Death metal band CARNATION return sharper, heavier, and more focused than ever. Today, they unveil their new single “Kingdom Of Dreams”, alongside a high-impact video, and announce their fourth full-length album, “Symphony In Flesh”, set for release on October 16th, 2026.
“Kingdom Of Dreams” is CARNATION stripped to its essence; razor-sharp riffs, relentless drive, and a suffocating atmosphere. It’s a deliberate return to the band’s core sound, but executed with a new level of precision and control. Every section hits harder, every transition feels intentional; this is the band at their most direct, but also their most refined. Fans of Obituary, Entombed, Bloodbath, Cannibal Corpse etc will not be disappointed.
Visually, the band follows the same philosophy. The video abandons excess in favor of a darker, more deliberate aesthetic: minimal, unsettling, and visually stronger than anything they’ve done before. It’s a clear step forward, it’s more cinematic, more focused, while staying true to the band’s identity.
With “Symphony In Flesh”, CARNATION consciously reconnect with what made them stand out in the first place: tight songwriting, memorable riffs, and uncompromising intensity. At the same time, they elevate every aspect of their craft. The songwriting is more deliberate, the arrangements more dynamic, and the overall flow more cohesive than ever before.
The album doesn’t just revisit their roots, it sharpens them. It combines the raw energy of their early material with the experience and production strength they’ve built over time, resulting in a record that feels both immediate and fully realized.
Lyrically, the album remains vivid and focused. The title track, “Symphony In Flesh”, explores the mind of a serial killer through disturbing, detailed imagery. “Twisted Visions” confronts modern addiction and its psychological grip, while “Legacy of the Forefathers” expands into an ambitious near 12-minute closer, pushing the band’s songwriting further without losing its impact.
“Going into this album, we wanted to reconnect with our roots. Not just musically, but in the way we present the band,” CARNATION states. “At the same time, we pushed ourselves to write tighter, stronger songs and to bring everything – sound and visuals – to a higher level. This is the most complete version of CARNATION so far.”
Tracklist: 01. Blackmouth 02. Flesh-Eating Frenzy 03. Symphony in Flesh 04. Kingdom of Dreams 05. Labyrinth of Silence 06. Towards Death 07. Twisted Visions 08. Boundless Pathways 09. Legacy of the Forefathers
Blending raw aggression with sharper songwriting and a more defined visual identity, “Symphony In Flesh” captures CARNATION at a crucial point: back to their core, but evolved in every direction that matters.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Yarne Heylen at Project Zero Studio / Y-Productions, with album artwork by Peter Sallai, “Symphony In Flesh” will be out on October 16, self-released by the band, and is now available for pre-order HERE
Chilean death metallers ROTTEN TOMB proudly announce the release of their third full-length album, “Vestiges of Tortured Souls”, set for June 6th, 2026 via Nuclear Winter Records. The album will be available on LP, CD, and cassette formats, further cementing the band’s commitment to the underground tradition.
The first single “Mortified” is now streaming HERE.
Formed in 2016 in Iquique, ROTTEN TOMB have steadily risen as one of the most compelling acts within the South American extreme metal scene, blending death metal with doom-laden atmospheres and occult undertones. Following the strong impact of “Visions of a Dismal Fate” (2022) and the equally praised “The Relief of Death” (2024), the band now returns with their most ambitious and fully realized work to date.
“Vestiges of Tortured Souls” stands as one of the most anticipated death metal releases of the year. On this new record, ROTTEN TOMB refine their sonic identity without sacrificing intensity or authenticity. The riffs are sharper and more cohesive, while the melodies take on a more prominent role, painting soundscapes that feel more sorrowful and evocative than ever before.
Without losing any of the crushing heaviness and sense of decay that defined their earlier material, the band now delivers songs with an immediate and lasting impact. Each track strikes a balance between overwhelming force and carefully crafted lead guitar work, resulting in compositions that are both memorable and devastating.
The album channels the oppressive weight of the genre’s darkest pioneers alongside a deeply mournful and introspective atmosphere, while still maintaining a distinct and personal voice. This duality allows ROTTEN TOMB to push their sound forward, achieving a level of songwriting maturity that marks a clear evolution from their previous efforts.
“Vestiges of Tortured Souls” represents a major step forward for ROTTEN TOMB, solidifying their position at the forefront of Chile’s increasingly renowned extreme metal scene and extending their reach far beyond national borders.
For fans of: Incantation, early Paradise Lost, Krypts, Sonne Adam
Tracklist:
01. Horror Manifestations 02. Condemned Reality 03. Lost Memories 04. Waiting, Dying 05. Mortified 06. Mind of Chaos 07. Here Lies Death 08. Ancestral Preservation 09. Human Pyre
Line-up:
Deathbringer – Guitar, vocals C. – Guitar A. Prophaner – Drums Utukku – Bass
More than 20 years removed from where they started, Crippled Black Phoenix are approaching a new threshold with their upcoming new album. Sceaduhelm is the UK macabre rockers’ most inward-looking and grave statement to date. It turns away from collective upheaval to face emotional erosion, fatigue and private collapse.
“Sceaduhelm is a deeply impactful and affecting record that permeates the psyche with its mysterious aura”, Ghost Cult writes in an early 8/10 review. “It is both darkly alluring and strangely uplifting”.
“It’s like a morphine drip”, Metal Epidemicsays in a 5/5 review. “This album is addictive. The more time you spend with it, the more it fuses with your DNA”.
Sceaduhelm was released today on April 17 on Season of Mist, and you can hear all 12 stark and striking songsby listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
Where previous Crippled Black Phoenix records addressed historical violence and societal fracture, Sceaduhelm moves inward, listening to what accumulates in the aftermath: grief, complicity, damaged intimacy and the weight of endurance. The album unfolds as a unified psychological space rather than a traditional concept record, with slow builds, minimalist repetition, and unresolved tension carrying as much weight as melody. While stemming from founding member Justin Greaves (ex-Electric Wizard, ex-Iron Monkey), vocals are shared between Belinda Kordic (Killing Mood, Stabb), Ryan Patterson (Fotocrime, Coliseum, Mirrorless) and Justin Storms (Wailin Storms), each occupying a distinct but aligned emotional register across the album’s twelve tracks.
Tracklist: 1. One Man Wall of Death (04:14) 2. Ravenettes (04:22) 3. Things Start Falling Apart (05:21) 4. No Epitaph / The Precipice (08:30) 5. The Void (03:49) 6. Hollows End (04:26) 7. Dropout (03:48) 8. Vampire Grave (06:24) 9. Colder and Colder (04:56) 10. Under the Eye (07:07) 11. Tired to the Bone (04:50) 12. Beautiful Destroyer (08:33) Full runtime: 1:06:22
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are approaching a new threshold with Sceaduhelm, an album that withdraws from outward spectacle and turns instead toward interior collapse, exhaustion, and moral attrition. Severe, restrained, and emotionally exposed, the record presents itself not as a dramatic statement but as a slow accumulation of unease. Where earlier works often grappled with collective trauma or historical violence, Sceaduhelm listens to what lingers afterward: fatigue, memory, complicity, and the quiet weight of survival. The result is a unified emotional landscape rather than a narrative concept, marked by repetition, patience, and unresolved tension.
Crippled Black Phoenix was formed in 2004 by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, initially conceived as a fluid musical project rather than a fixed band. Emerging from Greaves’ post-Iron Monkey creative reset, the project was built around collaboration, instability, and a refusal of rigid identity. From the outset, Crippled Black Phoenix positioned itself as a voice for the marginalised and dispossessed, whether human or animal, individual or collective. This ethical undercurrent has remained constant throughout the project’s evolution, shaped in close creative partnership with vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic, whose role has extended far beyond performance into the wider artistic and conceptual framework of the band.
The band’s early releases established a reputation for long-form compositions, cinematic pacing, and emotional gravity. Albums such as A Love of Shared Disasters and The Resurrectionists introduced a sound rooted in repetition and slow transformation, drawing as much from post-rock and folk traditions as from metal’s sense of weight and endurance. With I, Vigilante in 2012, Crippled Black Phoenix reached a wider audience, refining their songwriting into more direct structures without abandoning their commitment to atmosphere and tension. The album remains a reference point within their catalogue, both for its accessibility and its bleak emotional clarity.
Subsequent releases resisted consolidation. White Light Generator and Bronze expanded the band’s textural range, incorporating harsher dynamics, sharper political commentary, and a more confrontational production approach. Great Escape functioned as both retrospective and recontextualization, drawing together material from various sessions into a fractured but revealing whole. Throughout this period, the band’s identity remained deliberately unstable, with shifting lineups and an ongoing refusal to settle into a predictable formula.
In 2020, Ellengæst marked another pivot. Built around the use of multiple guest vocalists alongside Kordic, the album explored themes of death, memory, and historical residue, earning recognition for its cohesion and emotional impact. Rather than treating guest contributions as novelty, Crippled Black Phoenix used contrasting voices to deepen the album’s sense of dislocation and grief. The pandemic-era context further sharpened the record’s introspective tone, even as live activity was forced into suspension.
That inward momentum continued with Banefyre, a record concerned explicitly with persecution, inequality, and the violence inflicted on those deemed different by society. Drawing on historical and symbolic imagery, the album balanced outrage with ritual, placing acts of oppression within a broader continuum of human cruelty. Its production embraced rawness and abrasion, reinforcing the band’s long-standing commitment to evolution over repetition. Banefyre reaffirmed Crippled Black Phoenix as a project unwilling to offer comfort or resolution, even as it expanded their sonic and thematic reach.
Sceaduhelm emerges from this lineage as a narrowing of focus rather than a departure. Written primarily between 2023 and 2025, the album developed through uncertainty, self-questioning, and prolonged doubt. The process was deliberately fluid, allowing compositions to remain open and emotionally vulnerable until late in production. Justin Greaves remains the sole composer of the music, with lyrics written after the fact and assigned to voices according to emotional fit rather than hierarchy. Belinda Kordic, Ryan Patterson, and Justin Storms share vocal duties, each occupying a distinct but aligned psychological register.
As with previous releases, Justin Greaves remains the sole composer of the music, each composition emerging from his own emotional and creative impulse. The lyrical dimension is separate and equally personal. The words and themes are written by the vocalists themselves, each lyricist expressing their own feelings, experiences, and perspectives rather than interpreting someone else’s narrative. Belinda Kordic, Ryan Patterson, and Justin Storms each author their own texts, bringing distinct emotional viewpoints into the material.
Lyrically and thematically, Sceaduhelm is preoccupied with exhaustion as a condition rather than a moment, with time framed not as a healer but as an eroding force. Songs address burnout, grief, surveillance, institutional violence, and damaged intimacy, often blurring the line between the personal and the political. Musically, the album favours restraint over release, employing repetition, minimalism, and slow escalation to sustain tension without catharsis. Recorded across multiple locations and mixed with deliberate austerity, the record resists warmth, clarity serving discomfort rather than solace.
Within Crippled Black Phoenix’s wider catalogue, Sceaduhelm does not seek to resolve previous narratives or replicate past high points. Instead, it documents a moment of exposure and endurance, listening closely to what remains when spectacle fades and outrage exhausts itself. It stands as a severe, human record, concerned less with declaration than with persistence, and affirms once more the band’s refusal to stand still, soften its gaze, or offer easy answers.
Line-up: Music – Greaves / Words — Patterson Justin Greaves — Guitars, Drums, Samples Ryan Patterson — Vocals Belinda Kordic — Backing Vocals Wes Wasley — Bass Robin Tow — Percussion Lucy Marshall — Synths
Apparently recorded at various times during 2023 to 2025 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire, UK Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm, Sweden Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY, USA Engineered by Ryan Patterson Mixed by Iver Sandøy at Solslottet Studio, Bergen, Norway. Mastered by Magnus Lindberg, Stockholm, Sweden Additional mixing by Pieter Rietkerk at Chapel Studios Produced by Justin Greaves
Artwork by Erebus Art (Thanasis Stratidakis)
Thank to everyone who helped and supported this venture.
BIG thankye! to Kurt Ballou for his input and work on this album.
All CBP music published by Season Of Mist Publishing.
Lyrics for “No Epitaph, “The Precipice”, “Vampire Grave”, “Beautiful Destroyer” Copyright 2026 Ryan Patterson (BMI)
Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the return of the hard rock supergroup Iconic, featuring Michael Sweet (guitars), Joel Hoekstra (guitars), Marco Mendoza (bass), Tommy Aldridge (drums), and Nathan James (vocals), for their sophomore album “II”, scheduled for July 31, 2026.
To celebrate the announcement, the band share the new single and accompanying lyric video, “Cry No More”, available now.
Michael Sweet commented: “It’s been a long time coming and the time is finally here! It’s an absolute honor to be a part of such an incredible band and “Cry No More” is the perfect representation of who Iconic is. Music that takes you back to the best of times and reminds you that rock is still alive and well!”
“It’s a pleasure to work with these fantastic musicians in Iconic. ‘Cry No More’ should give classic rock fans something raw and real in terms of both playing and production. Crank it up!”, Joel Hoekstra added.
Nathan James also stated: “I’m so pleased to have made another album with these incredible musicians. I hope everyone enjoys this first single “Cry No More” and the whole album”.
“Well, the time is here, folks, finally Iconic – “II” is coming to you, with the first single “Cry No More” coming soon!”, Marco Mendoza exclaimed. “Like always, it’s a blast and quite an honor to be part of a project like this, with all these players! Take a listen and enjoy! Viva la ROCK!!!”
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.
“II” Tracklist:
1. Cry No More 2. All I Want 3. Open My Eyes 4. Tears Keep On Falling 5. Take Me To The Place 6. S.O.S. 7. Nothing Left For Me 8. Far Away 9. Valley Of Lost Souls 10. Written In The Stars 11. Heart Of Stone
Line Up: Nathan James – Vocals Michael Sweet – Guitars Joel Hoekstra – Guitars Marco Mendoza – Bass Tommy Aldridge – Drums
Keyboards by Antonio Agate Backing Vocals by Marco Pastorino
It’s half a century since punk rock first arose from the dark’n’dirty backstreets of London and New York… half a century since the Sex Pistols swore on prime time TV; the Ramones proved that great gigs could be played in 20 minutes; and the so-called giants of metal, prog and virtuoso tomfoolery were swept away on a tsunami of high octane energy and incendiary rage.
The world would never be the same again, and Cleopatra Records will be celebrating that first burst of punkoid energy for the rest of the year. And why not? Over the last 30 years, the label has done as much as anyone to preserve and advance the first wave of punk rock giants.
From The Damned to Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, and ex-RunawayCherie Currie to late Sex PistolSid Vicious; from Eater and The Vibrators to The Dickies and The Germs, brilliant new releases and precious archive treasures alike have lit up the shelves, and every month through 2026, Cleopatra Records will be spotlighting a fresh classic from the catalog.
Last month it was a pair of raw live albums by New York’s Dead Boys, recorded back when it all began. This month, we leap forward almost half a century for London’s UK Subs, as they waved farewell to the scene they have ruled for so long with an absolutely epic live album – fittingly titled The Last Will and Testament of UK Subs.
Still fronted by ageless frontman Charlie Harper, along with longtime bassist Alvin Gibbs and newer members Steve Straughan and Stefan Häublein, the Subs’ thrilling, energetic performance includes everything you could positively need to hear.
Both sides of their debut single, “CID”/“Live In A Car”; its dramatic follow-up “Tomorrow’s Girls”; early UK hits “Stranglehold,” “Warhead,” “Teenage” and “Party In Paris.”
“Keep On Running (Till You Burn),” “Barbie’s Dead,” “Squat 96,” “Scum of The Earth” – it’s the ultimate Subs show, an unhinged celebration not only of the Subs’ decades-spanning resilience, but also of punk itself. The Subs were there at the beginning… their first ever release was recorded live, ripe and raucous at the legendary Roxy Club on new year’s eve 1977; and they were still shouting those same odds at the end.
In fact, Last Will and Testament was itself recorded at another of London punk’s most sacred sites, the 100 Club on Oxford Street, where the first ever Punk Rock Festival was staged in September 1976.
There’s lots more Subs action available from Cleopatra Records, too… just head over to Cleorecs.com for more madness.
There’s more punk to come, too. Later this year will see both a major punk rock sale and a very special 50th anniversary edition of the podcast Pirate Radio Cleopatra.
And watch out next month for our next red hot reminder of the Greatest Show on Earth. Because that’s what punk was.
Frontiers Records shares the new single “When The Heartache Has Gone”, a new rendition of the Revolution Saints track, featuring Mattias Olofsson (Grand).
The track was originally released in 2019 by the supergroup featuring Deen Castronovo (Journey), Doug Aldrich (The Dead Daisies, Whitesnake, Dio), and Jack Blades (Night Ranger).
This new version is part of the upcoming “XXX Anniversary Compilation”, a special project celebrating 30 years of passion, creativity, and unforgettable music. The record is set for release on May 22, 2026, and will be only available on CD, on the label’s webstore.
Mattias commented: “I was truly honored when I was asked to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Frontiers. I’ve always been a big fan of Deen Castronovo’s voice, so I was especially excited to take on a song by Revolution Saints. I hope you all enjoy it”.
“When The Heartache Has Gone” Line Up: Mattias Olofsson – vocals Alessandro Mammola – guitar Andrea Arcangeli – bass Alessio Lucatti – keyboards Alfonso Mocerino – drums
Starting from an Idea of Serafino Perugino, the “XXX Anniversary Compilation” brings together some of the greatest melodies and voices from the world of melodic rock. This special release celebrates the label’s rich legacy by revisiting iconic tracks from the Frontiers catalogue, reimagined with dynamic new performances from an extraordinary lineup of guest vocalists.
Each track has been recorded exclusively for this anniversary project and showcases the powerful reinterpretation of beloved Frontiers classics through the voices of today’s standout rock artists.
Aldo Lonobile, Head Of A&R Europe at Frontiers Label Group and producer of the record, commented:
“Producing the 30th anniversary record for Frontiers Records has been both a honour and a responsibility. This label has built a legacy on passion and vision and, with this album, we wanted to celebrate that history in a meaningful way, having a mix of established and new generation of Frontiers artists reinterpret the iconic tracks that shaped our identity is more than a tribute – it’s a bridge between eras”.
“With a tracklist discussed together with the Frontiers President Serafino Perugino, this record is a celebration of where we come from, and a powerful statement of where we’re headed”, he continued.
Under the expert production of Lonobile – who also performs part of the guitars on the album – the performances are backed by a stellar lineup of musicians: Alessandro Mammola (guitar), Andrea Arcangeli (bass), Cristian Timpanaro (bass), the keyboards team – Alessio Lucatti & Antonio Agate, Alfonso Mocerino and Fortunato Grillo on drums, delivering powerful new arrangements that bring renewed energy to these fan-favorite tracks.
The “XXX Anniversary Compilation” isn’t just a compilation – it’s a tribute to 30 years of rock excellence, a heartfelt thank you to the artists, fans, and collaborators who have been part of the Frontiers Records story.
Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or discovering these songs for the first time, this album delivers powerful performances, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable spirit of Frontiers.
“XXX Anniversary Compilation” Tracklist:
1. Separate Ways (Feat James Robledo) 2. Watch The Fire (Feat Cassidy Paris) 3. Weight Of The World (Feat Karmen Klinc) 4. Viva La Victoria (Feat Dyan Mair) 5. Hypocrisy (Feat Stina Girs) 6. Edge Of Tomorrow (Feat Ronnie Romero) 7. Love Will Set You Free (Feat Santiago Ramonda) 8. Songs The Night Sings (Feat Tezzi Persson) 9. My Guardian Angel (Feat Fabio Caldeira) 10. When The Heartache Has Gone (Feat Mattias Olofsson) 11. No More Hell To Pay (Feat Giorgia Colleluori) 12. Down From The Mountain (Feat Nicklas Sonne) 13. Little Drops Of Heaven (Feat Robin McAuley)
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 