OK GOODNIGHT Release Second Single ‘Spiral’ with Music Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
photo credit: Zack Spencer @knickknackzack

Prog rock sensation Ok Goodnight unveils the second single from their upcoming third studio album stop/go (out 12th June). ‘Spiral’ is a track so versatile that it seems to condense multiple songs into one. The lyrics describe the inner turmoil and contradictory feelings within an uncertain relationship. Musically, this motif is reflected in the song’s constantly shifting dynamics. It starts off soft and dreamlike before building up into dense walls of sound and eventually shifting again into optimistic up-tempo passages. Vocalist Casey Lee Williams showcases all facets of her voice, from gentle vulnerability to powerful raw anger. Once again, the track is accompanied by a music video directed by Stephen Mlinarcik echoing the track’s themes through art-house-inspired visuals, making ‘Spiral’ a striking audiovisual statement capturing emotional spiraling both musically and visually. 

“Would you keep me a bit, no need to commit to me
What were the chances, us being here?
Fallin’ back, just spiral with me”

Pre-order stop/go here

Ok Goodnight gained attention on the international music scene with their previous album The Fox and the Bird (2023), which was highly acclaimed by fans and critics alike. Eclipsed (DE) labeling it “the prog discovery of the year!” and Rock Hard (DE) calling it “the best concept work of the year and an absolute prog highlight.”

Like The Fox and the Bird in its time, the new album stop/go will be released without the support of a label, to ensure that the quartet from Boston – formed by graduates of Berklee College of Music – can continue to unfold their creative vision with total freedom while retaining their adventurous spirit. 

Vocalist Casey Lee Williams on the writing process of ‘Spiral’:
“After hearing the short and simple phone recording of a piano motif that Martín de Lima came up with, we immediately knew that it would grow to be something special. What came next would be one of our strangest, yet most inspired songs to date. With a unique combination of raw vocals, luscious synthesizers, textured samples, and chaotic woodwinds, we aimed to translate feelings of regret, nostalgia, and unconditional love. This track in particular really feels like it’s marked a musical shift for us in an important way.”

Ok Goodnight consists of musicians who honed their skills while studying at Berklee College of Music. Casey Lee Williams (vocals), Martín de Lima (piano/guitar), Augusto Bussio (drums/guitar), and Peter de Reyna (bass) combine refined musicianship with creative artistry.

In early 2019, the band released their first single, ‘Rapture’, followed later that year by their debut album, Limbo. In 2020, they released an EP titled Under the Veil. In 2023, Ok Goodnight self-released the concept album The Fox and the Bird to worldwide critical acclaim.

After three years of touring and writing, Ok Goodnight now look ahead to the release of their new album. stop/go promises a fresh artistic approach to progressive sounds, organically crossing genre boundaries between rock, metal, and beyond. The introspective lyrics by vocalist Casey Lee Williams reflect ever-changing relationships and the challenges of finding one’s true direction in an enigmatic world. 

The band’s new material showcases a collaborative and multifaceted approach to songwriting, with sonic explorations that push creative boundaries. Through their distinctive use of sampling, live performance, and sound design, the group continues to expand the scope of progressive rock. The album’s visual direction focuses on collage to encapsulate the eclectic nature of the band’s music, as the songs on stop/go aim to embody the ethos of mixed-media art.

To celebrate this upcoming milestone release, Ok Goodnight will perform a series of shows throughout 2026, including appearances at Mad With Power Fest in the US, Midsummer Prog Fest in the Netherlands, and select club dates across Europe. To top things off, the band will hit the road again in late 2026 to headline their third North American tour in four years.

Ok Goodnight about their new album stop/go:
“After three years of rediscovering Ok Goodnight, writing music in new and exciting ways, and realizing together that this has grown far beyond a college project into a lifelong passion, we are happier than ever to share this new record. With ‘stop/go’, we wanted to encapsulate the feelings often brought upon by the ever-changing landscape of humanity and the societies we experience on such a mass scale. This album explores the themes of cause and effect, taking chances/risks, and the question of free will and how love plays an ultimate role in the way one’s life unfolds and takes all kinds of shapes before them. By the end of the record, we’ve embodied true acceptance of the complexity of human nature and all of the emotions and concepts we’ve explored; we seek empowerment in the comfort of long-lasting friendships and all of life’s beautiful, unpredictable contradictions.”

stop/go track list:

01. No Sound
02. 22 
03. Top of the Bottom
04. The Game
05. Spiral
06. Call Me Away
07. The Show 
08. Humpty Dumpty (“Some Body!”)
09. The People
10. Where I’m From

Catch Ok Goodnight live this summer!
June 5, 2026 – US – Mad With Power – Madison, WI – The Sylvee (with Seven Spires, Twilight Force, and more)
June 18, 2026 – EU – Rüsselsheim am Main, DE – Das Rind (with Quidam) 
June 19, 2026 – EU – Zwolle, NL – Hedon (with Benthos and URSA)
June 20, 2026 – EU – Midsummer Prog – Maastricht, NL – Muziekgieterij (with Geoff Tate, Tesseract, and more)

Ok Goodnight are:
Casey Lee Williams – Lyrics, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, SFX
Martín de Lima – Keyboards, Guitars, Orchestrations, Backing Vocals, SFX
Augusto Bussio – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals, SFX
Peter de Reyna – Bass, Backing Vocals, SFX

Ok Goodnight online:
Website
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
Tiktok
YouTube
Spotify

Eurovision Song Swap: JOHNNY LOGAN, LORDI & NOORA LOUHIMO Surprise Fans by Making History

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Two ESC legends and a metal queen combine two worlds of music honouring classic Eurovision winner songs “Hold Me Now” and “Hard Rock Hallelujah”!

The Irish singer and three-time Eurovision winner Johnny Logan, the Finnish hard rock artist Lordi, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, and the Finnish award-winning singer “Motherbeast” Noora Louhimo are surprising their fans around the world by making history with this amazing collaboration.

Logan is releasing his own pop-rock version of Lordi’s metal rock anthem “Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Meanwhile, Lordi joins forces with singer Noora Louhimo and will release their metal version of Johnny Logan’s legendary classic power ballad “Hold Me Now”. 

The idea emerged during a spontaneous phone call. “The meeting was scheduled for 15 minutes and then lasted over an hour. We immediately hit it off,” says Logan. The original idea of a duet for the 20th anniversary of Lordi’s ESC victory was quickly discarded in favour of a song swap. “When I heard Lordi’s demo of their winning song tailored to me, I knew right away that I wanted to do it.”

“We really wanted to do something special to celebrate Lordi’s 20th anniversary of Eurovision victory as well as the 70th anniversary of the whole Eurovision itself. So the outcome are the two Eurovision winning songs as new arrangements, and jumping bravely into other genres while doing so. I rearranged, and also recomposed, ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’ in the style of what I thought would fit Johnny Logan,” says Lordi.

Link to: Johnny Logan – Hard Rock Hallelujah

Lordi invited Noora Louhimo to join “Hold Me Now”: “I knew we needed some extra kick to the song. Well, that extra kick is ‘The Motherbeast’ with her mind blowing voice that lifts this version to a completely new height.”

“I am so excited about our collaboration and this new friendship we have created with Lordi in the past few months. In this project I get to fulfill many of my dreams – working with Lordi, working with the legend Johnny Logan, singing a Eurovision winner song, and singing in heavy metal style. I love ESC, I love our version and I’m so happy this will be my first release continuing my career as a full-time solo artist,” says “Motherbeast” Noora Louhimo.

Link to: Lordi & Motherbeast Noora Louhimo – Hold Me Now

Boycott prevents Logan from performing in Eurovision

This year, due to the ESC boycott supported by Ireland, Johnny Logan cannot appear at the Eurovision Song Contest. “I would have loved to present the project live as well, but under the current circumstances that’s not possible,” Logan explains. Lordi, on the other hand, will be on stage at this year’s competition.

“I’m very happy for Lordi that they are taking part in this special year concerning their anniversary,” Logan says, delighted for the Finnish hard rockers. 

Logan, who made music history with “What’s Another Year” (1980), “Hold Me Now” (1987), and “Why Me” (1992), recorded his vocals in Copenhagen. “‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’ had incredible energy from the very first moment,” says the singer. He was also impressed by the reinterpretation of his own classic: “Lordi and Noora Louhimo have completely made ‘Hold Me Now’ their own.”

Noora Louhimo is a Finnish award-winning singer best known for her big raspy powerful voice and striking stage outfits as the former lead vocalist of the metal band Battle Beast, and for the character “Motherbeast” she created during her 13 years with the band. She departed the band in December 2025 to pursue her career as a solo artist. Since then her career has taken off with arena shows, touring around Finland, and performing on primetime TV shows.

Louhimo is a powerful, unapologetic artist making her music in different styles, using fashion as her armour and her voice to empower and entertain people. She is currently working on her second solo album, set for release in 2027, with a tour to follow celebrating both the album and her 20th anniversary as an artist.

Lordi, whose ESC victory in 2006 brought Finland its first win in the competition and took “Hard Rock Hallelujah” into charts across Europe, took over the creative direction.

“The driving force behind the project is clearly Lordi – his idea, his production, his vision,” Logan emphasises. The collaboration developed into a personal connection. “We share the same dark humour and the same passion for music. This project was simply a unique pleasure.”

Lordi adds: “I know I am speaking on behalf of our whole band when I say that we’re both humbled and proud of having both of these iconic voices of their respective genres collaborate with us. Having Logan and Louhimo joining Lordi on this little anniversary celebration is truly an honour for us.”

Social media:
@lordiofficial
@nooralouhimoofficial
@johnnyloganofficial

Progressive Groove Metallers HERTA Release Live Album “The Illusion Alive”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
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One year after the release of the HERTA debut album “Crossing The Illusion”, we proudly present “The Illusion Alive“. 

“The Illusion Alive” is the band’s first ever self-produced headline show in their hometown, Athens, Greece, on December 21, 2025 with special appearances by Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ),  Fotis Benardo (Septicflesh, Nightrage) and George Prokopiou (Poem, Mother of Millions).

The album is out now on all digital platforms, and you can watch the full show now on YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported this show, all the bands and musicians involved, and every single person we had the pleasure of working with throughout this journey. 

Shape this world to be saved.

HERTA’s sound is characterized by groove- and rhythm-driven compositions that continually offer surprises and fresh impressions. Despite the complexity and technical prowess of their music, the songs remain accessible and catchy. The band’s keen sense of atmosphere and melody shines through, creating eventful tracks that captivate listeners from start to finish.

01. Tribal (live)
02. Eyes of Sorrow (live)
03. The Snake Devours the Wolf (live)
04. The Labyrinth feat. Fotis Benardo (live)
05. Beyond the Dead (live)
06. Monolith feat. Sakis Tolis (live)
07. My Demise (live)
08. River to the Abyss feat. George Prokopiou (live)
09. The Path (live)
10. Incarnation (live)
11. Control (live)

More info: https://www.facebook.com/hertaband/

MANDRAGORA TITANIA Release New Music Video for ‘Herr vom Riesenstein’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
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A few months ago, epic folk metallers Mandragora Titania released their third album, In Fabulis. After an extensive release tour, the septet now presents a cinematic music video for “Herr vom Riesenstein” from the current album. Direction and production were handled by Florian Singer, who brought the song to life with striking visual storytelling. The current album is available everywhere in stores, as well as in a limited digipak edition and a limited box set in the band’s online shop.

The band’s summer tour dates can be found below.

Live Dates

  1. May | Historia Caraslan, Gera
  2. July | Collis Open Air – Rock am Teich, Gera
  3. July | Steinberg Open Air, Hettstedt
  4. July | MUR Open Air, Königsee
  5. Sept | Bookwood Festival, Nordhausen

Album-Order
▶ BAND: https://mandragora-titania.de/shop (CD Digipak + lim. Boxset)
▶ AMAZON: https://amzn.to/45nk0oq (CD Jewelcase)

https://mandragora-titania.de/
https://www.facebook.com/MandragoraTitania
https://www.instagram.com/mandragoratitania

STEVE LOUW Celebrates Release of “Traces of the Flood” Album with Video for Title Track

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Photo by Jacqui van Staden

Acclaimed guitarist and singer-songwriter and South African Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Steve Louw is pleased to announce the release of his fourth studio album Traces of the Flood out today! Produced by Kevin Shirley (Joe Bonamassa, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Beth Hart), the album is released by BFD/The Orchard on Friday May 15th, and is available to order on CD, vinyl and digital HERE.

To coincide with the album release, Louw has released the title track single “Traces of the Flood” which is accompanied by the official music video that can be viewed on YouTube HERE.

Says Louw about the title track single; “In this panoramic tale, set in the barren South African Karoo landscape, we are on an exploration, traveling from the sea to the source of an African river. In a timeless landscape, cut through by wind and water, we meet renegades and rebels, lawmen and ladies, on a journey which becomes one of self-discovery.”

“Traces of the Flood is a song where you have to keep moving,” continues Louw. “The law is on your back. Storms are brewing. Fires are raging. You’re heading into the high mountains with a way to go.”

“Horses, Cadillacs and Bonnie & Clyde Whippets cross the empty plains, leading you through where a river quivers and disappears into a desert forest. The spirits of the dead are all around you, in the high plains and on moonlit gravel. You’ve landed on a deserted beach and sought redemption in the heart of the river.”

Steve Louw – Biography

Steve Louw (born 16 September 1955) is a South African musician and singer-songwriter who specialises in album rock, blues rock, country rock and Americana music. He was born in The Hague and has been active as a musician since 1981. He was inducted in the South African Rock Hall of Fame in 2003.

Louw, who was born Stephen Geoffrey Louw, learnt to play the guitar after being inspired by the music of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and Neil Young, and formed his first band, Atlantic Rose, while in high school in Cape Town in the late 1960s. While a student at Stellenbosch University in the 1970s he became involved in the local music scene, playing his own songs in various line-ups.

His career as a professional musician began in the early 1980s when he formed the band All Night Radio with fellow former Stellenbosch University students Nico Burger (guitar) and Rob Nagel (bass). The group recorded two albums – The Heart’s the Best Part (1984) with US producer John Rollo, and The Killing Floor (1986), on which Louw began a partnership with producer Kevin Shirley that continues to this day.

Louw then formed the band Big Sky and in 1990 released their debut album, Waiting for the Dawn, again produced by Kevin Shirley. The album arrived just as South Africa began moving away from apartheid rule and the group’s music helped soundtrack a decade of positive revolution. The title track is today considered a South African rock classic.

Big Sky released another five albums over the next 15 years: Horizon (1995), Going Down with Mr Green (1997), Best of the Decade (1999), Beyond the Blue (2002) and Trancas Canyon (2008); as well as the concert DVD Heart and Soul, filmed at Cape Town’s Little Theatre in 2008.

Louw and Big Sky achieved considerable success in South Africa with sell-out tours and several major radio hits including “Kathleen”, “Mr Green”, “One Cut With A Knife”, “Strange Room” and “Diamonds and Dirt”. In 1996 the band won the FNB South African Music Award for “Best Pop Music Performance” and “Best Rock Album” for the album Horizon.

In 1998 Big Sky opened for US singer-songwriter Rodriguez on his triumphant debut tour of South Africa, with the musicians in the band also backing the US artist. The tour is chronicled in the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man.

Louw gained an international profile after he collaborated with Brian May (Queen) and Dave Stewart (the Eurythmics) on the track “Amandla”, recorded for the 46664 Aids awareness project inspired by the work of Nelson Mandela.

In 2021 Louw returned with the album Headlight Dreams, produced by Kevin Shirley, and recorded in Nashville with crack studio musicians and featuring a guest appearance by US guitar legend Joe Bonamassa. The album received critical acclaim and the first single, “Wind in Your Hair”, has become a popular Spotify hit.

Louw released his sophomore solo release Thunder and Rain on November 11, 2022, through BFD. The album was produced by Kevin Shirley and features Joe Bonamassa and Doug Lancio.

On 6 September 2024, Louw released his third solo album Between Time, produced by Kevin Shirley.

On 15 May 2026, Louw will release his fourth solo album Traces of the Flood, produced by Kevin Shirley.

More information: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

FIRES IN THE DISTANCE Reveal New Video Single ‘To You, Author Of My Fade’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Matt Jackson

New England melodic death metal band FIRES IN THE DISTANCE continue the unfolding journey toward their third full-length album Circadian Promise, set for release June 12th via Prosthetic Records, with the arrival of their latest single, “To You, Author of My Fade.”

Following the release of the album’s lead track “Of Radiance and Levitation,” the new single pushes further into the record’s emotional and sonic extremes, revealing a more volatile and confrontational side of the band’s evolving sound. Where earlier previews leaned into catharsis and melodic expanse, “To You, Author of My Fade” sharpens the edges—intensifying the interplay between atmosphere, aggression, and introspection that defines Circadian Promise.

As FIRES IN THE DISTANCE continue to refine their signature blend of melancholic melody, cinematic orchestration, and progressive death metal dynamics, the band describes the new track as a pivotal moment in the album’s emotional arc:

“As the album unfolds, this song delivers a new level of ferocity which we have not explored before.The song delves into the concepts of self-confrontation and recognition of one’s own limitations.”

That sense of internal reckoning sits at the core of Circadian Promise, the band’s follow-up to their acclaimed 2023 release Air Not Meant For Us. Across the album, FIRES IN THE DISTANCE expand their sound while deepening its emotional weight—balancing sweeping orchestral textures with serrated vocals, intricate guitar work, and a renewed sense of urgency brought in part by vocalist/guitarist Brendan Hayter’s expanded role.

Stream “To You, Author of My Fade“: https://firesinthedistance.ffm.to/toyouauthorofmyfade

Pre-Save Circadian Promise: https://firesinthedistance.ffm.to/circadianpromise

Circadian Promise Track List:

1. Of. Radiance and Levitation
2. To You, Author of My Fade
3. Lightless Days of a Songless Bird
4. By This Time Tomorrow
(Feat. Johan Reinholdz of Dark Tranquillity)
5. Once the Silence Takes Your Place
6. Agonal Dreaming

FIRES IN THE DISTANCE Tour Dates: 

June 4 – Somerville, MA – The Rockwell
June 5 – New York, NY – The Meadows
June 19 – Toronto, ON – The Baby G w/ Solemn Vision
June 20 – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar w/ Solemn Vision
June 21 – Québec, QC – L’Anti w/ Solemn Vision
Sept 10 – Atlanta, GA – ProgPower

About FIRES IN THE DISTANCE: 

Originally conceived in 2016 as founding guitarist Yegor Savonin’s solo project, FIRES IN THE DISTANCE quickly evolved into a full band, earning acclaim with 2020’s Echoes From Deep November and 2023’s Air Not Meant For Us. Following a high-profile 2024 North American tour, the group reunited with producer Dave Kaminsky and orchestrator Randy Slaugh, while welcoming new vocalist/guitarist Brendan Hayter. The resulting six-track album—some songs stretching beyond nine minutes—is their bleakest yet most embracing work, blending cinematic orchestration, organic production, and dynamic vocal contrasts.

Lyrically and thematically, Circadian Promise explores spiritual erosion, mortality, and the search for acceptance, balancing existential weight with hard-won optimism. Recorded in Connecticut and North Carolina, the album retains a resonant human warmth even in its most technical passages, pairing atmospheric strings and expansive leads with Hayter’s serrated growls and somber cleans. Singles like “Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, Author of My Fade,” and “By This Time Tomorrow” reflect deeply personal meditations on depression, self-awareness, and grief, while showcasing the band’s cinematic scope and emotional intensity. With touring planned for 2026 and beyond, Circadian Promise continues FIRES IN THE DISTANCE’s decade-long pursuit of catharsis—melding Savonin’s introspective vision with powerful songwriting, immersive arrangements, and evolving musical ambition.

FIRES IN THE DISTANCE Lineup:
Yegor Savonin – guitar/lyrics/songwriting
Brendan Hayter – vocals/guitar/additional lyrics
Craig Breitsprecher – bass/backing vocals
Jordan Rippe – drums

Follow FIRES IN THE DISTANCE:
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music