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METAL SHOCK FINLAND on mini-holiday!

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: News. Leave a comment

Our friends & metalheads,

Metal Shock Finland is officially taking a well-deserved mini-break from October 5th to 8th, but we’ll be back in full swing on the 9th!

Have a wonderful week & Keep it Metal! 🤘😊🤘

MASON Release Video for New Single ‘Stranger In Bloom’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: MASON. Leave a comment

MASON have released their video for new single ‘Stranger In Bloom’, new album “Edge Of Destruction”is out now on Eonian Records.

“Stranger In Bloom was actually the last song recorded for the album. Originally it was a rough idea with heavy overlaid guitars, less of a ballad and more of a slower rocker track. My good friend Ken Potocki really loved the song and suggested we trim it back to bass, drums and vocals and overlay some poppier slower keys on top, then “sprinkle” guitars throughout. Those subtle changes really changed the overall sound and feel as a ballad should be! Ken said to me… this song is missing one last piece… a saxophone, which is something you don’t hear much in the AOR genre, and it would be absolutely perfect. Much like groups like Men At Work and Quarterflash, we thought it would be the perfect complimentary sound for the intro and outro of the song. We found two players who submitted tracks and absolutely loved the final result from Aki Bouzid. Can’t thank Ken enough for his guidance, its one of my favourite tracks on the album.”

“Edge Of Destruction”
Marcus states: “Our third album, Edge of Destruction, has been the most fun and creative period we’ve experienced over the past year of writing and recording. The album’s title continues the post-apocalyptic story established by I Can’t Wait (2024) and Seconds to Impact (2025).
 We recorded many demos and explored a lot of ideas, but this time we really wanted to expand our sound and push the limits of the creative process during the song-development stage. That included bringing in two tracks from keyboardist Peter Penhallow’s band Timmy/Eye – ‘Here I Am’ and ‘Eye for an Eye’ (Bonus Track) – as well as John McAfee’s ‘This Thing Called Love.’ These songs have become some of the most important tracks on the album and complement our sound and musical style extremely well. 
 So many amazing and legendary musicians have rejoined the project from our previous two albums, including John McAfee (The Affair, Big Game), Rick Mead (Syre, Helix, Platinum Overdose), Nilver Perez (The Revlin Project), and Sooraj K (Snarm). For this album, we were also incredibly fortunate to collaborate with legendary vocalist and songwriter Steve Overland (FM, Lonerider, Wildlife, Kings of Mercia), who contributed backing vocals to ‘This Thing Called Love.’ 
 Bryan Hughes is another legendary AOR musician (Beau Geste, Bryan Hughes Group, Devay) who helped produce and performed guitar, bass, and keyboards on ‘Tomorrow Never Comes.’ In addition, we brought in Jeff Pilson (Dokken, War & Peace, Foreigner) to play bass on ‘Here I Am,’ adding even more punch and energy to the album’s opening track. Lukky S (Timson AOR), Aki Bouzid, Mike Bozzo, Gino Braun (Rotten Rose), Dylan Haines (Bryan Hughes Group), Eric Castiglia, and many others were also amazing guests who contributed additional guitars, solos, bass lines, and backing vocals throughout the album. Having so many talented musicians contribute to Edge of Destruction made the record even more special.”

Order the album here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/mason50/edge-of-destruction

Some artists spend years chasing the sound of their youth. Marcus Mason has spent a lifetime figuring out how to push it forward. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1988, Marcus Mason came of age at a time when the musical landscape was moving rapidly away from the sounds that fascinated him most. While rap, hip-hop, punk, and post-grunge dominated much of the late ’90s and early 2000s, Mason found himself looking backward: to the melodic hard rock, arena-sized choruses and polished AOR of the late ’70s, ’80s and early ’90s. It was not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It was instinct.

Mason’s breakthrough came in 2024 with the release of his debut album, “I Can’t Wait”, through Lions Pride Music. The record introduced a songwriter with an unapologetic affection for classic AOR but enough personality to make the formula his own. Songs including “One Life,” “I Can’t Wait” and “My Desire” emerged as standouts, while the album drew enthusiastic reviews from outlets including Fireworks Magazine, ViriAOR and Rockposer. In Germany, Rock It! reviewer Jörg Bonszkowski ranked “I Can’t Wait” among his Top 10 albums of 2024, placing it at No. 6. For Mason, the debut established the blueprint. The next album would expand it.

In 2025, Mason signed with Eonian Records for sophomore release “Seconds to Impact”, a record that marked a noticeable leap in songwriting, performance, and production. Led by the July 2025 single “All I Ever Wanted,” and followed by “Hard to Tame” and “Waiting for You,” the album broadened Mason’s profile within the international melodic rock and AOR community. “Seconds to Impact” balanced the unmistakable DNA of classic AOR with a more contemporary edge: smooth, melodic hard rock built around muscular guitars, polished keyboards, memorable choruses, and Mason’s clear, melodic vocals. 

Now comes the record designed to push Mason further still. Mason’s third album, “Edge Of Destruction” is not about abandoning what worked. It is about making everything bigger. Across eleven songs and an instrumental, Mason moves confidently between hard-driving melodic rock, mid-tempo AOR and sweeping ballads, with a renewed emphasis on songwriting, arrangements, and production. The hooks remain immediate, but the scope has widened. The guitars are still big. The keyboards still shimmer. The choruses still arrive with the intention of staying in your head long after the record stops spinning.
 
But by Edge of Destruction, Mason no longer sounds like an artist searching for his identity.
He sounds like one who has found it.

Mason are: 
Mason (lead vocals, bass, rhythm guitar)
Jimmy Katone (drums)
Peter Penhallow (keyboards)
Josef “Peppi” Gebhard (lead guitar)

Mason on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559036835425
Mason on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZV8IEyF0o6yDg0e6ZBJjx
Marcus Mason on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcus.frank.16

ANGUISH FORCE Release New Music Video ‘Stairs In The Dark’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: ANGUISH FORCE. Leave a comment

ANGUISH FORCE return with a brand-new visual chapter from their latest album “Atzwang II”: the official music video for “Stairs in the Dark” is now online.

The track is the second song from the album to receive an official video, following the previously released “Stones to Destroy”, and once again takes the audience deep into the dark, mysterious and unsettling world that has always been part of the Anguish Force identity.

Founded in 1995 in Campodazzo, South Tyrol, Italy, by guitarist Luigi Guarino D. (LGD), Anguish Force have built a career spanning more than three decades, developing a distinctive approach to traditional Heavy Metal while incorporating elements of Speed, Power and Thrash Metal.

With Atzwang II, the band continues a musical and conceptual journey deeply connected to its homeland and its history.

“STAIRS IN THE DARK” – ANOTHER STEP INTO THE DARKNESS

The new video once again combines the band’s music with a strong visual and cinematic atmosphere.

Featured in the video is Hungarian model Szilvia Szijgyarto, who, in keeping with the band’s established visual tradition, takes on the role of the victim.

Her presence becomes an integral part of the video’s dark narrative, reinforcing the mysterious and disturbing atmosphere surrounding the song.

“Stairs in the Dark” therefore becomes more than just a visual representation of the track: it is another piece of the Anguish Force universe, where Heavy Metal, darkness, mystery and storytelling come together.

THE WORLD OF ATZWANG

The connection between Anguish Force and Atzwang is a fundamental part of the band’s identity.

Atzwang is the historical name of Campodazzo, the band’s hometown in South Tyrol, and over the years it has evolved into much more than a geographical reference. It has become a source of stories, legends, historical events and dark atmospheres that have inspired the band’s music and imagery.

With Atzwang II, Anguish Force continue to explore this world while remaining firmly rooted in the classic Heavy Metal tradition.

Their musical influences range from legendary names such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Running Wild to Helloween, Metallica, Slayer and Annihilator, combining the spirit of traditional Metal with their own distinctive identity.

MORE MUSIC IS COMING…

While the Atzwang II chapter continues, Anguish Force are already looking ahead.

During the summer, the band recorded a brand-new live album, capturing their live energy and bringing another important moment of their long career to tape.

Further details about the upcoming live release will be revealed soon.

Stay tuned… the darkness is not over yet.

ABOUT ANGUISH FORCE

Founded in 1995 in Campodazzo, South Tyrol, Italy, Anguish Force are a long-running name in the Italian underground Heavy Metal scene.

Led by founder and guitarist Luigi Guarino D. (LGD), the band have spent more than 30 years developing their own interpretation of traditional Heavy Metal, combining classic influences with darker atmospheres, historical themes and stories connected to their homeland.

Their latest album, “Atzwang II”, continues this journey and expands the universe introduced through the band’s previous work.

With the release of “Stairs in the Dark”, Anguish Force add a new visual chapter to the album — while the band is already preparing the next one.

ANGUISH FORCE
Stay Metal!

RED SKY Returns with New Video for ‘Shonagai’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: RED SKY. Leave a comment

Masked rapper-guitarist Red Sky unveils the official music video for “Shoganai,” from his acclaimed album Nostalgia del Futuro, now available via Epictronic.

“Shoganai” opens Nostalgia del Futuro with a provocative message aimed at anyone who tries to ridicule, criticise, or discourage those who choose to follow their own path.

The Japanese expression shōganai means “it can’t be helped.” In the song, Red Sky turns the phrase into a defiant response to his critics: they can keep talking, but they cannot decide where he goes next.

The accompanying video captures that attitude in the streets of Kabukichō, Tokyo, where Red Sky delivers a playback performance surrounded by neon signs, city lights and the unmistakable energy of the Japanese capital. The setting adds another layer to a track written around independence, self-belief, and refusing to let other people’s opinions dictate your direction.

“Shoganai” is featured on Nostalgia del Futuro, an ambitious album inspired by Maxwell Maltz’s Psycho-Cybernetics and the longing for the person we are still becoming. Written shortly before Red Sky’s life-changing move to Japan, the album serves as a personal and sonic manifesto, bringing together metal, rap, electronic music, reggae, and traditional Japanese and Middle Eastern influences.

Across the record, Red Sky explores identity, ageing and self-worth through a distinctly cross-cultural perspective, combining personal experience with a genre-defying approach to songwriting.

Stream Nostalgia del Futuro: orcd.co/ndfalbum

ABOUT RED SKY

Red Sky is a masked rapper-guitarist who has challenged musical conventions since 2011. His Kintsugi Music philosophy brings together rap, metal, electronic music, and global influences, with Japanese culture playing a central role in his evolving sound.

Over more than 15 years, Red Sky has released 14 albums, shared stages with major Italian artists and built an international following around his distinctive fusion of music and visual identity.

His music connects with listeners drawn to conscious Italian rap such as Caparezza and Rancore, modern metal acts including Linkin Park, Rammstein, and Falling in Reverse, and Japanese culture and music with a deeper message.

CONNECT WITH RED SKY
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RedSkyKintsugi
Instagram: www.instagram.com/redskykintsugi

CRYSTAL THRONE Release New Album “Chantry Of Sacrifice” with Official Video for ‘Tides Of Ages’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: CRYSTAL THRONE. Leave a comment

French progressive heavy metal outfit CRYSTAL THRONE has released their latest studio album, entitled “Chantry Of Sacrifice”.

To mark the occasion, the band has unleashed an official music video for the track “Tides Of Ages”, which you can watch here: 

“Tides Of Ages” offers a condensed journey through the story of “Chantry Of Sacrifice”, following the main charachter as she travels through time in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth behind Earth’s disappearance. Set in the distant future of 5150, the album follows Hÿldr, a war veteran and scientific project leader who awakens to an unimaginable reality: Earth has mysteriously vanished, leaving her as the last human in the universe. Hÿldr is then entrusted with one final mission – to travel back in time, uncover the cause of Earth’s disappearance, and alter the course of history before it is too late.

Tracklist:
01. A Hero’s Call
02. Children Of The Ruins
03. Tides Of Ages
04. Electrical Savior
05. Walls Of Silent Mourn
06. Antagonists
07. Insurgent Outcry
08. Chantry Of Sacrifice
09. Sleeping In The Void

Formed in 2019 in Metz, France, and drawing inspiration from acts such as Queensrÿche, Crimson Glory, Judas Priest, and Symphony X, CRYSTAL THRONE combine classic heavy metal foundations with progressive structures and a strong cinematic identity. Known for their futuristic visual universe, neon aesthetics, smoke effects, and laser-driven live performances, the band continues to carve out their own space within modern progressive heavy metal.

“Chantry Of Sacrifice” is out NOW, self-released by the band, and available for purchase HERE

Furthermore, CRYSTAL THRONE are heading out on tour in October, kicking things off in Cologne at MTC. Tickets on sale now and dates are as follows:

21/10 DE – Köln – MTC w/ Justify
22/10 DE – Oberhausen w/ Justify
23/10 DE – Frankfurt – Black Haze Bar w/ Justify
24/10 CH – Olten – Heavy Sound Bar w/ Justify
25/10 FR – Lyon – Rock’N Eat w/ Star Rider
29/10 BE – Modave – Deux Ours
28/11 FR – Paris w/ Animalize

Line-up:
Terry Defire – Vocals
Jeff Brand – Bass
Max Waynn – Guitars
John L – Guitars
Will Ram – Drums

For more info visit:
https://www.facebook.com/crystalthronetrve
https://www.instagram.com/crystalthronetrve
https://crystalthrone.bandcamp.com

DRACONICON Unveil New Line-Up & Announce New Album “Empire” for Early 2027

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 4, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: DRACONICON. Leave a comment
Photo by Matteo Ermeti

Italian Dark Power Metal force DRACONICON officially unveil their new five-piece line-up and announce the release of their new album, “Empire”, scheduled for early 2027.

Following the release of “Dark Side Of Magic” (2021) and its successor “Pestilence” (2023) through Inner Wound Recordings, DRACONICON entered a period of creative restructuring.
Far from inactivity, this time marked a deliberate transition aimed at redefining the band’s chemistry, sound and long-term artistic direction.

Today, DRACONICON emerge with a renewed and solidified line-up:
• Grym Hünter – Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitar
• Alex Moth – Lead Guitar
• Simon Borgen – Violin & Backing Vocals
• Dave Tomadini – Drums
• Philip Skrim – Bass & Backing Vocals

Further details about “Empire”, including its first singles and release date, will be revealed in the coming months, alongside new live announcements. [ … find out more HERE » ]

FFO: Kamelot, Powerwolf, Sabaton

Commenting on this new chapter, Simon Borgen states:
“This is not simply a line-up change. It is the natural evolution of everything DRACONICON has built so far. We stepped back to redefine who we are, learned from our mistakes, and now move forward with clarity, unity and a stronger vision than ever. We are also very happy to have Markus and Metal Message alongside us for this new chapter, sharing the same passion and commitment we are putting into ‘Empire’.”

As part of this new phase, DRACONICON are also pleased to announce their collaboration with Markus Eck and Metal Message, who will support the band with PR and promotional activities surrounding the upcoming album and its releases.

Markus Eck of Metal Message comments:
“Working with DRACONICON means a lot to me. The band has a strong identity, a clear artistic vision and the ambition to take the next step without losing what makes them unique. I am very happy to support them in bringing Empire to the international Metal audience.”

That vision will take shape in Empire, DRACONICON‘s third full-length album, set for release in early 2027!

More info: https://www.draconicon.com/

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