

Negative Frame online:
https://www.instagram.com/negativeframeldn
https://www.facebook.com/NegativeFrameLDN
https://www.youtube.com/@negativeframeldn/videos

Hold Tight!
MOONSPELL announce new album and unleash title track video

Photo Credit: Andy Ford

Portuguese gothic metal pioneers MOONSPELL have released a music video for the first single and title track of their upcoming studio album Far From God, offering a first glimpse into what promises to be one of the band’s most defining offerings to date. Far From God will be released on 3rd July via Napalm Records.

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

Stream single and pre-order the album here: http://lnk.to/Moonspell-FarFromGod

Born out of five years of creative searching, doubt and ultimate rediscovery, the album marks a powerful return for the band. Far from playing it safe, MOONSPELL deliver a work that feels like a rebirth: darker, sharper and emotionally unfiltered. Rather than bending to modern trends, the band double down on identity and substance, presenting a bold and beautiful statement of Gothic Metal in its purest form: dark, romantic, dramatic and unapologetically heavy.

The first single, 'Far From God', sets the tone with burning intensity. A hymn to tragic vampiric love, the song revives the mystique and romantic darkness that once defined the genre, while layered keyboards subtly expand the atmosphere without softening its heaviness. Dense guitars, deep resonant vocals and dramatic dynamic shifts evoke a timeless gothic aesthetic, restoring danger and elegance to the narrative of the vampire.

Vocalist Fernando Ribeiro comments on the track: “I lost my faith and hope in vampires for quite a few years. They became the clowns of Hollywood, the cheap Halloween shop customs, the old and disgraceful Princes from the East. Until the film director Robert Eggers brought us Nosferatu in 2024 and I was immediately attracted back to that tragic, romantic character who Bram Stoker immortalised in his letters. I wrote 'Far from God' in just one breath and it’s our first song about vampiric love in ages. I confess I felt the urge of, together with MOONSPELL, saving the face of gothic metal which became hostage of semi-tuned operatic female vocalists, simpleton and crunchy guitar riffs; and of lyrical content that would make Dracula impale himself with a stake in his bloodless heart. This song is the essence of this album, its title, its video, its soul. And you can even feel the fire of daylight burning into yours and your lover’s skin.”

Thematically, Far From God moves through Baudelairian love, existential guilt and redemption, Christlike resurrections and the quiet nobility of creatures of the night. Vampires, werewolves and sacred symbolism are not escapism here, but vehicles for genuine dark emotion: solemn, romantic and unfiltered. The album rejects artificial gloss in favour of fantasy grounded in sincerity, rediscovering the heart of Gothic Metal in its most authentic form.

"To create Far from God we had to wait for the muse,” Ribeiro admits. "Again, she didn’t failed us and revealed herself in the most mysterious and beautiful ways to us. It took us five long years of hit and miss, of despairing to the point of thinking we didn’t have it anymore and why should we at all create new music. But I’m glad we persisted. Far from God is a true crusade against the decline of the style in the past few years, a darkly crafted statement that MOONSPELL is here to stay and to claim our throne. No politics, no socials, no intervention, just sickly romantic love, vampires, werewolves so we can all die of beauty, in peace and elegance. Goth bless you.”

MOONSPELL’s forthcoming magnum opus – produced with Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Sólstafir, Ghost among many others) – shines like a black diamond, luminous yet shadowed in texture and colour, both musically and sonically. It reconnects with the darker spirit of MOONSPELL’s classic era while sounding powerful and contemporary. Far From God is not nostalgia; it is a statement. A Gothic Metal hallelujah. MOONSPELL’s 21st century Irreligious. It’s not only a powerful reminder that MOONSPELL remain a defining force in the genre they helped shape, but an album that will truly save gothic ,etal from boredom and predictability.

MOONSPELL live in 2026:
20.06.2026 (BE) Dessel – Graspop Metal Meeting
10.07.2026 (FI) Kotka – Dark River Festival
16.07.2026 (PL) Bolków – Castle Party Festival
02.08.2026 (BU) Plovdiv – Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv (Opus Diabolicum Orchestra Show)
06.08.2026 (DE) Schlotheim – Party.San Metal Open Air
28.08.2026 (RO) Câmpulung Muscel – Posada Rock Festival
18.09.2026 (UK) London – Cosmic Void Festival
19.09.2026 (TR) Istanbul – Bosphorus Open Air Metal Fest


MOONSPELL online:
https://www.moonspell.com
https://www.facebook.com/moonspellband
https://www.instagram.com/moonspellofficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/MoonspellYT
https://label.napalmrecords.com/moonspell
 
MOONSPELL are:
Fernando Ribeiro – Vocals
Ricardo Amorim – Guitars
Pedro Paixão – Keys
Aires Pereira – Bass
Hugo Ribeiro – Drums

Far From God track list:
1. Cross Your Heart
2. Far From God
3. Biblical
4. The Great Wolf in the Sky (ft. Alicia Nuhro on strings)
5. Your Promise of Light
6. For the Love of Mortals
7. Our Freedom to Fall
8. Reconquista

Far From God  will be available in the following formats:
- 2CD 24p Mediabook (ft. Bonus CD: Demo Versions)
- 1CD Jewel Case       
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Black (ft. Lyric Sheet & Printed Innersleeve)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Solid Viola (ft. Lyric Sheet & Printed Innersleeve)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl S053 Splattered Creme Black (ft. 24p Booklet + Printed Innersleeve)
- Wooden Boxset (ft. Mediabook 2-CD + A5 Band Photo + Flag + Cross Pendant + Handnumbered Certificate of Authenticity)
- 2CD 24p Mediabook + Shirt Bundle
- 1-LP Gatefold WHITE LABEL (ft. 12'' 24p Booklet, Certificate [dated handumbered], Covercard)
- Digital Album                            
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl CIRC002 (ft. Lyric Sheet + Printed Innersleeve + Vertical Poster A3 Cover + Band Photo Postcard) - Bandshop exclusive

Hold Tight!