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The Gates of Slumber’s debut album and EP reissued in August Svart Records continue to reissue the works of Indiana’s true doom metal legends The Gates of Slumber by bringing back their debut album The Awakening and early EP Like a Plague Upon the Land in late August 2026. Crushing debut The Awakening from 2004 is an album of raw, slow, monolithic traditional doom with a gritty sound. Featuring heavy, battleaxe-in-the-gut riffs and depressing, slow leads, The Awakening is strongly influenced by Pentagram and Candlemass, with Conan-style lyrical themes and Ozzy-like vocals. An essential, cult classic album for the fans of true doom. The Gates of Slumber was formed by Karl Simon in 1998. Various people were in and out of the group between 1998 and 2001, when the Blood Encrusted Deth Axe demo was recorded with Jamie Walters aka Dr. Phibes/Athenar (Boulder, Midnight) on drums and bass. In 2003 Jason McCash took over the bass duties and was a long-time member of the band until his untimely demise in 2014, after which Simon decided it was time to call it quits. That was until 2019 when the renowned metal festival Hell Over Hammaburg wanted to bring the band back on stage to perform at the festival’s 2020 edition. Simon reformed the band with its original member Chuck Brown on drums and Steve Janiak on bass and got back to work, which resulted in the new self-titled album released in 2024 on Svart Records.

The Gates of Slumber’s debut album and EP reissued in August Svart Records continue to reissue the works of Indiana’s true doom metal legends The Gates of Slumber by bringing back their debut album The Awakening and early EP Like a Plague Upon the Land in late August 2026. Crushing debut The Awakening from 2004 is an album of raw, slow, monolithic traditional doom with a gritty sound. Featuring heavy, battleaxe-in-the-gut riffs and depressing, slow leads, The Awakening is strongly influenced by Pentagram and Candlemass, with Conan-style lyrical themes and Ozzy-like vocals. An essential, cult classic album for the fans of true doom. The Gates of Slumber was formed by Karl Simon in 1998. Various people were in and out of the group between 1998 and 2001, when the Blood Encrusted Deth Axe demo was recorded with Jamie Walters aka Dr. Phibes/Athenar (Boulder, Midnight) on drums and bass. In 2003 Jason McCash took over the bass duties and was a long-time member of the band until his untimely demise in 2014, after which Simon decided it was time to call it quits. That was until 2019 when the renowned metal festival Hell Over Hammaburg wanted to bring the band back on stage to perform at the festival’s 2020 edition. Simon reformed the band with its original member Chuck Brown on drums and Steve Janiak on bass and got back to work, which resulted in the new self-titled album released in 2024 on Svart Records.

Mit „Everything’s Falling“ zeigen The Warning eindrucksvoll, warum sie zu den spannendsten Stimmen im
modernen Rock zählen. Das Latin-Grammy-nominierte Schwestertrio aus Monterrey, Mexiko, verbindet
Alternative Rock, Hard Rock und Metal zu einem kraftvollen Sound, der von starken Riffs und eingängigen
Melodien geprägt ist. Bekannt geworden durch ihr virales „Enter Sandman“-Cover, haben sich Daniela,
Paulina und Alejandra längst als eigenständige Künstlerinnen, mit einer internationalen Fanbase, in der
Rockszene etabliert.
Auf ihrem fünften Studioalbum „Everything’s Falling“ setzen sich The Warning mit inneren Konflikten,
Ängsten und Selbstzweifeln auseinander und verwandeln diese Themen in energiegeladene Songs mit ungefilterter Ehrlichkeit.

Swiss hard rock veterans Shakra return with renewed fire and unstoppable energy on *Just Live Loud*, their explosive new studio album and the band’s very first release through Frontiers Music Srl. Fueled by massive riffs, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable chemistry that has defined Shakra for decades, the album captures the spirit of classic European hard rock while pushing the band into a heavier, more modern sonic territory. Produced with a raw yet polished approach, *Just Live Loud* delivers a powerful mix of thunderous anthems, emotionally charged ballads, and adrenaline-fueled rockers designed for both festival stages and late-night highway drives. From razor-sharp guitar work and pounding rhythms to towering vocal hooks, every track reflects the band’s commitment to authenticity, passion, and pure rock’n’roll attitude. Lyrically, the album celebrates resilience, freedom, brotherhood, and the determination to live life at full volume — themes that resonate deeply with the band’s own journey through the international hard rock scene. *Just Live Loud* also marks an exciting new chapter for Shakra, combining the experience and songwriting strength of their legacy years with a fresh creative momentum that feels more vital than ever. With this landmark release, Shakra reaffirm their status as one of Switzerland’s premier hard rock exports and prove that true melodic heavy rock is alive, loud, and ready to conquer a new generation of fans.

Emerging in the early 2020’s - Static Abyss is a monstrous hybrid of twisted, doom-laden brutal death, comprising of longstanding members of the US metal scene. The band consists primarily of the duo of Deathgrave’s Greg Wilkinson (Guitars/bass) & Chris Reifert (vocals), both also members of legendary American masters of sickness, Autopsy, with Chris also notably starting his career with genre pioneers, Death. The band’s debut, ‘Labyrinth Of Veins’ was released in 2022, & their second album ‘Aborted From Reality’ followed in quick succession, surfacing in 2023.

Returning now for Static Abyss’ third studio album, & with the addition of Chad Gailey of fellow death merchants Necrot behind the drumkit for this release, ‘The Dying Hunt’ plummets the listener again into the festering, psychedelic swamps of lunacy, with the spiralling melodies texturing the relentless savage riffs for an effective nightmare inducing trip through the sonic abyss. Continuously & relentlessly flitting between brutal passages & hypnotic otherworldly craziness, ‘The Dying Hunt’ reflects the ailing world & the unravelling of the psyche of its inhabitants in this darkly dystopian landscape, for a masterful descent into sick Death Metal combined with Crust & Doom elements.

‘The Dying Hunt’ was recorded at Earhammer Studios in Oakland, CA, with engineering, mixing & mastering overseen by Greg Wilkinson himself. Cover art comes courtesy of Jon Santos.

This edition of ‘The Dying Hunt’ is presented on limited yellow marble vinyl, including printed inner sleeve with lyrics.

Re- Release in Transparent Blue Curacao Vinyl

With governments finally admitting that UFOs do in fact exist, and humanity attempting to heal from a state of recent crisis, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate for the newest addition to the HYPOCRISY catalog: WORSHIP, due to be released Fall 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Aptly titled, the album cover shows a mass of humans reaching up mindlessly to the sky as glowing spaceships shaped like the HYPOCRISY crosses sigil beam down to descend upon earthen civilizations and Mayan temples. Designed by artist Blake Armstrong (Kataklysm, In Flames, Carnifex, etc.), WORSHIP’s artwork speaks to the history of the relationship between humanity and extraterrestrials. “They’re coming back to collect,” explains founder and HYPOCRISY mastermind Peter Tägtgren.
A track entitled CHEMICAL WHORE breaches the subject of pharmaceutical addiction, and those who engineer it. “We are all chemical whores. We regularly consume prescriptions and drugs because we think we need it; we use one pill to heal the damage done by another medicine... it’s a vicious cycle.” Musically, it’s the only song that was written by all 3 core members of the band and translates into a recognizable, mid-tempo HYPOCRISY sound much like ERASER or FRACTURED MILLENIUM. Traveling from Sweden to Russia, the band also shot an official music video for CHEMICAL WHORE.
The DEAD WORLD music was written by Peter Tägtgren’s son, Sebastian. “We actually started to write an album together, something like 11 or 12 songs, but we never put any vocals in there and we just sort of set it aside. Then when I started writing HYPOCRISY I realized I really liked the song… it feels fresh. I think my kid got some new blood in there.” While the song comes equipped with a modern feel, the writing is still old fashioned at its core. Going into detail about the illuminati and black ops government, the lyrics examine how miserable these figureheads and theories can make us. “Call it fantasy, call it sci-fi, there are plenty of conspiracies in the world but I find these ones interesting,” explains Tägtgren.
GREEDY BASTARDS is another track outlined by simplicity and catchiness. Chugging riffs encapsulate a sound that almost verges on the realms of thrash while still keeping its feet firmly planted in the world of death metal. The lyrics touch on the greed and methods of control that we see various governments around the world today; how they manipulate people against one another and abuse the masses.
For Tägtgren, the inspiration to write new HYPOCRISY comes in waves. “I believe we were out on tour for another project and I began to get hungry again. I started spitting out some new riffs and when I had 7-8 songs done, I invited the rest of the guys to join me and contribute, and from there we started putting everything together. We had a break for a few months, continued recording, went back on tour… it never stops. There was a lot of jumping back and forth, and then COVID came and things got really weird.”
Tägtgren was one of the many musically inclined who was forced into sudden isolation upon the onset of COVID 19, only for Tägtgren, this is common practice when creating new songs. “A lot of things in the world stopped, and it was time to finish everything I hadn’t finished.” As usual, all recording and mixing took place at Tägtgren’s home studio in Sweden.
It has been 8 long years since the last record, and HYPOCRISY fans can feel the itch. WORSHIP is 11 tracks of precise, ferocious musicianship. Commonly inspired by the fusion of the modern and the ancient, HYPOCRISY has once more found a way to combine innovative ideas with classic sound in order to deliver something metalheads can enjoyably consume with awe and brutal vigor. HYPOCRISY is Peter Tägtgren (Lead Guitar & Vocals), Mikael Hedlund (Bass Guitar), and Reidar “Horgh” Horghagen (Drums).

Auf der Carnival EP versammeln Trauma Ray einige ihrer stärksten, intensivsten und experimentellsten Werke. Seit ihrem Durchbruch mit Chameleon, ihrem Debütalbum von 2024 bei Dais Records, hat die Band in der aktuellen Welle der Shoegaze-Revivalisten sich weiter etabliert, ist dabei aber immer agiler geworden und sind 2025 mit Kollegen wie Deafheaven, Loathe, und Toucheì Amoreì auf Tour gewesen. Mit einer Mischung aus blitzschnellen Riffs und karger Schönheit entwickelt sich ihr Sound weiter und knüpft an die Laut-Leise-Laut-Größen aus Metal, Grunge und Shoegaze von Slowdive bis Smashing Pumpkins an. Die Carnival EP taucht in stimmungsvolleres, intellektuelleres Material ein, als würde man ihre früheren Ausflüge vor einem Zerrspiegel betrachten. Diese Songs vermitteln ein deutliches Gefühl der Unruhe, entstanden in einer flüchtigen Zeitspanne, was beweist, dass die Band unter Druck und wenn sie aus den dunkelsten Ecken ihres Unterbewusstseins schöpft, am besten funktioniert. Das wortlose ,Carousel" leitet die beunruhigende Atmosphäre der EP mit Störgeräuschen und melancholischen Gitarrenklängen ein, die in ,Hannibal" übergehen, einem hymnischen Track voller kraftvoller Riffs und roher Emotionen. Die Band hat diese Art von purer Kraft schon mal gezeigt, von ,Solstice" aus dem Jahr 2018 bis zu "Chameleon", während ,Hannibal" mit einem Hauch von beispielloser Boshaftigkeit, Schlängeligkeit, ,Stone Temple-y, Alice in Chains-y", wie Avila witzelt, verzerrt ist. Textlich greift er die Angst der Teenager auf, das Gefühl, zerlegt und abgelehnt zu werden. ,Méliès", benannt nach dem französischen Illusionisten und Filmemacher, wechselt zwischen schweren, schlammigen Akkorden und einem himmlischen Refrain, ,von etwas Beängstigendem zu etwas wie einem Traumzustand", sagt Avila, der die surreale Abstraktion seines Namensvetters kanalisiert. ,Funhouse" taucht in den Doom Metal ein, mit spärlicher Gitarrenarbeit und dem wahrscheinlich langsamsten BPM der Band. Im Gegensatz dazu rüttelt, blitzt und hämmert der letzte Track ,Clown", als hätte der Hörer das andere Ende eines Horrorhauses erreicht und wäre nun vollständig in die grelle, verwirrende Beleuchtung des Jahrmarkts eingetaucht. Personifiziert durch eine knorrige, synthetische Leadgitarre erinnert ,Clown" an Robin Williams, einen Archetyp tragischer Fröhlichkeit, der zeigt, dass diejenigen, die am meisten versuchen, andere zum Lachen zu bringen, insgeheim vielleicht die Traurigsten sind. Klanglich verweist die Band schnell auf den Einfluss von ,Undone" und ,Stuck on You" von der Kultband Failure aus den 90ern, neben dem allgegenwärtigen Loveless, was die Größe von Trauma Ray ausmacht: fünf Musiker, die das, was sie lieben, aufnehmen, synthetisieren und erweitern. Die Carnival EP bietet einen kurzen und sehr loopbaren Abstecher in die Dunkelheit einer Band, die von Minute zu Minute beeindruckender wird.

The West Coast's contribution to hardcore punk is undeniable. That tradition of aggression, passion, and scrappy melodicism continues with The Barbarians Of California, an engaging new manifestation of iconoclastic spirit and true bombast. Born from the shared passion of Aaron Bruno (AWOLNATION) and his longtime engineer Eric Stenman - who cut his teeth in the same Sacramento community that eventually launched diverse and disparate acts like Deftones, Far, Will Haven, Team Sleep, Hella, Dance Gavin Dance, Death Grips, and Trash Talk - the spirit of the underground and the personal catharsis delivered through metallic hardcore never left either of them. So, when Aaron learned that Eric crafted a batch of throwback bangers combining impassioned angst with modern sensibilities, he wanted in immediately. The Barbarians of California was born.

In 2024, the band released their debut album, And Now I'm Just Gnashing My Teeth, and celebrated with a high-energy show at the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles, cementing their place in the hardcore scene's next chapter. Since then, they've continued to build momentum with headline shows across LA, a summer 2025 arena tour with Deftones and other festival appearances that brought their explosive live presence to a wider audience. Dropping two new singles in 2025 including a collaboration with Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die/Many Eyes), The Barbarians Of California are gearing up in 2026 for the release of their sophomore album, MEGATONS. With their second full length, The Barbarians of California are unleashing fresh chaos straight from the sun-soaked, teeth-gnashing heart of the Golden State. Blending raw hardcore energy, razor-sharp riffs, and that signature mix of ferocity and tongue-in-cheek humor, these new songs hit like a caffeine-fueled fever dream.

Since their debut, Rising Insane have evolved from a fierce independent quintet into a global heavy-hitter, amassing millions of streams across their previous catalog. Their journey to the top has been defined by elite company, having shared stages with genre icons like Papa Roach, Of Mice & Men, and Stray From the Path, transforming them into an unstoppable live force. This momentum is now reaching a fever pitch with their upcoming album, Deathrace. The record includes the standout track "Good Enough" (feat. Matt Flood of Caskets), which proved the band's immense reach by surpassing one million streams right at its release, alongside the dark and mature "Error" (feat. Steven Jones of Bleed From Within). Fans can also look forward to explosive new collaborations on the album with ACCVSED and David Schneider (The Butcher Sisters). Deathrace marks the band’s most radical chapter yet, stripping away polished refinement in favor of raw power and primal riffs. It is a limit-breaking statement that finally pushes their sound to the absolute limit - Rising Insane have never stood still, but now they are finally flooring it.

Possessed entfesselt die rohe Urgewalt von Venom in ihrer reinsten Form. Das Album ist ein kompromissloses Feuerwerk aus rasender Geschwindigkeit, chaotischer Aggression und finsterer Atmosphäre. Auf
hochwertigem Vinyl präsentiert, vereint es die markanten Riffs, das donnernde Schlagzeug und den unverwechselbar rauen Gesang, die den Sound der Band ausmachen und Generationen von Metal-Musikern
beeinflusst haben. Ein essenzielles Album für alle Fans des frühen Extreme Metal.

In 1986, legendary vocalist Paul Di'Anno who was the unmistakable original voice behind Iron Maiden's formative years launched a bold new chapter with the release of Fighting Back, the explosive debut album from Battlezone. Following his departure from Iron Maiden, Di'Anno refused to look backward. Instead, he forged ahead, assembling Battlezone to deliver a fresh assault of raw British heavy metal power. Originally released through Raw Power Records in the UK, Fighting Back captured Di'Anno's unmistakable grit and intensity while showcasing a revitalized creative fire that reaffirmed his status as one of metal's most commanding frontmen. Featuring standout tracks including "Welcome to the Battlezone," "Warchild" "Running Blind," and the title anthem "(Forever) Fighting Back," the album fused aggressive riffs, streetwise energy, and melodic power into a statement of resilience and reinvention. Recorded in East London and produced by Ian Richardson alongside the band, the record introduced a formidable lineup featuring guitarists John Hurley and John Wiggins, bassist Pete West , and drummer Bob Falck. Four decades later, Fighting Back remains an essential document of 1980s heavy metal and to celebrate this 40th Anniversary Deko Entertainment has remastered and repackaged this landmark release from the former Iron Maiden frontman. It will be available on 180G vinyl and contains the Bonus Track "Rising Star". For fans of classic heavy metal, collectors of NWOBHM history, and those who continue to celebrate the enduring legacy of Paul Di'Anno, Fighting Back stands as a powerful reminder of an artist who never stopped fighting.

In 1986, legendary vocalist Paul Di'Anno who was the unmistakable original voice behind Iron Maiden's formative years launched a bold new chapter with the release of Fighting Back, the explosive debut album from Battlezone. Following his departure from Iron Maiden, Di'Anno refused to look backward. Instead, he forged ahead, assembling Battlezone to deliver a fresh assault of raw British heavy metal power. Originally released through Raw Power Records in the UK, Fighting Back captured Di'Anno's unmistakable grit and intensity while showcasing a revitalized creative fire that reaffirmed his status as one of metal's most commanding frontmen. Featuring standout tracks including "Welcome to the Battlezone," "Warchild" "Running Blind," and the title anthem "(Forever) Fighting Back," the album fused aggressive riffs, streetwise energy, and melodic power into a statement of resilience and reinvention. Recorded in East London and produced by Ian Richardson alongside the band, the record introduced a formidable lineup featuring guitarists John Hurley and John Wiggins, bassist Pete West , and drummer Bob Falck. Four decades later, Fighting Back remains an essential document of 1980s heavy metal and to celebrate this 40th Anniversary Deko Entertainment has remastered and repackaged this landmark release from the former Iron Maiden frontman. It will be available on 180G vinyl and contains the Bonus Track "Rising Star". For fans of classic heavy metal, collectors of NWOBHM history, and those who continue to celebrate the enduring legacy of Paul Di'Anno, Fighting Back stands as a powerful reminder of an artist who never stopped fighting.

Hot off the heels of a stack of fine singles, they found love with the likes of Nels Hylton, Amy Lame, John Kennedy, Visions, NTS, Bring The Noise, Upset, arts culture, Distorted Sound, The Punk Site and many more - building a buzzing community, touring with Don Broco and Weakened Friends, finding favour with scribes at the likes of Kerrang, Rock Sound and Clash and popping up on the BBC Radio 1, Radio X and BBC 6 Music airwaves with alarming regularity... Signed to Alcopop! (UK/ ROW) and Grand Hotel van Cleef (GAS) they drop fiery choruses, grungy riffs and catchy hollering britpop sensibilities. With these future anthems all wrapped around vocalist jim heffy's lyrics of angst, depression and medication, break- ups, drinking and problematic housemates, it's prescient to remember the most important message that resides in the beating heart of these songs - 'be kind and be free to express yourself, no matter who you are'.

Mit »Halo Effect« – ihrem ersten Album bei Earache – landete die Band auf Platz 1 der Rock-&-Metal-Album-Charts und auf Platz 5 der offiziellen britischen Album-Charts.

Nach Kris' eigenen Angaben war dies jedoch für seine Kernfans vielleicht eine zu große Umstellung, da er den Einfluss von Modern Metal und einer wiederauflebenden Nu-Metal-Szene aufnahm. »Monsters We Made« ist seine Antwort auf all das. »Wir wollten große Mitsing-Refrains, große Riffs, große Soli«, sagt er. »Die Art von Hardrock, die in Arenen zu Hause ist; dicht, komplex und fähig, die größten Menschenmengen zu begeistern.«

Re-Press auf neuer Vinylfarbe

Erscheint auf farbigen, limitiertem Vinyl (pink transparent)

**The Butcher Sisters** ist eine energiegeladene Rap-Metal-Band aus Deutschland, die seit ihrer Gründung die Grenzen von Genre und Konvention sprengt. Die Band kombiniert gekonnt harte Metal-Riffs mit aggressiven Rap-Vocals und eingängigen Hooks. Ihre Musik ist laut, provokativ und voller roher Energie, was sie zu einem einzigartigen Act in der deutschen Musikszene macht.
Gegründet wurde The Butcher Sisters von leidenschaftlichen Musikern, die ihre Liebe zu Heavy Metal und Hip-Hop vereinen wollten. Die Bandmitglieder stammen aus verschiedenen musikalischen Hintergründen, was ihrer Musik eine Vielfalt an Einflüssen verleiht, die sich in ihren kraftvollen und dynamischen Live-Auftritten widerspiegeln. MitTexten, die oft gesellschaftskritische Themen ansprechen, kombiniert mit ihrer unverkennbaren musikalischen Härte, haben sie sich eine treue Fangemeinde aufgebaut.
Die The Butcher Sisters sind für ihre kompromisslosen Bühnenauftritte und ihre unbändige Energie bekannt, die das Publikum mitreißt. Mit einer Mischung aus Humor, Kritik und Aggression schaffen sie es, eine Atmosphäre zu erzeugen, die einzigartig und packend ist.
Mit mehreren Veröffentlichungen und einer stetig wachsenden Fangemeinde haben The Butcher Sisters ihren Platz in der deutschen Metal- und Rap-Szene gefestigt und setzen ihre musikalische Revolution mit jeder neuen Veröffentlichung fort.

Bei farbigem Vinyl kann es produktionsbedingt zu Abweichungen in Farbton, Musterung oder Tra

The self-titled debut from French outfit PRISONER arrives as a raw, hypnotic burst of modern garage rock—less a traditional song-based album and more a mood piece built from repetition, texture, and atmosphere. Released on Wicked Cool Records, the record leans into a stripped-down philosophy: riffs first, everything else second. Unlike many garage releases, Prisoner is largely instrumental, with vocals used sparingly— often as distant, almost incidental elements rather than the focal point. This gives the album a cinematic, drifting quality. Tracks like “Je ne retiendrai que toi” and “Il nous faudrait une bonne guerre” feel less like songs and more like evolving soundscapes, driven by cyclical guitar figures, motorik rhythms, and a persistent, almost trance-like momentum. The result is hypnotic rather than explosive: music that pulls you inward instead of shouting at you

Spectral death metal conjurations will grasp you with their doom-tinged tendrils from the onset of this record. The gritty, booming riffs open a chasm of darkness for the punishing drums to cast skulls into. Met by otherworldly vocals, this is certain to grip any fan of sepulchral music with its enchanting and intense abyssal atmosphere. Do not be fooled by the slower lumbering moments into thinking this will be an easy listen. Stampeding ferocity and wild madness soon erupt from the charnel openings to give a burst of frantic psychopathy to the experience. Churning doomed violence and convulsive bestial onslaughts entwine around each other to project forth arcane death metal violence with huge dynamics and an utterly savage feeling to every second. With a natural, organic production to convey the filthy nature of the music perfectly; this is not a record that will hold your hand rather drop you into a void of souls with malicious intentions.

From the devastating drum work and monstrous riffing to the wickedly contorting bass lines; each instrument complements the others in this storm of triumphant vitriol while the commanding vocals spew malice to superb effect. The low end murmurings and rusted blades of the leads are an idyllic balance of inhospitable sounds that will surely satisfy any real underground lunatic seeking dark music. These five pieces clock in at 35 minutes and the sheer intensity is upheld for every second. Crypt-lurking doomed despair and utter ferocity become companions while the groove of the more mid tempo sections tie everything together. There is certainly nothing missing for an impactful and memorable experience. Allowing itself to decay and reform throughout; you will see, hear, feel, smell and maybe even taste the stages of cranial decay and the anguish of the brain matter breaking down into nothingness. This is a record which doesn’t follow predictable patterns nor rules but wildly possesses you with the malignant spirits from death metal’s darkest corners…

Within the broad church of metal and its many offshoots – rock, doom, stoner and all the rest – it remains a minor thrill to stumble across a group who seem to exist at a slight tangent to everything else. Crumbling Ghost is one such anomaly. Crumbling Ghost are not newcomers. They've been operating for some time, releasing records sporadically, Four' is in fact their fourth release. Along the way they've accumulated a fervent coterie of followers, not to mention the occasional nod of approval from tastemakers such as Stuart Maconie, Stewart Lee and Tom Ravenscroft. And though they've appeared at Roadburn, shared stages with Hawkwind and even Damo Suzuki, they remain (possibly by design) curiously under the radar.
The group's core idea is deceptively simple: traditional folk material refracted through the haze and heft of heavy, fuzzy stoner rock with a chunk of psyche and a smattering of doom. But crucially, this is done without the costumery and theatrical tics that often accompany such collisions. No mock pagan pageantry, no graveyard cosplay, no cartoon Satanism.
What Crumbling Ghost latch onto is not folk as a museum piece, but as a lived experience, the dramas rooted in the culture, stories, and daily lives of ordinary people, the folklore, the tales of love and death, murder and adultery, freedom and oppression. Singer Katie Harnett says. "Doting mothers, possessive, violent partners, vulnerable women, seasonal workers and Royal scandals this album is our representation of the trials and tribulations of human existence and universal experiences that still feel relevant today.

Guitarist John adds. "Themes of murder, betrayal, loss, jealousy, and love are found across the record. In particular, the songs of Martin Carthy have been a particular source of inspiration".
The result is a set of murder ballads, supernatural reckonings and cautionary tales, all wrapped in slabs of heavy, thumping fuzz and atmospheric sonics. Harnett's voice sits at the centre: unmistakably folk rooted, but shorn of prettification, melodic yet capable of real bite.

The album opener 'Bows Of London' is a murder ballad of sisterly hatred and grim sibling rivalry, centred on a haunted fiddle fashioned from a dead sister's bones. The loping relentless, hypnotic backing chillingly and perfectly accompanies the narrative. Of course, the story doesn't end well. 'Bill Norrie' follows, a hooky melody propelled by an insistent bassline and a haunting psych tinged haze punctured with sheets of noise.. The story of young Bill Norrie who sends a token to a married woman, whose jealous husband beheads him, without knowing he was his wife's son from an earlier affair. An instrumental palate cleanser arrives in the shape of 'Valtz Efter Tor Lohne' a Norwegian traditional the band jokingly describe as a "banger".
Then we have 'Lovely Joan' which offers a rare note of sly triumph: a quick witted woman outmanoeuvres a predatory nobleman, escaping with his ring and his horse. Muscular riffs give this tale of empowerment a welcome sense of teeth. 'Gower Wassail' is a traditional Welsh folk tune that captures the raucous spirit of communal ritual, noise making and drink fuelled hope for a good harvest. Captured perfectly here by CG complete with wah wah guitar and a drunken groove catching the song's celebratory chaos. Then we have a little gem in 'Last Of All Sleep' , an original band composition and a genuine highlight: a heavy lidded, shoegaze tinged folk reverie, equal parts distortion and delicacy. It's a drop-dead gorgeous shoegaze-tastic psychedelic grunge mini epic. The album closer 'The Unquiet Grave' is a very apt place to finish. It's about a young man whose constant grief at the death of his true love disturbs her eternal sleep so she cannot rest. Even though the playout on this track, complete with a demonic repeated riff and feedback feels suitably bleak, even this song allows a glimmer of release ... we think.
And there we have it, 7 songs, 7 worlds, all honed to perfection by producer Wayne Adams (Green Lung/Big Lad) that will reward every repeated listen.

Folk and metal/heavy rock do have a connection of course, just look at Green Lung and their 'folk horror' infused musical universe, but Crumbling Ghost are a very different beast.
'Four' amply and beautifully demonstrates that when it comes to 'folk horror' there's nothing quite as horrible as folk ... Here, the horror such as it is, and it must be said, the moments of light, comes not from theatrics, but from the songs themselves – which, after all, is where it's always lived.
Crumbling Ghost are John Mosley – Guitar / Donny Hopkins – Guitar / Ruth O’Loughlin – Bass / Katie Harnett – Vocals / Matthew Atkins- Drums.

In a year which marks the 40th anniversary since the initial formation - under the moniker of Black Death - of what would subsequently grow into influential genre legends, 2026 marks the return of the imperishable Norwegian duo of Fenriz & Nocturno Culto for their new opus of high calibre old metal, under the banner of 'PreHistoric Metal'. As Fenriz himself proclaims of the title's symbolic origin, "Prehistoric is a loose term.

I just figure it's our VIBE, our take on things & it's more a statement that we use old style to create something new". 'Pre- Historic Metal' contains eight tracks of primal epics & gargantuan riffs with organic sound & the ever- present permeating spirit of the 70s & 80s, for a new continuation of the mastery witnessed on 2024's 'It Beckons Us All'. This next chapter in Darkthrone's extensive & ongoing catalogue presents a vast odyssey through the sonic landscapes of Thrash, Black, Heavy & Doom Metal &, adorned with a punishing & "in your face" guitar presence, Darkthrone stirs the cauldron of savage creativity with a nod to the writing methods which were indicative of their earlier works of the late 80s, but with a more refined craft.

Iconic return with “II”, a second album that doesn’t just continue the band’s journey — it defines it. Where their debut introduced the chemistry between five world-class musicians, II sharpens that vision into a clearer, heavier, and more confident sonic identity, delivering a sound that is more powerful, more direct, and unmistakably rock. At the heart of the album lies the electrifying guitar partnership of Joel Hoekstra and Michael Sweet, delivering a masterclass in soaring melodies, blazing solos, and muscular riffs that perfectly balance technical brilliance with pure hard-rock attitude. Beneath them, the rhythm section of Tommy Aldridge and Marco Mendoza drives the record with thunderous authority, creating a groove that is both massive and relentless. The album kicks off with “Cry No More”, a high-octane opener that immediately sets the tone — an energetic slice of hard rock packed with driving riffs, explosive drums, and a chorus built to stick. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, “Tears Keep On Falling” showcases the band’s dynamic range, unfolding as an electrifying power ballad where melody, atmosphere, and intensity come together in dramatic fashion. Towering above it all is Nathan James, whose performance on II is nothing short of extraordinary — powerful, soulful, and commanding, elevating every track with unmistakable presence. With bigger riffs, deeper grooves, and a stronger sense of identity, II captures Iconic at full force: a band no longer introducing itself but fully owning its sound.

Nachdem Taake seit über drei Jahrzehnten die Balance zwischen Tradition und Innovation hält, bleibt die Band kompromisslos unabhängig und erweitert zugleich kontinuierlich ihre eigenen kreativen Grenzen. Diese unbeirrbare Vision findet auf dem neunten Studioalbum *En Skog av Nidstang* einen neuen Ausdruck. Die vergangenen Jahre zunehmender Isolation - losgelöst von zeitgenössischen Trends und weitgehend unbeeinflusst von anderer Musik - haben den kreativen Antrieb des Songwriters Hoest nur noch verstärkt. Das Ergebnis sind vier ausladende Kompositionen, die sich auf natürliche Weise aus der inspirierten Geisteshaltung entwickeln, die bereits hinter dem von der Kritik gefeierten Album *Et Hav av Avstand* aus dem Jahr 2023 stand. Die Aufnahmen zu "En Skog av Nidstang" wurden südlich von Bergen in den moosbedeckten Wäldern rund um die Insel Borgoy abgeschlossen. In jener Landschaft, die einst vom vom Schicksal gezeichneten norwegischen Maler Lars Hertervig dargestellt wurde, suchte Taake bewusst die konzentrierte Abgeschiedenheit der Umgebung. Dabei verließ sich die Band weniger auf moderne Technologie oder übermäßigen Studioaufwand als vielmehr auf Intuition, Rückzug, Kreativität und die meisterhafte Beherrschung der grundlegenden Werkzeuge ihres Handwerks. Und das Ergebnis klingt unverkennbar nach Taake: Rücksichtslose, rasende Riffs treffen auf düstere Schwermut, eisige Melodien entstehen aus roher Intensität, und Momente trostloser Reflexion gehen nahtlos in ungezügelte Aggression über. Das Resultat ist ein Album, das die anhaltende Kraft einer kompromisslosen künstlerischen Vision feiert - der Beweis dafür, dass Taake auch nach 33 Jahren nichts von seiner Vitalität, Eigenständigkeit und Relevanz eingebüßt hat.

Nachdem Taake seit über drei Jahrzehnten die Balance zwischen Tradition und Innovation hält, bleibt die Band kompromisslos unabhängig und erweitert zugleich kontinuierlich ihre eigenen kreativen Grenzen. Diese unbeirrbare Vision findet auf dem neunten Studioalbum *En Skog av Nidstang* einen neuen Ausdruck. Die vergangenen Jahre zunehmender Isolation - losgelöst von zeitgenössischen Trends und weitgehend unbeeinflusst von anderer Musik - haben den kreativen Antrieb des Songwriters Hoest nur noch verstärkt. Das Ergebnis sind vier ausladende Kompositionen, die sich auf natürliche Weise aus der inspirierten Geisteshaltung entwickeln, die bereits hinter dem von der Kritik gefeierten Album *Et Hav av Avstand* aus dem Jahr 2023 stand. Die Aufnahmen zu "En Skog av Nidstang" wurden südlich von Bergen in den moosbedeckten Wäldern rund um die Insel Borgoy abgeschlossen. In jener Landschaft, die einst vom vom Schicksal gezeichneten norwegischen Maler Lars Hertervig dargestellt wurde, suchte Taake bewusst die konzentrierte Abgeschiedenheit der Umgebung. Dabei verließ sich die Band weniger auf moderne Technologie oder übermäßigen Studioaufwand als vielmehr auf Intuition, Rückzug, Kreativität und die meisterhafte Beherrschung der grundlegenden Werkzeuge ihres Handwerks. Und das Ergebnis klingt unverkennbar nach Taake: Rücksichtslose, rasende Riffs treffen auf düstere Schwermut, eisige Melodien entstehen aus roher Intensität, und Momente trostloser Reflexion gehen nahtlos in ungezügelte Aggression über. Das Resultat ist ein Album, das die anhaltende Kraft einer kompromisslosen künstlerischen Vision feiert - der Beweis dafür, dass Taake auch nach 33 Jahren nichts von seiner Vitalität, Eigenständigkeit und Relevanz eingebüßt hat.

White Vinyl. Having balanced tradition and innovation for over three decades, Taake remains fiercely independent while continually pushing its own creative boundaries. That uncompromising vision finds new expression on the ninth full-length album, En Skog av Nidstang. Past years of increasing isolation, detached from contemporary trends and largely removed from the influence of other music, the creative drive of songwriter Hoest has only intensified, resulting in four expansive compositions that flow naturally from the inspired mindset behind 2023's critically acclaimed Et Hav av Avstand. The recordings for En Skog av Nidstang were completed south of Bergen, in the moss-covered forests around the island of Borgoy. In the surroundings depicted by the ill-fated Norwegian painter Lars Hertervig, Taake embraced the focused seclusion of the landscape, relying less on modern technology or studio excess, but on intuition, confinement, creativity, and a mastery of the rudimentary tools of the trade. And it sounds unmistakably like Taake. Reckless thrashing riffs mix with brooding gloom, chilling melodies emerge from violent intensity, and moments of desolate reflection give way to untamed aggression. The result is an album that celebrates the enduring power of an unyielding artistic vision; proof that, after 33 years, Taake remains as vital, distinctive and relevant as ever.

White Vinyl. Having balanced tradition and innovation for over three decades, Taake remains fiercely independent while continually pushing its own creative boundaries. That uncompromising vision finds new expression on the ninth full-length album, En Skog av Nidstang. Past years of increasing isolation, detached from contemporary trends and largely removed from the influence of other music, the creative drive of songwriter Hoest has only intensified, resulting in four expansive compositions that flow naturally from the inspired mindset behind 2023's critically acclaimed Et Hav av Avstand. The recordings for En Skog av Nidstang were completed south of Bergen, in the moss-covered forests around the island of Borgoy. In the surroundings depicted by the ill-fated Norwegian painter Lars Hertervig, Taake embraced the focused seclusion of the landscape, relying less on modern technology or studio excess, but on intuition, confinement, creativity, and a mastery of the rudimentary tools of the trade. And it sounds unmistakably like Taake. Reckless thrashing riffs mix with brooding gloom, chilling melodies emerge from violent intensity, and moments of desolate reflection give way to untamed aggression. The result is an album that celebrates the enduring power of an unyielding artistic vision; proof that, after 33 years, Taake remains as vital, distinctive and relevant as ever.

Die vielleicht größte Herausforderung für jeden Musiker ist es, zu lernen, als Künstler zu wachsen und sein Repertoire zu erweitern und gleichzeitig eine kohärente, übergreifende Vision für die eigene Arbeit beizubehalten. Seit ihren Anfängen und über die Spanne von drei Alben hinweg haben Blackwater Holylight stets eine Aura, als ob die Mitglieder der Band sowohl den Raum als auch das Vehikel gefunden hätten, ihre emotionale Abwehr zu senken, indem sie ihre Position mit purer klanglicher Kraft verstärken. Diese anhaltend eindringliche und bezaubernde Qualität hat sich in einer Vielzahl von Ansätzen manifestiert. Gleichermaßen versiert in Doom-Riffs, narkotischen Neo-Folk-Melodien, lysergischen psychedelischen Streifzügen und zerklüftetem Art-Rock-Abrieb, decken Blackwater Holylight mit ihrem Arsenal an Gitarre, Bass, Schlagzeug, Synthesizer und Stimme ein breites Spektrum an Klangfarben ab. Auf ihrer neuesten EP If You Only Knew gehen Blackwater Holylight den eingeschlagenen Weg konsequent weiter. Letztlich ist "If You Only Knew" ein mutiger Schritt, der die Ungewissheit im Privatleben der Bandmitglieder widerspiegelt. der Bandmitglieder widerspiegelt.

Als Blackwater Holylight vor drei Jahren ihre Heimatstadt Portland, Oregon, verließen, war es ihr Ziel, der Tristesse des pazifischen Nordwestens und dem beruhigenden Komfort des Vertrauten zu entfliehen. Mit dem Ziel, das sonnigere Klima von Los Angeles zu genießen, fand sich die Band nicht nur in einer wärmeren Umgebung wieder, sondern auch in einer völlig neuen Landschaft - einer ohne Arbeitsplätze, langjährige Freundeskreise und die bequeme Zuflucht alter Gewohnheiten. Und genau hier, unbelastet von der Zufriedenheit der Sicherheit, begann Blackwater Holylight fleißig an ihrem vierten Album ,Not Here Not Gone" zu arbeiten. Wie schon ihre früheren Werke beschäftigt sich ,Not Here Not Gone" mit der Dualität von Licht und Dunkelheit - bedrohliche Riffs bilden das Fundament für betörende Melodien, dichte Wände aus Shoegaze-Gitarren paaren sich mit luftig-leichten Synthesizern, und schwere Themen werden durch sirenenhafte Gesänge vermittelt. Im Laufe des Albums verspürt der Zuhörer mal ein Gefühl der Stärke, mal ein Gefühl der Verletzlichkeit. Wie Schlagzeugerin Eliese Dorsay es beschreibt: ,In einigen Songs sind wir die Raubtiere, in anderen die Beute." Die Gegenüberstellung von Selbstvertrauen und Unsicherheit ist nirgendwo so deutlich zu spüren wie bei einer lebensverändernden Entscheidung, was vielleicht erklärt, warum der Umzug der Band ihr Studium der Kontraste auf ,Not Here Not Gone" zu neuen Höhenflügen intensiviert hat. ,Not Here Not Gone" wurde im Sonic Ranch außerhalb von El Paso, Texas, von Sonny Diperri (Narrow Head, DIIV, Emma Ruth Rundle) aufgenommen, wodurch die Band erneut ihre Komfortzone verlassen und sich an einem Ort isolieren konnte, an dem sie sich ausschließlich auf ihre Kunst konzentrieren konnte. Das Ergebnis ist das Kronjuwel von Blackwater Holylights Diskografie - eine reichhaltige und eindringliche Studie in tonalen Hell-Dunkel-Kontrasten, in der das Licht seinen Weg aus den Schatten findet.

Primus return with a brand new song, “The Ol’ Grizz." The song travels through high-speed bass riffs, spaced-out arpeggios and double bass drumbeats to create a singular sound that can only be described as Primus. Paired here on this limited edition 12" with a new cover of "Holy Diver" and two songs released as a 7" last summer: "Little Lord Fentanyl" and a live recording of "Duchess (and the Proverbial Mind Spread)". Pressed on gold vinyl.

The Carburetors are back and louder than ever! Their brand-new album, "We Ride At Night", is set to tear through speakers and shake venues to their foundations. Packed with the ferocious riffs and raw attitude that fans have come to love, this is the band firing on all cylinders-no brakes, no apologies. "We Ride At Night" is a statement that The Carburetors are still one of the most dangerous rock'n'roll bands on the planet. The Carburetors are a hard-hitting rock band hailing from Oslo, Norway, known for their electrifying blend of rock'n'roll, hard rock, and heavy metal. Formed in 2001, the band has carved out a reputation for delivering fast-paced, high-energy music that channels the raw spirit of Chuck Berry and the relentless power of Motörhead. Their signature sound-often described as "Fast Forward Rock'n'Roll"-combines driving riffs, thunderous drums, and an unapologetic attitude that's made them a staple of the Norwegian rock scene. Over the years, The Carburetors have released a string of acclaimed albums, including their debut "Pain Is Temporary, Glory Is Forever" (2004), "Loud Enough to Raise the Dead" (2006), "Rock'n'Roll Forever" (2008/2010), and "Laughing in the Face of Death" (2015). Their latest release, "Drinkin' from the Skull of Our Enemies," continues their tradition of raw, energetic rock, capturing the band's dynamic stage presence and relentless drive. The band has also contributed to tribute albums for legends like Kiss and The Ramones, and in 2012, they made it to the Grand Final of Norway's Melodi Grand Prix with their song "Don't Touch the Flame." With a career spanning over two decades, sold-out shows, and a loyal fanbase, The Carburetors continue to embody the spirit of rock'n'roll-loud, fast, and forever.

High Roller Records, reissue 2022, black vinyl, ltd 250, lyric sheet, poster, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel/ Temple of Disharmony
“Urm the Mad” was Protector’s sophomore album, recorded in the summer of 1989 at the Phönix Studio in Bochum, where the four-piece from Wolfsburg had already recorded their killer full-length debut “Golem”. Urm the Mad” was to become the last album before the split in 2003 that features Martin Missy; he should be replaced by Olly Wiebel in December 1989. Protector did not change too much about their style – genre-defining early thrash/death – but one of the most notable things about “Urm the Mad” was the sound: The album is famous for its heavy, noisy, dirty sound, for its raw production that makes the music all the more evil and menacing, with guitars in the front and Martin’s unmistakeable vocals lying on the riffs like poisonous mould. “Urm the Mad” is thrash metal walking the path of death. Protector’s special blend of thrash and death metal has always set them apart from their compatriots and even inspired German metal tabloid Rock Hard to declare Protector to be “Germany’s hardest band” – and this in 1989, the year both Kreator’s “Extreme Aggression” and Sodom’s “Agent Orange” were released! Protector, too, play fast and energetic thrash, but the overall feel of the album is that of creeping, lurking evil – crawling along on frequently slowed down, heavy riffs and Martin Missy’s sick death-like growls which seem to come straight from the charnel house. “Urm the Mad” does not sport that “positive” aggression usually found in 80’s thrash; on the contrary, the album is grim, dark and desperate, but nonetheless brutal and extreme. Back in the days, Protector’s contribution to the then-proliferating Teutonic thrash was mainly recognized within the underground scene, and the metal press played its own part in keeping Protector a bit below the radar: “We got pretty much the same response as we got for ‘Golem’: Good, positive feedback from our fans and ‘ok’-reviews from the bigger metal magazines.” Time to make up for that.

Modula Nation ist eine unverwechselbare Fusion aus experimentellem Psychedelic-Space-Rock, kombiniert mit schweren Industrial-Riffs, komplexen Rhythmen und tighten Grooves. Die Band wurde in Graz gegründet und zählt zu den vielversprechendsten Rockbands der österreichischen Underground-Szene. Das Progressive-Rock-Quartett aus Graz liefert pulsierende Space-Rock-Odysseen, die ihr Publikum auf eine psychedelische Reise durch verschiedene musikalische Welten mitnehmen.Modula Nation hatte bereits die Ehre, mit legendären Künstlern wie Molotov, Tito & Tarantula, Mother's Cake, KMFDM und Skinny Puppy auf der Bühne zu stehen.Das Projekt entstand aus früheren Musikprojekten des Sängers und Multi-Instrumentalisten Heinz Wallner sowie seines Bassisten und langjährigen Mitstreiters Ricardo Paz. Ihre Freundschaft und ihre Liebe zu einer Vielzahl von Musikgenres - kombiniert mit nächtlichen Jam-Sessions - trugen maßgeblich zur Entwicklung des individuellen Sounds der Band bei.Die musikalische Vision von Modula Nation wird durch zwei weitere Mitglieder vervollständigt:Philipp Pluhar am Schlagzeug und an den elektronischen Instrumenten sowie Markus Steinrück an den Gitarren.

Ras Michael's Dadawah. The Singing Drummer, a devout Rastafarian musician. Dadawah brought Ras Michael together with veteran studio hands: bassist Lloyd Parks, drummer Paul Williams, guitarist Willie Lindo, and last but not least pianist/organist Lloyd Charmers, who also produced.

The resulting album Peace & Love is a work of faith. Although not a concept album in the strict sense of the term, it thematically evokes the Biblical final days. "Run Come Rally" calls together the world's righteous in preparation for the upcoming battle with evil. Having gathered together the brethren from "Seventy Two Nations," all bow before Jah in a celebration of His greatness, then give voice to their desire to return to "Zion Land." The set concludes with "Know How You Stand"'s call for freedom, and with it the ability to fulfill Jah's plan.

The extraordinary power of the set's themes is echoed by the equally phenomenal backings, all conjuring up the most haunting of atmospheres. While the hand drums give the album a grounation feel, Parks and Williams simultaneously ground the numbers deep in roots. Intriguingly, though, there's no reggae guitar, just Lindo's sublime riffs and licks that flick into the rock realm, while constantly sliding back into blues. Charmers' piano and organ occasionally take over the reggae guitar role, but mostly his keys intertwine around Lindo's leads, accentuating melodies, scattering elegant flourishes here and there, and subtly building up the atmospheres. Charmers' production is superb, the musicians inspired, and Ras Michael's power undeniable. An astounding album that's lost none of its potency over the years.

First-time repress of Thrum's 1994 cult classic Rifferama, newly remastered with enhanced depth and clarity. Features Monica Queen (Belle and Sebastian / Snow Patrol), the album offers a signature blend of shimmering hooks and fuzzed-out guitars. The long-awaited reissue of Rifferama, the acclaimed debut album by Glasgow indie trailblazers Thrum. Out on Fire Records, the remaster revisits one of the most revered cult records of the 1990s UK guitar scene (the vinyl release includes an exclusive digital download of the band's reunion show recorded live at Airdrie Town Hall in 2025, along with a new studio version of 'Hey Joe'). Originally released to critical acclaim, Rifferama captured a moment when melody, distortion and emotional urgency collided to create something timeless. Now newly remastered from the original recordings, the album returns with enhanced depth and clarity, reaffirming its reputation as a lost classic of the era. Fronted by the unmistakable voice of Monica Queen (known for her work with Belle and Sebastian and Snow Patrol), Thrum's sound blended shimmering pop hooks with driving, fuzz-laden riffs. Alongside Johnny Smillie's distinctive guitar work, the band forged a sonic identity that stood proudly alongside the era's most influential alternative acts. This reissue is dedicated to the late great Phil Vinall, who mixed the album.

“Leviathan’s Desire” was Protector’s first release with Olly Wiebel as the new man on the microphone, and he brought in a new and different style, one no less gruff and aggressive than that of his predecessor. With the “Leviathan’s Desire” EP, Protector left the musically mid-paced path they had followed on “Urm the Mad”, turning back to their key skills and delivering a short but sweet-and-extreme thrash metal attack. The EP contains a revised and extended version of “Kain and Abel” that fits in perfectly with the new tracks, which are full to the brim with raging riffs and violent hooks, relentlessly delivered by a band that’s fully aware of its great skills and abilities both with regard to song-writing and performance – rhythm changes, breaks and bridges are all thoroughly worked out and excellently delivered. But do not fear! There are no signs of giving in to any ideas of embracing the “progressive” side of Protector. This is still pure Teutonic Thrash to the bone. “Leviathan’s Desire” was recorded in the Phoenix Studio Bochum in 1990 and originally released by German label Atom H (based in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia) in the same year. Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta fame took over production duties of the record. Olly is very glad to see the vinyl re-release of “Leviathan’s Desire”, which has been mastered for vinyl by old comrade Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. Protector also opened up their dusty cabinets to present us with a selection of previously unreleased pictures from those still good old days, which will be gracing the High Roller edition of “Leviathan’s Desire”.

Channeling his trademark style of driving techno and robotic rhythms, Phase Fatale makes his Dekmantel UFO series debut, upping the ante with his forward cutting production methods. His first solo release in 2 years, the Berlin-based DJ, Producer and Label owner hotwires his signature wall of sound with precise, hypnotic magnetism and dystopian textures.

A key protagonist in Techno’s lexicon as a regular in the booth at ∄ in Kyiv and with residencies at queer collective Merge in New York, alongside institutions Berghain and Khidi. The New York native’s unflinching mutualism of past and present comes forward in his introspective production style of textural waves and melancholic narrative, welded together by true techno formation. A deep referential lens cutting through layers of whirling cybernetics form his sonic coil, surrendering the listener into dissociative euphoria.

Underpinned by a focus on bass heavy techno, the 4-track EP circulates an ebb and flow of surrealist, atmospherics and whirring futuristic frequencies. Hypnosis inducing polyrhythmic analog sequences, flesh-out the EP’s core whilst the track progression traverses over a terrain of experimental cuts, driving beats, and oscillating sonic shrapnel. A culmination of influences spanning techno born out of Birmingham and Detroit alike form an architecture of stripped back electronics alongside soulful melodies, as well as references to acid house, post-punk and shoegaze. The title track ‘Off Desire’ a nod to longtime friend and collaborator the late Silent Servant, evokes a dream like crescendo between David Lynch and the sci-fi body tech of David Cronenberg, electric stabbing beats are offset by wistful guitar riffs and the digital rain of ethereal distorted vocals as if echoes from the void.

Downtown Boys have pushed relentlessly forward as an artistic and political project since their founding. Singer Victoria Marie and guitarist/singer Joey La Neve DeFrancesco first met at union meetings while working together at a hotel in Providence, RI, writing many of the band's early songs about labor organizing and exploitative workplaces. The quintet is completed by Joe DeGeorge (sax/synth), Mary Jane Regalado (bass), and Joey Doubek (drums). Over years of touring, and three acclaimed albums, Downtown Boys have continued to grow as artists, musicians, and organizers. Now, the band has arrived with Public Luxury, an enthralling album that keeps politics front and center while summoning the band's most urgent and powerful sound to date. The definition of Public Luxury falls very much in line with that of the title of the second Downtown Boys LP, Full Communism. Straight up, Public Luxury means, "everything for everyone." It's the stubborn insistence that a better world is possible, while fully recognizing the horrors we witness daily, and the individual and collective responsibility to resist the nihilism and hopelessness we all feel. Sentiments like "everything for everyone," and "we will have it all" perfectly represent the cathartic, communal live experience this cadre of multi-instrumentalists create. These sentiments also encapsulate the inclusive, joyful sonic fusion that defines the album: anthemic punk and indie rock mix with Latin traditions, drum machines blend with acoustic drums, saxophones punctuate riffs, and layers of synths add flourishes from new-wave to industrial. The amount of ground covered on Public Luxury can't be overstated, and yet the album feels totally vital and cohesive. Public Luxury is a revisitation of the band's past for the sake of their future. It was co-produced by DeFrancesco with recording engineer and longtime Downtown Boys supporter Seth Manchester (Lambrini Girls, Lightning Bolt, Model/Actriz) at the Pawtucket, RI studio and arts space Machines With Magnets, not far from the band's first home of Providence, RI. Victoria Marie's grandmother-a monumental figure for the band throughout their existence-passed away in May of 2025, and her influence looms large over the album; the songs "No Me Jodas" and "Sirena" are crystallized representations of the love between a woman and her ancestor. Beyond the loss, rage and frustration of the present, Public Luxury points boldly towards a vibrant, open-hearted vision of both music and the world: "Our music is simply for anyone and everyone who believes in the new future we can make together," Victoria Marie declares. "A world that will be awkward, inconsistent, yet truly free when it comes to all that matters."

With bloated souls and skeletal bodies the three mad kings of the end times walk among us, with empty eyes and insatiable hunger. Innocence thieves, blood collectors, bastard children of archaic dynasties built upon the broken bones of the weak. Their consorts are the rotten and the dead, their champions soulless, empty vessels gasping for validation as they bathe in the nectar of inflicted pain. They lead us not into temptation, but into degradation and the all-consuming fire. Born in the heat and shadows of the Australian underground, in Brisbane in 2014, Graveir have carved out a stronghold for themselves in their homeland's black metal scene. Bleak, violent and uncompromising, their music possesses a powerful individuality that sees them following their own path, lone wolves in a world of people searching frantically for a voice to tell them how to think and what to believe. After their powerful 2016 debut, Iconostasis and its critically acclaimed successor, King Of The Silent World, hailed as 'captivatingly hypnotic' by Metal Bite, Graveir are poised to unleash their third set of black prophecies - The Festering Triad. The Festering Triad begins with the sinister 'Lords Of Misrule', rising from the silence with guitars like an insect swarm before a lugubrious, dolorous shift into life and movement. The song holds you on the edge of oblivion, a constant aura of threat radiating from its broken beauty. There's a powerful underlying melody too, but it's corrupted and riddled with disease. And while this unsettling and disorientating introduction to The Festering Triad is still crawling through your veins, 'A Futile Exhortation' bursts into flame - as implacable and unstoppable as the passage of time, formed from the seething darkness on the edge of chaos and touched by something ancient and primal. You are now in the heart of darkness, jagged riffs circling like atavistic, feral presences, hammering blast beats disrupting natural rhythms. Nothing is as it should be. Nothing stays within the expected boundaries. This is a malicious attack on the laws that govern reality. 'A Thief In The Heart Of Man' flies at you in a howl of rage and bloodlust; you can feel its desperate need to tear you apart and the inherent danger is exhilarating. Title track, 'The Festering Triad' arrives swathed in an aura of decaying majesty, a triumvirate of wickedness wreathed in flame, marching onwards, entwined in black briars of unease - on into twisted soundscapes of fear and dizzying anxiety, through boiling malignancy and relentless intensity to the finale of 'The Rite Of Degradation', where portentous grandeur and bestial hunger combine in bewildering, schizophrenic fury. This album is fuelled by a determination to leave you broken, beaten and humbled - and it succeeds, absolutely.

Reissue of the fifth studio album by Canadian technical death metal masters Cryptopsy, originally released in 2005. Notable for bringing back original vocalist Lord Worm and pushing their complex, brutal style with an experimental edge. The title is interpreted by some as implying "Once Was Not Enough", suggesting a continuation of their extreme sound, a concept explored through intricate riffs and intense drumming.

London based, Heavy Metal Records signees IMPERIUM deliver a powerful debut that captures the essence of modern thrash through razor sharp riffs, precision grooves and commanding vocals, rooted in the intensity of classic heavy metal. The band have built strong momentum through UK touring, international performances and a breakout appearance at Bloodstock Festival after winning Metal 2 the Masses, establishing themselves as one of the most promising emerging acts in the UK scene. Their growing profile is further reinforced by endorsements from Gibson and Kramer.



The debut album, Exodus Unknown is available on heavyweight black vinyl using Direct Metal Mastering, alongside a black polycarbonate vinyl effect CD and digital formats, offering strong appeal for collectors and dedicated metal audiences alike. For fans of modern thrash and classic 80s metal, IMPERIUM represent a new generation delivering the genre with authenticity, power and no compromise.

PUBLIC HOUSE are a rising punk act from Melbourne, formed in 2023 by Wolfgang Buckley (Stiff Richards) and James McClurg. The band quickly moved from bedroom demos to commanding stages across Melbourne and Europe, earning a devoted following through their high-energy performances. PUBLIC HOUSE delivers a high-octane blend of raw energy and howling riffs an explosive sound that sits somewhere between the past and the future. With their debut album on the way, PUBLIC HOUSE are ready to return to Europe bigger and better than ever. BEWARE

The 12th studio album from Death Metal Veterans, JUNGLE ROT. DAVE MATRISE (Vocals/Guitars): "Let's start off by saying what an amazing accomplishment it is to hit 12 releases in my career. Never would I think I'd still be doing this 30+ years later. I guess be careful what you wish for I'm very grateful to all of our fans that have supported us for so many years and for never giving up on us. To my bandmates for all of their hard work and dedication to me and JRot over all these year’s. Cruel Face Of War will not disappoint. It's full of crushing grooves and violent hooks that will surely break anyone’s neck. We have stood the test of time. We are still here playing our trademark style of Oldschool Death Metal that has carved a legendary name for us in the underground scene today." Produced by Chris Djuricic at Bell City Sound Company. Mixed and Mastered by Dan Swano at Unisound Studio. Artwork and design by Gyula Havancsak