Portuguese atmospheric post-metal/sludge trio Palegazer have officially joined the Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records roster and celebrate the announcement with the release of their powerful debut single, “Imminence,” available now on all digital platforms.
Hailing from Porto, Palegazer craft immersive sonic landscapes where haunting melodies collide with overwhelming heaviness. Blending the expansive atmospheres of post-metal with the crushing weight of sludge and doom, the trio has forged a sound that is both emotionally resonant and sonically immense.
Moving effortlessly between clean vocals and anguished growls, shimmering textures and monolithic riffs, Palegazer embrace contrast as the driving force behind their songwriting. The result is a deeply evocative listening experience that explores vulnerability, tension and resilience through dynamic compositions and carefully layered arrangements.
Their first single, “Imminence,” offers an impactful introduction to the band’s identity, unfolding through hypnotic passages before erupting into waves of crushing intensity. It is a compelling statement from a band already demonstrating remarkable maturity and a distinctive artistic voice.
The label says:“Palegazer immediately stood out for their ability to balance emotional depth with sheer sonic weight. Their music is immersive, cinematic and deeply authentic, making them a natural fit for the Octopus Rising roster. We are excited to welcome the band and look forward to introducing their music to audiences around the world.”
With “Imminence,” Palegazer emerge as one of the most exciting new acts in Portugal’s heavy underground. Fans of YOB, Russian Circles, REZN, Deafheaven, Conan, Bölzer, Mastodon, Ahab and Bell Witch will find plenty to immerse themselves in.
More news on Palegazer’s upcoming debut release via Octopus Rising will be announced soon.
Nuclear Winter Records proudly announces the release of DECONSEKRATED‘s sophomore album, “The Inexorable Transcendence of Death”, set for release on October 2, 2026 on LP, CD, and MC formats.
Over the past decade, Chile has established itself as one of the world’s premier breeding grounds for uncompromising death metal, and DECONSEKRATED are poised to further strengthen that reputation with an album that fully embraces the darkest corners of the genre. “The Inexorable Transcendence of Death” is a relentless collection of dense, hostile compositions built on crushing intensity, oppressive atmosphere and an abundance of memorable riffs. While its roots firmly lie within the classic death metal tradition, the band’s songwriting reaches beyond mere homage, weaving intricate arrangements, unexpected tempo changes and subtle twists into every track. Rather than attempting to reinvent the style, DECONSEKRATED explore its vast creative potential, crafting songs that unfold organically and reveal new layers with each listen.
Powerful, immersive and meticulously constructed, “The Inexorable Transcendence of Death” stands as a bold new statement from one of Chile’s most promising death metal acts.
The first single “Under the Rotten Shroud” is now streaming HERE.
Tracklist:
01. Purgative Procession 02. Drowned in the Deep Waters of Phlegethon 03. Terrifyng Manifestation of Malevolence 04. Towards the Veil of Heretic Plagues 05. Poisoned Flesh (Mark of the Sinister Path) 06. Under the Rotten Shroud 07. Oracula Sanguinis (Obsidian Mirrors) 08. Through the Graves’ Portals
DECONSEKRATED is an occult death metal band hailing from the cold, rain-soaked south of Chile. Founded in 2020 by guitarist Agorh Skullptor, the project initially began as the vision of three like-minded “black souls” before evolving into a full five-piece lineup. The band’s music explores themes of death, the desecration of Christian dogma, and spiritual transmutation, translating these concepts into a dark and uncompromising sonic identity.
In 2024, DECONSEKRATED released the EP “Ascension in the Altar of Condemned”, issued on CD by Iron Blood and Death (Mexico), on vinyl by Futhark Records (Canada), reissued on CD by Alkolik Holocaust Records (Argentina), and released on cassette by Ancient Sounds of Madness Productions (Poland) and Infernal South Productions (Chile).
The band has shared the stage with renowned acts such as Master, Malevolent Creation, and Morta Skuld, while also performing in Argentina and at the now legendary Ossum Total Death Festival in Mexico City. Drawing inspiration from the early masters of death metal, DECONSEKRATED continue to follow a path of darkness, death, and the desecration of humanity.
For fans of: Dead Congregation, Krypts, Grave Miasma, Rotten Tomb
Line-up:
Agorh Skullptor – Guitar and bass GĂŒl Evokator – Vocals Padaviast – Guitar Rigor Mortis – Drums
With âThe Explorerâ, CALLIDER (Stefan Lange) presents his second album, a sonic expedition that blends melodic death metal with literary depth and cultural reflection.
Musically, Lange breaks with genre conventions: wind instruments, oriental sounds (Makam music) and acoustic ballads meet classic metal riffs and varied vocals. The result is an accessible yet complex sound that delights even non-metal fans. The lyrics are political, philosophical and poetic â ranging from the unity of humanity (âOne Noteâ) to a critique of social division.
The artwork (a Polynesian catamaran following the stars) symbolises humanityâs journey: we navigate through crises â but what are our guiding stars? Humanity, solidarity, moral principles. âThe Explorerâ is not an album to listen to in passing, but an invitation to reflect.
Today also sees the release of the second single, âKalamasâ, complete with a lyric video, from the upcoming new album âThe Explorerâ. The track also features Kai Biegler, singer and guitarist of the Aalen-based melodic death metal band PARASITE INC, who contributes a guest solo on âKalamasâ.
âInspired by the Greek national holiday âOchiâ Day, the lyrics are loosely based on the events of the Italo-Greek War during the Second World War. âKalamasâ is the name of a river in north-western Greece, where some of the fighting took place. The lyrics also reflect the never-ending conflicts and wars that humanity wages against one another. The song is a statement against fascism and pays tribute to those who stand up against it”, comments Stefan Lange.
CALLIDER is: Vocals: Stefan Lange, Florian Stierstorfer, Marc Zeberer, Vanessa Marx Guitars: Ettore Rigotti, Kristopher Karla, Stefan Lange Bass: Ettore Rigotti, Stefan Lange Drums: Dominik Back Keyboards: Ettore Rigotti, Claus BĂ€cher
Following the acclaimed singles “Designed Despair”, “Darkest Self” and “Frameworker”, Danish modern metal visionaries RAUNCHY unveil “Frostbite”, the fourth single and video from their long-awaited new album, âPrisonerâ. Blending crushing riffs, cinematic electronics and soaring melodies with the band’s unmistakable dual-vocal attack, the track showcases another side of the album’s emotional depth, exploring the devastating cycle of emotional abuse and the addictive pull of toxic relationships. Dark, immersive and intensely melodic, “Frostbite” once again demonstrates why Raunchy remain one of metal’s most distinctive and forward-thinking acts.
“âFrostbiteâ portrays the haunting cycle of abuse in the form of a love that is both intoxicating and destructiveâ, the band comments about the song. âOne becomes emotionally desensitized as the self is trapped in patterns of hurt, numbness, and longing for the warmth of connection that is never fully realized. Ultimately, this song illustrates the curious addiction to a bitter paradise, where suffering becomes familiar, and the heart remains frozen between desire and despairâ.
Join the premiering here:
Thereâs a particular kind of silence that follows a band when nobodyâs quite sure if theyâre done or just sleeping. For Raunchy, that silence lasted the better part of a decade – and now itâs broken.
âPrisonerâ, the seventh studio album from the Danish genre-benders, lands in summer 2026 via Mighty Music, the same label that first put them on record back in 2001. A full-circle moment, and the band knows it.
âIt feels right being back at Mighty,â says drummer Morten âMolleâ Toft Hansen. âWeâve been around the block – Nuclear Blast, Lifeforce, Massacre – and thereâs something about coming home to the people who believed in us first. They get what this band isâ.
For longtime fans, thatâs almost the entire story right there. Raunchy have always been the band that belonged everywhere and nowhere: too melodic for death metal purists, too heavy for the radio crowd, too synth-driven for the metalcore kids, and too riff-forward for anyone trying to file them under industrial. âPrisonerâ doesnât try to resolve that contradiction. It leans into it.
Drum tracking began as far back as 2021 – a Facebook clip of Molle behind the kit was the first sign of life in nearly seven years. From there, the album came together slowly, piece by piece, squeezed in between day jobs, family life, and a pandemic that wasnât doing anyone any favors. âThis album took the time it neededâ says keyboardist and vocalist Jeppe Christensen. âWe had no deadline. No label breathing down our necks. We just wrote until the songs felt right and threw out everything that didnât. I think you can hear that – thereâs no filler on this oneâ. Producer Jacob Hansen, who has helmed nearly every Raunchy record going back to âVelvet Noiseâ, returned for âPrisonerâ, and the chemistry shows. Hansen knows this bandâs DNA better than anyone outside the lineup itself.
Vocalist Mike Semesky, who joined for âVices.Virtues.Visions.â in 2014, describes the writing process as something closer to therapy than tracking sessions: âA lot happened in twelve years. People got married, people lost people, the world got weirder. âPrisonerâ is about all of that: being trapped in your own head, in your own patterns, in time itself. But itâs not a depressing record. Itâs a defiant oneâ.
If âVices.Virtues.Visions.â was the most emotionally layered Raunchy album, âPrisonerâ is the most cinematic. The synths are bigger. The hooks are sharper. The heavy parts are heavier. Lead single âDesigned Despairâ arrived in early 2026 and sets the tone: soaring choruses crashing into industrial breakdowns, with both vocalists trading lines in a way that feels less like duet and more like dialogue. The inspirations? Everything from the bandâs early industrial loves (Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad) to modern cinematic scoring, late-period Ghost, and – Jeppe insists – âA healthy amount of 80s synth-pop weâll never publicly admit toâ.
Raunchy arenât promising another album in two years. Theyâve never worked that way. But they are promising shows, and the energy around the reunion feels different than a typical comeback cycle. âWeâre not chasing anythingâ Molle says. âWe made the record we wanted to make. If people show up, thatâs the gift. And if they donât, weâll still have an album weâre proud ofâ. Twelve years between albums. Same band. No apologies.
âPrisonerâ will be released on LP (gatefold splatter double vinyl, limited to 500 copies), CD and digital formats on 14.08.2026, via Mighty Music. The first 250 orders in Targetshop and Bandcamp will get a free patch.
Lineup: Jesper Kvist â bass Morten Toft Hansen â drums Jesper Andreas Tilsted â guitars, keyboards Lars Christensen â guitars Jeppe Christensen â keyboards, vocals Mike Semesky – vocals
After witnessing the threat of deforestation first-hand in Costa Rica, Sylvain Demercastel and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren started Savage Lands, the worldâs first environmental non-profit powered by the metal community. The 501 (c) (3) organization has led biodiversity initiatives around the globe while partnering with members of Metallica, Gojira, Alissa White-Gluz and Heilung, as well as other organizations like Hellfest and the Jane Goodall Institute.
Today, Savage Lands are thrilled to announce a three-year strategic partnership with Brutal Assault, one of Europeâs premiere music festivals for heavy music. With this partnership, both organizations are sending a call to the cultural community by inviting all festivals and artists to join their ecological movement.
Together, Savage Lands and Brutal Assault will promote biodiversity through eco-friendly merchandise, festival-wide awareness campaigns conservation projects and the expansion of Brutal Forest, Brutal Assaultâs long-term reforestation initiative, which has planted more than 12,000 trees across the Czech Republic.
Savage Lands are also launching a Biodiversity tour. Starting in 2027, the tour will travel to various European festivals, including Brutal Assault. The organization will lead environmental projects in each country that the tour visits.
âSavage Lands is thrilled to join forces with Brutal Assault in the fight for biodiversity. Through this partnership, our organization is crossing a threshold by expanding our international operationsâ, Savage Lands co-founder Sylvain Demercastel says. âThe biodiversity crisis is bigger than any one organization. It demands new ideas, new alliances and new forms of leadership. On behalf of Savage Lands, I invite every festival, every artist, every cultural organization to support this movement and join The Army of the Treesâ.
âThis partnership reflects a shared conviction between Brutal Assault and Savage Landsâ, Brutal Assault founders Martin âShindyâ Brzobohaty Vladan and TomĂĄĆĄ Fiala say. âFor decades, festivals have shaped music, inspired generations and created unforgettable memories. Today, we have an opportunity to create something even greater: a lasting legacy through the ecosystems they help protect. Today, Brutal Assault is proud to answer the callâ.
Since it was founded in 2022, Savage Lands has planted 12,000 trees in Costa Rica as part of Alianza Verde, plus another 1,500 trees at Hellfest. Theyâve created three forest sanctuaries in France, two ecological easements in Costa Rica, and one biological corridor in Burundi with the Jane Goodall Institute. 100% of the royalties earned by their debut album, Army of the Trees, fund Savage Landsâ ongoing preservation projects.
Tracklist: 1. Black Rock Heart (feat Kai Uwe Faust, Chloe Trujillo) (4:36)Â [WATCH] 2. Ruling Queen (featuring Alissa White-Gluz, Kenny Andrews) (4:31)Â [WATCH] 3. The Last Howl (featuring John Tardy, Andreas Kisser) (6:04)Â [WATCH] 4. No Remedy (featuring Maria Franz) (4:27)Â [WATCH] 5. Out of Breath (featuring Lord Of The Lost, Chloe Trujillo) (4:49)Â [WATCH] 6. Better Man (4:23) 7. Never Be Up (3:42) 8. Army of the Trees (4:26)Â [WATCH] 9. Visions of Life (4:02) 10. Addicted (4:45) Full runtime: 46:02
Having seen first-hand how deforestation threatens Costa Rica’s rain forest, two angry metalheads are banging their heads together to protect the worldâs ecosystem.
âAfter hearing the chainsaws on a daily basis, we knew it was time to actâ, says musician-turned-activist Sylvain Demercastel, âbecause the buzzing is only getting louderâ.
Sylvain founded Savage Lands with his long-time friend and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren in 2022. Thanks to their music, the 501 (c) (3) non-profit has preserved 100,000 square feet of forest in high-risk areas along the Costa Rican coastline. 100% of the royalties from their first album, Army of the Trees, support their ongoing preservation projects in Costa Rica and other countries.
The roots behind Savage Lands run deep. Dirk and Sylvain first met in France during the late â90s, when they both played in the socially conscious thrash metal band Artsonic. But just like a tree, the organization is supported by different types of branches.
âAs a non-profit, we depend on the support of other organizations, fellow artists and our listenersâ, Dirk says.
In Costa Rica, Savage Lands partners with scientists, forest engineers, ecological parks, private businesses and other non-profits. Their Green Alliance(Alianza Verde) has led to more than 11,000 trees being planted in deforested areas throughout Costa Rica thanks to the help of 1,200 volunteers.
Collaboration also fuels the creative fires of Savage Lands. The core band includes Poun and Etienne Treton from the veteran French metalcore band Black Bomb A, along with Loco Muerteâs Florian Pons. When they planted their ecological flag on Hellfestâs main stage in 2024, movers and shakers from across the metal sphere showed up to support. Not only did the festival leader pledge to donate 1 million Euro to the organizations over the next five years. Daniel de Jongh (Textures), Silje Wergeland (The Gathering), Jesper Liveröd (Nasum), Alejandro Montoya (Cultura tres), Vincent Price (Body Count), Billy Graziadei (Biohazard), Shane Embury (Napalm Death) and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) all joined for an appropriately bloody and scream-worthy rendition of âRootsâ.
âIâm happy to be a part of such a truly important causeâ, Embury said after the performance. âWe are connected with every living thing on this planet and Savage Lands is helping to preserve natureâs treasuresâ.
Heilung are also working with Savage Lands outside of the recording studio. The world-famous Nordic collective donated $1 for every ticket sold during their most-recent U.S. tourto support their Season of Mist labelmates. âSupporting Savage Lands was an easy decision for usâ, says Maria Franz, whose soothing high notes grace the melancholic power ballad âNo Remedyâ.
âThatâs another beautiful thing about Savage Landsâ, Sylvain says. âAs a band, weâre not limited to just one genre. We can adapt to boost the strengths of whomever is joining usâ.
Savage Lands’ debut album introduces several new species of metalhead to their ecosystem. Eurovisionâs darlings Lord Of The Lost spill their blood and glitter over the spiky riffs that puncture âOut of Breathâ. Holding court over lead single âRuling Queenâ with her serpentine cleans and lioness roar is none other than Alissa White-Gluz. âNow is the time to take a standâ, the band roar in a fierce rallying cry during the albumâs climactic title track, backed by Julien Truchan from Benighted and other pillars from the French metal community.
âOur goals are attainable,â Sylvain and Dirk say. âBy converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism. But we must work together and quickly. Ecosystems are still under attack. If we donât, then there wonât be any wildlife left to saveâ.
Raise your horns and join the Army of the Trees in support of the metal  non-profit.
Special Member: Dirk Verbeuren (Drums on “Black Rock Heart”, “The Last Howl” and “Out of Breath)
Collaborators: Stephane Buriez Ardag Basmadjian HK Nico + James at Vamacara
Guest Features: Kai Uwe Faust – Vocals (Black Rock Heart) Chloe Trujillo – Vocals (Black Rock Heart, Out of Breath) Alissa White-Gluz – Vocals (Ruling Queen) Kenneth Andrews – Guitar (Ruling Queen) Andreas Kisser – Guitar (The Last Howl) John Tardy – Vocals (The Last Howl) Maria Franz – Vocals (No Remedy) Lord Of The Lost – Vocals, Guitars (Out of Breath)
Flying the flag for ZLHC (Zeeland Hardcore), Dutch grooveâhardcore ascendents Inherited have revealed their latest single, âWONâT BREAK,â taken from their upcoming EP, ALL 4 ONE, to be released on 2 October via Mascot Records. â The three-and-a-half-minute song hits like a ten-ton truck and sends a message of pushing against adversity – with a tasty little trip-hop-inflected outro to keep things interesting. Talking about the track, they say, âThis song is pure resilience. Itâs about standing your ground no matter what gets thrown at you. Everyone hits moments where it feels like too much, like âevery day feels like a fever dreamâ, but breaking is a choice, and we refuse. The line âI wonât break, no matter how much I must takeâ is the backbone of this track. Itâs about knowing your own strength, even when everything around you tries to tear it down.â
With three of the five still in their teens, Inherited – Jamie Versprille (Vocals), Marvin Wesdorp (Guitar), Midas Giele (Guitar), Lucas Camonier (Bass) and Neill Ray (Drums) – are battering down the doors of the underground circuit and carving their name into every stage they step onto since forming in 2024. â In June, they unleashed the first song from the record – produced by Robin Adams (Architects, Guilt Trip, Blood Youth) and mastered by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery). âINHERITEDâ tells the story of their roots and how hardcore surges through their DNA. Vocalist Jamie explains, It’s all about where we come from: our family, our blood, everything that shaped us. It is what we have been given, and we owe it everything. That’s why we carry that legacy forward.â â Their pathway was laid out 30 years ago by Zeeland’s death-metal firebrands, Polluted Inheritance. Inheritedâs Lucas Camonier (Bass) and Marvin Wesdorp (Guitar) are the sons of Polluted Inheritanceâs Ronald Camonier and Erwin Wesdorp. â Identity is everything to them. A sense of community is at the heart of Inherited, both in their hometown of Zeeland and in their roots. They have no time to hang around; they played their sixth-ever show on the hallowed stage of Germanyâs Wacken Open Air festival, the result of them winning the Dutch Metal Battle 2024, which saw the band hire a double-decker bus to transport 100 fans 200 miles from their hometown to the final. They donât see obstacles; they see only opportunities. â Forged in the underground scene, theyâve journeyed across the Netherlands underbelly: dive bars, a Skate Park, a barbershop, and a giveaway store. Theyâve played underground bunkers in France and a youth-oriented chapel in Belgium. The underground ethic runs deep in the band, but theyâre also headlining 400-cap venues with people pouring out of the door. Theyâve supported Pro-Pain, Dark Angel, Bodyfarm, Master and hit the festival circuit: Wacken-Open-Air, Dynamo Festival, South of Heaven and more. â They’re clearing their way for their own path, carrying a message of empowerment, perseverance, community, brotherhood, and family. The bloodline runs strong.
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST â Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemiâs SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
