US Metal Veterans AXEMASTER Return with Haunting Single & Video ‘Murder Of Crows’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
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US heavy metal veterans AXEMASTER present “Murder Of Crows”, the first single taken from their upcoming studio album “Of Beasts And Plagues”, set for release on June 19 via Cosmic Fire Records.

The track arrives alongside an official music video, offering a first compelling glimpse into the band’s new material. Watch it here:

“Murder Of Crows” showcases AXEMASTER at their darkest and most intense. The song combines heavy riffing with a haunting atmosphere and striking vocal performance, highlighting the dynamic range of the forthcoming album.

“Of the people who have heard the album, many picked ‘Murder’ as their fave. Very creepy, yet powerful, with great vocals!!!!!“, lead guitarist Joe Sims comments.

Vocalist Geoff McGraw adds: “A dark and doomy track much like the Plague Doctors themselves!“

Tracklist:
01. The Plagues Among Us…. 
02. Murder of Crows
03. The Dark Side
04. Kissed With a Fist
05. Clinging to Life
06. Terrortory
07. Forsaken II
08. Dealers
09. Danse Macabre
10. Machine
11. Dagon Rising
12. Shadows Cast

For fans of true heavy metal driven by power, determination and heart, “Of Beasts And Plagues” marks a triumphant return. After years of dedicated work, AXEMASTER are ready to unleash a record that captures the essence of their legacy while pushing forward with renewed energy and intensity.

Formed in the 1980s, AXEMASTER emerged during one of heavy metal’s most raw and defining eras. Over the decades, the band built a strong reputation in the underground through numerous releases, earning a loyal international following. Despite lineup changes and shifts within the music industry, AXEMASTER have remained committed to crafting authentic heavy metal filled with character and emotion.

Today, the band continues this legacy with a sound that seamlessly blends classic US metal with elements of thrash and doom. Heavy riffing, driving rhythms, aggressive yet melodic vocals, and a darker, more intense atmosphere define “Of Beasts And Plagues”. The album stands as one of the band’s strongest creative statements to date – firmly rooted in the spirit of 1980s metal, yet refreshed with a modern edge.

With a history spanning over three decades, AXEMASTER have released 11 official records across multiple international labels and have seen their music featured in films, compilations, and countless publications worldwide. Since their return in 2010 under the direction of founding member Joe Sims, the band has continued to evolve while honoring their roots, sharing stages with acts such as Sebastian Bach, Grim Reaper, Halloween, Riot, and more, and appearing at major underground festivals across the US.

With “Of Beasts And Plagues”, AXEMASTER once again prove their enduring relevance and passion – delivering a record that speaks to both longtime fans and a new generation of metal listeners alike.

“Of Beasts And Plagues” will be coming out on June 19 via Cosmic Fire Records and is available for pre-order HERE

Line-up:
Joe Sims – Lead Guitar
Jenson Kozar – Bass
Adam Windisch – Drums
Geoff McGraw – Vocals

For more info visit:
https://www.instagram.com/axemasterofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570312266756
https://cosmicfirerecords.com

Italian Post-Hardcore Force IF I DIE TODAY to Release New Album “I Felt Nothing” on June 19th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
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Italian post-hardcore force IF I DIE TODAY will release their new album “I Felt Nothing” on June 19, 2026, marking a new chapter for the band after a steady run of increasingly successful releases.

The record arrives as the result of a slow, deliberate maturation process, during which the group has sharpened and fully defined its identity at the crossroads of hardcore, metal and rock’n’roll. The riffs are BIG and unapologetically present, yet the music never falls into uniformity, constantly shifting between tension and release through dynamic rhythmic changes and a strong sense of urgency. The overall mood is both tense and mocking, creating a constant push-and-pull between pressure and a kind of bitter, sideways irony that runs through the album’s atmosphere. On top of this solid instrumental foundation, the vocal work introduces subtle but effective variations in tone and approach, adding extra layers of character without breaking the core intensity.

The result is a complete, fluid, and highly dynamic album that reinforces IF I DIE TODAY’s status as a reliable and distinctive force within the European underground. It also reflects a heightened awareness of songwriting balance, where impact and nuance coexist without compromise, giving the record both immediacy and depth that reward repeated listens.

The first single “Lungs” is now streaming HERE.

Tracklist:

1. Lungs
2. King
3. End (feat. Mare)
4. Dark
5. Monsters (feat. Alex Rope)
6. Rachel
7. Isolation (feat. Papero Tons)
8. Light
9. Cowards
10. 1984
11. Tar (feat. Santa Infall)

IF I DIE TODAY are an Italian post-hardcore band formed in 2007 in Northern Italy. Their sound is rooted in hardcore punk, enriched with metal and rock’n’roll influences, gradually evolving into a more hybrid and personal style over time.

After their early releases and EPs, the band significantly refined their identity with “Cursed” (2015), where they expanded their sound by blending hardcore, punk, metal, rock’n’roll and stoner elements into a more mature and distinctive formula. This evolution continued with “The Abyss In Silence” (2022), a darker and more aggressive concept album focused on grief and loss, built on epic guitar riffs, tight rhythmic structures and intense vocal delivery.

Renowned for their high-energy and uncompromising live performances, IF I DIE TODAY have toured extensively across Europe and Russia, sharing stages with bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, While She Sleeps, Beartooth, The Offspring, and many others, building a solid reputation on the live circuit.

In 2025 they released a live recording from Bloom featuring Helmet. Their upcoming album “I Felt Nothing”, due on June 19, 2026, will be released in co-production with Tifone Crew, Vollmer, Flamesdontjudge, Shove Records, Poison Hearts, Oltraggio Produzioni and Masseria Autogestita. The record was produced and mixed by Dano Battocchio at Deepest Sea Studio, mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Studio, with artwork by Alberto Becherini.

Over nearly two decades, the band has maintained a coherent yet evolving identity, balancing hardcore intensity with a broader and increasingly experimental sonic approach.

For fans of: Converge, Every Time I Die, Zao, Old Man Gloom, The Hope Conspiracy

Line-up:

Marco – Voice
Morgan – Guitar
Andrea – Bass
Marco – Drums

More info: https://linktr.ee/ifidietoday

DESERTFEST BERLIN Reveals Final Timetables & Expands Line-Up

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
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Only a few days remain until Desertfest Berlin kicks off, and the festival has now unveiled its final timetables alongside another round of additions to the already stacked line-up. Newly confirmed acts include Temple Fang, Zig Zags, Earthbong and Karla Kvlt, while the outdoor stage welcomes BLKE, Abanamat, Dirty Mops, Electric Jugs and Menk.

In addition, The Dharma Chain have been moved from Saturday to Friday’s schedule.

At the same time, fans will unfortunately have to miss out on Cardiel, Monsterwatch and Gumm, who are no longer set to appear at this year’s Desertfest Berlin.

[Artwork by Kuba Sokolski Illustration]

The final announcement adds even more weight to a line-up that already ranks among the festival’s strongest in recent memory: YOB, Red Fang, Russian Circles, Hermano feat. John Garcia, The Sword, King Buffalo, Acid King, Truckfighters, Crippled Black Phoenix, Nebula, Earthless, Greenleaf, Rotor, Blackwater Holylight, Zerre, Pelican, High Desert Queen and many more are set to turn this year’s edition into one of the festival’s heaviest and most expansive line-ups to date!

Kicking off the annual riff fest in style, the beloved Desertfest Berlin Warm-Up show returns to Neue Zukunft on May 13. Getting things loud early and heating up the stage ahead of the main event are Desertheads, Solace, Red Mess and Krake.

Desertfest Berlin 2026 takes place from May 14–16, 2026 at Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater.  Both the festival and the warm-up show are close to selling out. Remaining tickets are available via desertfest-tickets.de

Timetables 2026:

For More Info Visit:
https://www.desertfest.de
https://desertfest-tickets.de/produkte
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_berlin
Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2135415456871801

NEW-WORLD Ignite a Call to Action with New Single ‘Our Planet, Our Star’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

“Burn the flyers and ignore the news. It’s safer if we stay in tune. It’s our planet, our star.”

Emerging with a message as bold as their sound, NEW-WORLD unveil their latest single, “Our Planet, Our Star,” a track that reaches beyond music and into something far greater, a call to awareness, connection, and responsibility.

Driven by a fusion of soaring melodies, dynamic instrumentation, and heartfelt lyricism, “Our Planet, Our Star” captures the fragile beauty of the world we share while confronting the reality of what’s at stake. The song moves with purpose, building from introspective moments into a powerful, anthemic release that resonates long after the final note.

“Our Planet, Our Star” is about ignoring the elite media. Basically, no matter how bad everyone wants to go to space, the planet is still ours. We listen to people like Elon Musk about how important it is to leave the Earth and colonize outward, yet we ignore our planet and our star. Burn the news, let’s just continue to live our lives (aka the NEW-WORLD) and stay in tune with our soulds. We have to care for the future of the public, not feed into spam news/ focus on what we have here.” – NEW-WORLD

“Our Planet, Our Star” is available now on all major streaming platforms.

LISTEN ON: SPOTIFY – APPLE MUSIC

BAND BIO:

We are NEW-WORLD. We are here to stir things up and raise awareness of current day. We are upset at what the world has become and we are on a mission to lead negativity into positivity. Our sound is unique as we are simply speaking our mind through music, not following a template or searching for a specific “sound” or genre. With no limits, our calling is to prove that music is truly a universal language. 

More info: Facebook

CRIPPLE BASTARDS Release Title Track from Upcoming EP “La tua foto sul marmo”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
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As previously announced, CRIPPLE BASTARDS will release their new EP “La tua foto sul marmo” on June 12th, 2026 via F.O.A.D. Records.

The band today presents the first single taken from the release, the title-track “La tua foto sul marmo”, which once again confirms their unmistakable attitude, capable of preserving their grindcore identity while at the same time introducing new elements of structure and dynamism.

Listen to the song HERE – video by Marcello Lega // That’s Motion

While the format might suggest a minor release, “La tua foto sul marmo” stands as a remarkably significant statement from the Italian veterans. Showcasing an impressive range of new facets, the EP delivers fresh and compelling songwriting – no small feat for a band with decades of history behind them.

The name CRIPPLE BASTARDS has always been synonymous with uncompromising hate-fueled grind, yet these new tracks reveal intriguing developments: frequent tempo shifts, dynamic structures and a guitar work that, alongside the expected sonic assault, ventures into more subtle and suspenseful territories. Moments of tension and unpredictability keep the listener constantly on edge, wondering what will come next.

The music was recorded by Stefano Santi at SPVN Studio, while vocals were tracked by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio, with mixing and mastering also handled by Stefano Santi.

“La tua foto sul marmo” ultimately stands as a powerful manifesto of the unrelenting hunger that still drives this legendary band forward.

Tracklist:

01. Il respiro si chiude
02. Scarto del rimorso
03. Vendicativo
04. La tua foto sul marmo
05. L’era della dispersione
06. Ai confini di quel che puoi dire

Formed in March 1988 in Asti, northern Italy, CRIPPLE BASTARDS are one of the longest-running and most respected names in extreme underground music. What began as a raw collaboration between teenage misfits Giulio the Bastard and Alberto the Crippler quickly evolved into something far greater: a project rooted in the legacy of Italian hardcore acts like Negazione, Raw Power and Wretched, but pushed to new extremes through the emerging language of grindcore and noisecore.

After building a fierce reputation through demos, splits, and relentless DIY activity in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the band achieved global cult status, so much so that not knowing them almost feels like having lived under a rock. Their legacy is ultimately defined by a series of uncompromising full-length albums that shaped their identity and influence across decades.

Their debut album “Your Lies in Check” (1996) marked their official arrival on the international stage, followed by the highly acclaimed “Misantropo a senso unico” (2000), which further refined their bleak, nihilistic vision. The final breakthrough came with “Desperately Insensitive” (2003): widely distributed and repeatedly repressed, it became their best-selling record, surpassing 10,000 copies – an exceptional achievement in the grindcore world.

The band continued to evolve with “Variante alla morte” (2008), recorded in Sweden’s famed Studio Fredman, and “Frammenti di vita” (2010), a release that pays tribute to the Italian hardcore roots that inspired them. A major milestone followed with their signing to Relapse Records, which released “Nero in metastasi” (2014), a mature and devastating work that expanded their global reach even further. Their seventh full-length, “La fine cresce da dentro” (2018), confirmed a band still pushing forward creatively after three decades.

Beyond the studio, CRIPPLE BASTARDS have built an unmatched live reputation, playing hundreds of shows worldwide across Europe, the United States, Japan, Brazil, and Australia. They have shared stages with genre-defining acts and have appeared at major underground festivals such as Neurotic Deathfest, Brutal Assault, Obscene Extreme and Maryland Deathfest, among many others, earning the utmost respect from veterans of the extreme music scene.

Today, CRIPPLE BASTARDS are not just an Italian institution but a global cult phenomenon. Their enduring influence, uncompromising visio, and relentless activity have secured them a legendary status that transcends borders. An essential name in grindcore history that continues to inspire new generations worldwide.

“In being a surviving unit like Cripple Bastards for some 35+ odd years, it takes much persistance, perseverance and an undying spirit to wreck yourself, all out with Brutal-Fucking-Grind. Yeah, I said it. I said Brutal, so what. Brutal. That’s the supposed overused adjective that most ‘heavy’ band bios and descriptions overlook nowadays for fear of oversaturation or an unoriginal ‘old school’ repetitiveness. Thats the one word in the dictionary that C.B. should have fucking copywritten a long time ago. It fits them. It defines them. It IS them. Cripple Bastards are indelibly BRUTAL. In all ways; music, violence, artwork, attitude, politics. All born of this represenatitive and passionately destructive word. The mere fact that C.B. even exist confirms they OWN the goddamn word. C.B. are B-R-U-T-A-L. Understand it NOW. “

(Mike IX Williams, EyeHateGod / Arson Anthem / Outlaw Order 00%)

Line-up:

Giulio The Bastard – Vocals
Schintu The Wretched – Bass
Der Kommissar – Guitar
Raphael Saini – Drums

https://www.cripple-bastards.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cripplebastards
https://www.instagram.com/cripple_bastards/

Get Jacked with Shock Rock Legends GWAR & Concept Cafes Berserker Mode Cold Brew Coffee

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 11, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
📸: Dave Jackson

Horror, metal, and caffeine collide as GWAR partners with Concept Cafes Coffee to launch Berserker Mode Cold Brew, an all-new specialty coffee collaboration debuting exclusively at Spooky Empire. This first release in an ongoing series will be available only at the convention, with limited drops scheduled throughout the weekend—one on Friday, two on Saturday, and two on Sunday—giving fans the chance to collect the full set.

Each member of GWAR’s current lineup is represented with their own individually designed 12oz skinny can, making Berserker Mode as much a collectible as it is a beverage. The cold brew itself is crafted from 100% Specialty Grade Java personally selected by the band, their go-to fuel on the road, in the studio, and even at home in Antarctica.

The 12-oz skinny cans come in at just 15 calories, because GWAR cares about your waistline. Made with 100% all natural coffee and, of course, water from the melting polar ice caps of Planet Earth. Berserker Mode is animal-friendly and contains no additives or preservatives, just pure, unfiltered, nerve-rattling energy without the hassle of methamphetamine.  

Concept Cafes owner Mike Tonsetic comments:

“Look…I’m just gonna go ahead right now and whistleblow this whole godamn ‘Berserker Mode’ operation, because I just can’t live with myself anymore; I can’t eat, can’t sleep, certainly can’t sh*t anymore ever since I quit drinking it cold turkey. You listening now…I mean, are you really listening…? The secret to Berserker Mode Cold Brew coffee, the ONLY reason you can’t ‘just drink one’ is: you ready for this…: we use iceberg water from Antarctica, and not just any ol’ icebergs will work, no-no-no, my friend, the conspiracy digs much deeper than that. Do you know how much crack cocaine it takes to bribe & displace an entire colony of penguins, and that’s just for the ones who file in formation, or as we say, ‘get with the pain plan’. As for the ones who don’t get in line, well…let’s just say I’ve personally witnessed ice fields littered with beak-decapitation; it’s just as if my own hands are covered in flightless bird blood. So the next time you see a beakless penguin aimlessly wandering the streets of Phoenix, look twice, as it’s not just a bad case of syphilis, and think twice before you grab that flashy can out of the 7-11 cooler.”

GWAR will be on-site all weekend as part of the official Spooky Empire guest roster, offering meet-and-greet opportunities and signings, as well as Blothar featuring as a guest barista. Please note that the band will not be making additional appearances or conducting signings at the Concept Cafes booth.

Proceeds from Berserker Mode Cold Brew directly support the artists and their creative endeavors, reinforcing Concept Cafes Coffee’s mission to bring unique, artist-driven products to a broader audience. With strong fan support, the company aims to expand the reach of these collaborations into the mainstream.

For fans of GWAR, horror culture, and premium coffee alike, Berserker Mode is a must-have collectible and a bold new way to fuel the chaos.

Blothar the Guest Barista adds:

“Our new berserker mode cold brew coffee now comes in a can! I’ve done that a few times myself! But that’s a story for another time. We have five new collectible cans, each one featuring a different member of GWAR! These designs will only be available at this year’s Spooky Empire. You know, you’d think they would give me this stuff for free, but I’ve been going through so much of it that I have to pick up shifts as a barista just to cover it! Come see me slinging beans at Spooky Empire!?”

Check out this message from the Berserker Blothar about Concept Cafe’s Berserker Mode Cold Brew:

About CONCEPT CAFES:

Everybody remembers that first opening riff, that mid-song breakdown, that blast beat crescendo that turned them on, and tuned them into Metal forever. With our artist partners like Cannibal Corpse, Max & Iggor Cavalera, and Ministry; we’re trying to recapture that moment of Metal possession for the fans by immersing them into a Metal coffee obsession like no other. As lifelong fans ourselves, we’re constantly seeking out the most epic Metal experiences; whether it’s records, live shows, merch, etc., so if we can maybe someday say we were a small part of that collective fan experience, then we’ve done our job. It’s also super important for us to illuminate the fact that these are the artists’ coffee stories, not our own, we’re just the chaotic-evil little elves that help them conjure their visions and forge them into reality for the fans.

We’re not here to snobbishly push conventional coffee culture upon Metalheads either, nor will we ever try to flip a quick gimmick on our Metal brothers & sisters to make a quick buck. We’re humbled literally everyday with this responsibility, and the opportunity to work with Metal legends. This is why we are constantly pushing the boundaries and possibilities, because foremost we believe there is no other comparison to the dedicated devotion metalheads have in keeping Metal music alive and stronger than ever! Metal deserves the absolute best when it comes to coffee!

Reality is coffee culture has become basic cookie-cutter over the past couple of decades; so safe and just a shell of itself which once fueled artists and their music across several generations. We want to revive that creative fire, and as far as playing it safe…it’s metal, motorcycles, & horror…what did you expect?!

Concept Cafes Coffee
LIQUIFY YOUR BRAIN!!!
999 Douglas Ave Suite 1109
Altamonte Springs FL 32714
info@conceptcafes.com
http://www.conceptcafes.com
@conceptcafescoffee