Photo Credit: Arising Empire

"one of heavy music’s most blisteringly brilliant bands" - Kerrang
"This rips" - Daniel P. Carter / Radio 1 Rock Show
"grooves deeper than the Mariana Trench" - Metal Hammer

thrown have made their long-awaited return with new single 'split'. It's urgent and unfiltered, channeling frustration and inner pressure into something direct and physical.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/L1p019wVrog

Stream the single here: https://arisingempire.com/thrown

Lyrically, 'split' revolves around losing control, self-doubt, and the exhausting weight of being stuck in your own head. It captures that moment where thoughts start to spiral and nothing seems to move forward. Instead of hiding behind abstraction, the band keep things raw and honest. Lines like “I’ve gotten used to not knowing what to do” reflect a sense of resignation, while the repeated “split my head in two” becomes a powerful expression of overload, almost like a desperate need to break free from your own thoughts.

Sonically, the track stays true to what has made thrown stand out in the first place, while sounding more refined and focused than ever. Crushing, down-tuned riffs drive the song forward, backed by relentless drums and breakdowns that hit with purpose rather than excess. There’s a clear sense of control in the chaos, everything feels tight, intentional, and built for maximum impact without overcomplicating things.
In a short time, thrown have built serious momentum.

With millions of streams across platforms and a rapidly growing international fanbase, the band have established themselves as one of the most exciting new names in modern metalcore. Their straightforward, no-frills approach has resonated with listeners looking for something real, something that doesn’t rely on trends, but on energy and authenticity.

'split' feels like a natural next step. It takes everything the band have done so far and sharpens it, heavier, more direct, and emotionally clearer. It’s not about reinventing their sound, but about pushing it further and making it hit harder.

The band have also announced a European summer festival run including Download Festival, as well as headline tour dates.

UK dates:

Jun 14 - Download Festival 2026
Jun 15 - Brighton, Concorde 2
Jun 16 - Norwich, The Waterfront

thrown are:
Marcus Lundqvist | vocals
Johan Liljeblad | guitar
Andreas Malm | guitar
Buster Odeholme | drums

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/thrownband
https://www.instagram.com/thrownband
https://www.tiktok.com/@thrownband
https://x.com/thrownsthlm

Austrian deathcore collective Castiel have announced their new EP All Returns to Hollow and Silence, set for release on 24th July via Seek and Strike. An immersive conceptual release, the EP will unfold chapter by chapter, beginning with the devastating opening salvo, 'Act I: Defile // Denounce'.

Watch the video for 'Act I: Defile // Denounce' here: https://youtu.be/glvu7iUd3lM

Pre-save All Returns to Hollow and Silence here: https://orcd.co/castielep2026

From its opening moments, 'Act I: Defile // Denounce' drops you straight into the deep end, pairing punishing low-tuned riffs with bursts of relentless speed and precision. It’s a track that immediately signals Castiel's intentions, heavier and more dynamic than ever and sets the foundation for a record built on brutality and depth.

All Returns to Hollow and Silence is a genuine step forward for the band. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, Castiel have crafted a sound that is pulled together with purpose. Firmly rooted in deathcore, the EP pushes beyond the genre confines, embracing contrast and atmosphere alongside its more destructive elements.

Speaking on the release, the band said: “This EP is heavier, more brutal but also more emotional than anything we’ve done before as a band. We’ve pushed ourselves creatively while staying true to who we are, this feels like the most complete version of Castiel yet.”

The new EP is built as a continuous story with each track acting as a chapter in a wider narrative. That idea carries through visually too, with every song set to receive its own video. 

At its core, All Returns to Hollow and Silence explores the shifting relationship between two central protagonists, tracing a journey shaped by tension, transformation and emotional conflict. Subtle inspiration has been drawn from the lore of World of Warcraft, particularly the arcs of Arthas Menethil and Jaina Proudmoore. 

Musically, the release channels the oppressive weight and atmosphere of Black Tongue and Humanity's Last Breath, while incorporating the raw aggression of Bodysnatcher and The Acacia Strain. The result is a record that moves seamlessly between suffocating heaviness and explosive intensity. 

Emerging from Klagenfurt, Austria in 2014, Castiel quickly made their mark with their bleak atmospheres and downtempo heaviness. Early releases including their debut single 'Human Scum' and the Exitium EP (2015) set the tone, followed by Blasphemy in 2017, before lineup changes forced the band into a hiatus. 

They returned in 2023 with Shadowlands, signalling a clear step up in both sound and ambition. That momentum carried into 2025’s Khaos EP, a darker, more introspective release that pushed further into themes of psychological collapse and existential weight.

Now, with their signing to Seek and Strike, Castiel enter a new chapter. All Returns to Hollow and Silence not only marks their first release under the label, but their most ambitious work to date. 

Having already shared stages with the likes of Distant, Carnifex, Born of Osiris and more, the band have built a reputation for intense, no frills live shows. Stay tuned for live dates to follow. 

For more:
Instagram || Facebook || Spotify 

Track-list:

1. Act I: Defile // Denounce
2. Act II: A Festering Wound
3. Act III: Vile Spirits
4. Act IV: Empty Throne

Photo Credit: Rude Records

Equal Vision Records, Dine Alone Records and The Flatliners today present 'Pulpit', the latest single to be lifted from the 8th May release of Cold World, the longstanding Canadian punk quartet’s brand new studio album.

“‘Pulpit’ is a musical excavation of what always feels to be looming in the dark corners around us,” the band say. “Our palpable mortality, the deception of belief, and the beauty of decay, all wrapped up into a twist and turn for two-and-a-half minutes that will just keep you guessing.”

Watch the music video for 'Pulpit' here: https://youtu.be/RpsaTn_g-8M
Stream the track on all platforms here: http://flatliners.lnk.to/Pulpit

Pre-order/pre-save-pre-add the record here: https://flatliners.lnk.to/cold-world 

While 2022's New Ruin was preoccupied with the inherited damages of the last generation, Cold World sees that legacy for what it is - a ghost, a fading memory. If New Ruin was about the rage of realisation, now we're damned with the aftermath of clarity. Welcome to the future. 

The Flatliners will be touring the UK alongside A Wilhelm Scream.

Dates:
August
18 — Nottingham, UK — Rescue Rooms 
19 — Glasgow, UK — Slay 
21 — Manchester, UK — The Bread Shed 
22 — London, UK — The Garage 
23 — Bristol, UK — The Fleece 

Maybe the greatest resistance that any artist can offer today is the radical act of stability — the same four people, friends since they were kids, playing music together because they have been compelled to for nearly their entire lives, 24 years and counting.

Cold World, the brand new studio album from Canadian punk veterans The Flatliners, is the sound of a band free to make what they want with the people they want to make it with, to try to carve out some space to demonstrate a different way of doing things - a space where bands share credit equally, where friends grow and work together over decades, a space where stability is the reward for sticking to your vision. 

That vision has evolved into a consistent confidence that gives The Flatliners the freedom to experiment with the edges of their sound while grounded by each other, locking out the decay of the world outside. The band fought through the fire of their last record only to find a landscape of debasement and erasure, and an increasingly cold world for all of us to live in.
 
The textures of Cold World itself are anything but comfortable and familiar. The band’s airtight foundation of bassist Jon Darbey and drummer Paul Ramirez continues to drive with a learned, casual urgency on rippers like 'Inner Peace' and 'Burn', while Chris Cresswell and Scott Brigham deploy the controlled chaos of their shredding two-guitar attack, enveloping the listener on songs like 'Pulpit' and 'Whyte Light'. As the album ends, we may be drifting out into darkness. But if we’re lucky, we can choose who we drift with. 

The Flatliners online:

Official | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music

Track list:

1. Stolen Valour
2. Good, You?
3. Inner Peace
4. And They're Off
5. Only Darkness
6. Whyte Light
7. Into Annihilation
8. Pulpit
9. Turning Signal Rhythm
10. Gush
11. Burn
12. United In Spite

Introducing Prince of Failure, the new collaborative project from Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT) and Paul Ortiz (Chimp Spanner).

The duo will release their new album Prince of Failure on 19th June via KScope.

Prince of Failure marks a significant shift in Daniel Tompkins’ creative world. Written and developed over several years with Paul Ortiz, the album traces a long internal process rather than a single moment of inspiration. The material reflects on neurodivergence, masking, and the psychological weight of living out of alignment with expectation - themes that shape both the narrative and the sound of the record.

Today, the duo have shared 'Horizon', the first single from the eponymous debut album alongside a new video. 'Horizon' features Kristyn Hope (Daedric) and you can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/8YqUCpw4_jU

Stream 'Horizon' here: https://orcd.co/horizon_listen

Pre-order Prince of Failure here: https://princeoffailure.lnk.to/Prince_Of_Failure

Dan Tompkins comments: "'Horizon' captures the moment where everything feels like it’s collapsing around you, but something inside is still pushing you forward. Within the wider story of the album it marks the beginning of the transformation - the point where the protagonist is forced to confront the weight of his own doubts and the expectations placed on him. Having Kristyn Hope on the track added another emotional dimension; her voice almost feels like a guiding presence cutting through the chaos.

"It was actually one of the first songs Paul Ortiz and I wrote together for this project around eight years ago, and one of the earliest ideas that really clicked creatively. The video was produced by Michael Levine using Unreal Engine, with additional FX work from Richard Oakes."

Musically, the album develops the atmosphere of Daniel Tompkins’ earlier solo work into darker, more reflective territory. Paul’s spacious arrangements, electronic textures and powerful guitar work sit alongside intimate, close-mic vocals, creating a strong sense of immediacy without sacrificing the dynamic scope associated with Tompkins’ progressive background and work with TesseracT. The pacing is restrained and deliberate with interludes and recurring motifs reinforcing the feeling of a continuous psychological arc.

The decision to release the record under the name Prince of Failure reflects the collaborative identity of the project and separates it from Tompkins’ previous roles. It allows the work to exist on its own terms, without reference to past expectations. The Prince of Failure now stands as an official creative partnership between Tompkins and Ortiz, a shared vision with long-term intent.

Prince of Failure online:
https://www.facebook.com/princeoffailure
https://www.instagram.com/prince.of.failure

TRACKLISTING:
1. The Glass Veil [01:38]
2. Dream Stealer [05:20]
3. Moonlight [04:09]
4. Phantom [04:01]
5. Fragile Crown [03:14]
6. Saturn’s Shadow [04:16]
7. Silent Throne [04:50]
8. Horizon (feat. Kristyn Hope) [05:08]
9. Palace of Echoes [00:42]
10. Prince of Failure [03:39]
11. Heartless [03:36]
12. Jaded Mantra [05:43]

Photo Credit: Evelina Szczesik

Sweden’s modern metal frontrunners SELF DECEPTION have dropped the new single 'DON’T B E L O N G', ahead of their upcoming Napalm Records debut album One Of Us, out on 15th May.

Stream the video for 'DON'T B E L O N G' here: https://youtu.be/ivyf_8BWNUs

Pre-order the album here: https://lnk.to/SelfDeception-ONEOFUS/napalmrecords
 
With 'DON’T B E L O N G', SELF DECEPTION showcase their range through a combination of hauntingly beautiful melodies, multifaceted vocal performance, and a heavy rhythm section that drives this sentimental modern rock anthem.The new track delivers a powerful message about breaking cycles, parting ways, and the importance of self-preservation.
 
Vocalist Andreas Clark comments: ”‘DON’T B E L O N G’ is deeply personal, reflecting my battle with addiction and mental health. It’s a reminder of a darkness I never want to revisit. By turning my toughest times into music, I hope to connect with others facing similar struggles and let them know they are not carrying this alone”.

SELF DECEPTION have been confirmed to perform at Download Festival on 13th June as part of their summer festival run.

Known for their fiery fusion of anthemic modern metal and powerful melodic rock, SELF DECEPTION have shared stages with the likes of Electric Callboy, Danko Jones, and Adept since their 2009 debut, while racking up millions of streams and video views – including their viral 2022 hit, 'Fight Fire With Gasoline', with tens of millions of streams. Written on the road during the heaviest touring of SELF DECEPTION’s career so far, One Of Us is a cohesive album full of character, made for the stage – and the pit.

SELF DECEPTION comment on One Of Us:
“One Of Us is our new album, inspired by life on the road and the energy of the live stage. Touring so much has put us in a kind of ‘live bubble’, and that feeling runs through the songwriting. The album revolves around outsidership and the desire to belong. On tour, we meet many lost and lonely people, all seeking a few hours of escape where they can disappear into a rock show. With One Of Us, we want everyone to feel part of something bigger, to feel like one of us.”
 
From massive pit churners to creative storylines and choruses full of hit potential, the energy on One Of Us is unmatched. The band has a busy festival summer following the album’s release, so fans will get the first chance to experience these new tracks live at several major European rock and metal festivals. With One Of Us, SELF DECEPTION are ready to push contemporary rock to the next level! The album will be available digitally and in several physical formats, with cover artwork created by Alex Tillbrook, who is well known for his work on the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things”, as well as for collaborations with artists such as Metallica, Blink-182, and Sleep Token.

Bone-crushing album-opener and title track 'ONE OF US' takes no prisoners, unleashing the heavy modern metal side of the Swedish powerhouse: fusing relentless hardcore energy, in-your-face lyrics, and high-voltage attitude, the track hits with unstoppable force. Following track 'TIME’S UP' features an absolute hit chorus, fresh hooks and high-energy instrumentals, while emotional 'DON’T B E L O N G' addresses the difficult themes of addiction and mental health battles – the combination of hauntingly beautiful melodies, multifaceted vocal performance and heavy rhythm section carry this sentimental track. Further highlights on SELF DECEPTION’s new 11-track offering include 'THE WEDDING', an energetic modern rock anthem with a particularly dark and twisted storyline, and 'BREAK!', with its heavy-hitting drums, electronic influences and yet another irresistible sing-along chorus. 'ENTERTAINED' delivers one of the heaviest breakdowns on the album, before 'GODDAMN ME' brings the record to a powerful close.

SELF DECEPTION are:          
Erik Ingels Graham – Drums
Andreas Clark – Vocals
Ronny Westphal – Guitar
Patrik Carlberg Hallgren – Bass
 
SELF DECEPTION online:             
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
TIKTOK
WEBSITE
NAPALM RECORDS

One Of Us track list:

1. ONE OF US
2. TIME’S UP
3. WAKE UP
4. DON’T B E L O N G
5. DEATH OF ME
6. BREAK!
7. THE WEDDING
8. KETAMINE COWBOY
9. BLAME
10. ENTERTAINED
11. GODDAMN ME

One Of Us will be available in the following formats:
1 LP Splatter Cristallo Green, incl. LP sized booklet + Mask – Napalm Records exclusive
1 LP Marbled Translucent Old Purple, Viola, Black, incl. Slipmat – Napalm Records exclusive
1 LP Translucent Fuchsia
1 LP Translucent Lime Green – band shop exclusive
1 CD Digipak
Digital Album

Pete Lambrou, the visionary composer and multi-instrumentalist behind VLMV (pronounced “Alma”), has revealed his new single/video 'I Am An Officer'.

The single is taken from VLMV's stunning new album There Will Come Soft Rains (24th April via Pelagic Records)
Watch the video to 'I Am An Officer' here: https://youtu.be/i3ML9W2OdaQ

Stream and pre-save There Will Come Soft Rains here: https://orcd.co/vlmv-tribal

VLMV comments on the new single: "'I Am An Officer' is a song in 2 parts. One of regret, and one of thankfulness. It is a funeral march. An ode to contrition. A Lamentation. 

"I wanted to keep the simple piano throughout, delicate and careful, backed with subtle but building textures layered from cello drones re-recorded through various guitar pedals and modular synth.

"It features guest vocals from long time collaborator Anja Madhvani, adding texture, light and hope in what I've aimed to maintain as a celebration of life."

There Will Come Soft Rains takes its title from Sara Teasdale’s 1918 poem and Ray Bradbury’s later short story, both of which imagine a world continuing quietly after humanity’s disappearance. Written during a period of deep engagement with climate fiction and ecological thought, There Will Come Soft Rains reflects on humanity’s legacy, its technological ambition, and its uneasy relationship with the natural world. A century on from Teasdale’s poem, the balance of power feels less certain, and Lambrou’s music inhabits that tension with remarkable subtlety.

Lambrou’s singular sonic language sits at the intersection of ambient, post-rock, modern classical, and experimental electronic music, while remaining unmistakably human at its core. There Will Come Soft Rains has a geological sense of time: themes creep, expand, erode, and reform, resisting conventional structures in favour of something more patient and immersive. Lambrou’s unique voice is intimate and fragile, his vocals hover above the instrumentation, a guiding thread through the expansive soundscapes, drawing listeners closer into the emotional core of each piece. 

Formed in early 2015 and fronted by songwriter/producer Pete Lambrou, VLMV released their debut album via Fierce Panda Records in August 2015, receiving critical acclaim. In 2018 VLMV released their follow-up, and subsequently signed to the illustrious Erased Tapes Music Publishing. Hailed as “Breath-taking in its scope and evoking imagery of the vastness of space...a shimmering soundscape of delicate ethereal beauty” by The Independent, the album was nominated for a Prog Award later that year.

After extensive UK and EU touring until 2020, the pandemic saw a gap in the hectic live schedule and Pete began writing what was to become 2022’s Sing With Abandon. VLMV’s third studio album was described by Prog Magazine as “Gently epic…A proper album, then, as best experienced as such” who crowned it one of the ten albums of the year. 

VLMV have toured the UK and mainland Europe multiple times, as the headline act and support with the likes of Mono, And So I Watch You From Afar, Nordic Giants and God Is An Astronaut, and performing as prestigious festivals ArcTanGent, Dunk, Portals and Post In Paris.

As a composer for Erased Tapes Music, Pete’s work has been heard in households all over the world across commercials, film and television, with clients including Ikea, Vice, Hyundai, Rolex, BT Sport, Amazon, The BBC, S-Power and The National Trust. VLMV’s music has also been as far reaching, with high profile spots on Amazon’s The Grand Tour, Santander, The Champions League Final via BT Sport, and even for The University of Zurich.

VLMV online: 
https://vlmv.bandcamp.com
https://www.vlmv.uk
https://www.facebook.com/vlmvmusic

TRACKLISTING:
1.    Tribal (A Heart, Self-Taught)
2.    We Are All Explorers Now
3.    The Pilot
4.    Bodies Grown, Pt.1
5.    In Absentia 
6.    I Am An Officer 
7.    Philistine! (Reclaim The Sky) 
8.    Bodies Grown, Pt.2 
9.    Somnolence

Photo Credit: Yngwie Vanhoucke

Belgian mathcore heavyweights BEAR today reveal their new single 'Metastatic', from their forthcoming EP Anhedonia, which will be released 22nd May via Pelagic Records.

Stream 'Metastatic' and preorder Anhedonia here: https://orcd.co/bear-anhedonia
Watch the ferocious drum playthrough for 'Metastatic' performed by Serch Carriere here: https://youtu.be/uM5UVDLreog

The band state: "'Metastatic' is, to us, a quintessential BEAR track. It blends everything the band has been known for up until this point and adds some new elements people might not have heard from us before. As with all the songs on ‘Anhedonia' - this song was recorded entirely live, with the intention of delivering a more intense, organic sound. 

"It’s also one of the more challenging songs we’ve written together - demanding us to be 100% focused and locked in with each other."

BEAR’s sound is a calculated collision of technical precision and unfiltered aggression — a modern strain of European metal that balances math-inflected complexity with visceral, live-wire intensity. At the core of their identity a combination of brains and brute force.

With Anhedonia, BEAR deliver five songs of pure adrenaline and unfiltered heaviness that capture a band confronting the strange emotional vacuum that can follow trauma. Anhedonia is both a battle cry and a confession; a visceral document of resilience carved from years marked by illness, loss, uncertainty, and hard-won perseverance. 

The EP was recorded live as a full band, with no click track, no studio safety nets, no artificial alignment. What you hear are four musicians locked in, feeding off each other’s raw and volatile energy in real time.

Guitarist James Falck comments: "After writing Vanta which was written during a particularly unpleasant moment in my life (cancer, surgery, treatment, family deaths, breakups), I personally was able to exorcise a lot of demons, and since then a lot of incredible things have happened in my life. Making music has always been a big source of therapy for me, and these songs really represent this state I was in until recently; where I had a lot to be grateful for, but the trauma and pain I had experienced in the years before had created a certain level of numbness, apprehension, and indifference." 

Bassist Dries Verhaert adds: "We indeed approached this project quite differently, both creatively and in the studio. Looking back, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved. Anhedonia is BEAR at our most authentic and vulnerable. If you ever find yourself in the dark, keep pushing. Accept help from those around you, and keep moving forward. This album is proof that even in the toughest times, there’s a way through." 

BEAR are:

Maarten Albrechts - Vocals
James Falck - Guitar
Dries Verhaert - Bass
Serch Carriere - Drums

BEAR online:
https://www.bearpropaganda.com
https://www.facebook.com/bearpropaganda
https://www.instagram.com/bear.propaganda

Tracklisting:

1.    Empty Markers
2.    Lacerate 
3.    The Smile 
4.    Anhedonia 
5.    Metastatic   

With 'Heal Me To Death', Any Given Day deliver one of their most intense and emotionally charged tracks to date, a crushing metalcore anthem that blurs the line between healing and harm. Driven by razor-sharp riffs, thunderous breakdowns, and a haunting melodic undercurrent, the song dives deep into the toxicity of control disguised as care. 

Watch the video for 'Heal Me To Death' here: https://youtu.be/awY22ZC-6AI
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/anygivenday

'Heal Me To Death' explores the suffocating weight of relationships where love becomes manipulation, and salvation turns into destruction. It’s a raw confrontation of inner conflict and external pressure, where the promise of being "fixed" comes at the cost of losing yourself. Lyrically, the band paints a dark and vivid picture: golden façades hiding inner demons, faith twisted into force, and words that cut deeper than wounds. The recurring line "Pour your cure like poison, watch me bleed" encapsulates the track’s core, a powerful metaphor for the danger of imposed healing and the violence of misunderstood intentions.

Catch the band live: 
November 3, 2026 — London, United Kingdom — The Underworld

Any Given Day online:
https://www.instagram.com/anygivenday
https://www.facebook.com/AnyxGivenxDay
https://www.tiktok.com/@anygivendayofficial

Arising Empire have never been ones to play it safe, but with their newest signing, they’ve doubled down on something far more volatile. Enter Banks Arcade and their ferocious new single 'Severance', a track that doesn’t just blur genre lines, it tears them apart and leaves the pieces smoldering.

Watch 'Severance' here: https://youtu.be/bsG7nRjwFBY
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/severance

Built on a collision of punishing metalcore, glitchy electronic textures, and the swagger of modern hip-hop, 'Severance' feels less like a song and more like a system overload. It’s aggressive, cinematic, and calculated chaos, exactly the kind of statement you’d expect from a band that has never acknowledged the idea of staying in one lane. 'Severance' captures that momentum at full speed. There’s a maximalist intensity running through the track, industrial electronics colliding with downtuned riffs, hooks that feel like they’ve been dragged through a rave at 3am, and a sense that everything could fall apart at any second, but never does. It’s controlled destruction.

Catch the band live:
July 10, 2026 — Cheltenham, United Kingdom — 2000trees Festival

Banks Arcade online:
https://www.instagram.com/banksarcade
https://www.facebook.com/banksarcade
https://www.tiktok.com/@banksarcade