Hailing from London, UK, IRIDIUM are one of the most exciting new names in modern metalcore. Combining razor-sharp riffs and crushing breakdowns with atmospheric electronics and emotionally charged songwriting, the band has forged a sound that is both dynamic and forward-thinking. Their blend of technical precision, introspective lyricism and uncompromising heaviness has quickly earned them a dedicated and rapidly growing fanbase.
Following the release of their EP HELL IS JUST A HALFWAY HOUSE earlier this year, IRIDIUM have surpassed 115,000 monthly Spotify listeners and amassed more than three million streams worldwide. Now, the band embarks on an exciting new chapter by signing with Napalm Records and unleashing “ENDGAME”, their first single for the label.
IRIDIUM about the signing: “We are delighted to be working with Napalm Records. Napalm is renowned for its exceptional roster of heavy bands, and we are honoured to be joining such a highly regarded team. It has always been our ambition to push IRIDIUM as far as it can go, and it’s fantastic to be working with a label that shares our vision for the band.”
With “ENDGAME”, IRIDIUM continue to evolve their sound, seamlessly blending technical precision with emotional depth. Progressive riffing collides with soaring melodies before erupting into crushing, pit-ready breakdowns, while acoustic guitars and haunting clean vocals bring the track to a reflective close. Lyrically, “ENDGAME” explores existentialism, questioning whether there is more to life in the face of human corruption. The result is the band’s most ambitious and emotionally powerful material to date. IRIDIUM comment about the single: “Our first single with Napalm, ‘ENDGAME’, takes the IRIDIUM sound further than ever before, combining our most technical riffs to date with the raw emotional energy established on HELL IS JUST A HALFWAY HOUSE. Touching on existentialism and grounded in personal experience, ‘ENDGAME’ explores whether there can be more to life in the face of human corruption. This is a new chapter. The journey is just beginning.”
IRIDIUMLive 2026 31.07.26 UK – Kingston / The Fighting Cocks 04.09.26 UK – Carlisle / The Brickyard
IRIDIUMare: Danny Lewis – Lead vocals Aaron Kumar – Lead guitar Jack Knights – Rhythm guitar & clean vocals Dan Wright – Bass Matt Beresford – Drums
Central American death-doom practitioners MORBID STENCH will release their third full-length album, “Doom Metástasis”, on October 2nd, 2026 through Nuclear Winter Records and Putrid Cult. The album will be available on LP, CD and cassette formats.
Deeply rooted in death-doom metal, the record broadens the group’s sonic palette through a more developed approach to songwriting, without losing the weight and darkness that have always defined their sound. Conceived as a conceptual work, the album follows a process of transformation that moves from inner decay to complete propagation, blending biological imagery with reflections on identity, inevitability and the cyclical nature of existence. This narrative framework gives the album a strong sense of continuity, shaping a journey rather than a simple collection of individual tracks.
Musically, MORBID STENCH combine crushing slow-paced sections, oppressive atmospheres and carefully crafted arrangements, balancing immediacy and depth. With “Doom Metástasis”, the band expands its vision while remaining faithful to the raw spirit of Central American death-doom metal.
The first single “Hyperbolic” is now streaming HERE.
Tracklist:
01. Necrotic from Within 02. The Morbid Waltz 03. Hyperbolic 04. Bizarre and Beyond 05. Narcissistic God 06. Crawling out of the Swamps
Formed in 2014 by veteran musicians The Master Butcher (Costa Rica), Morbid and Purulent (El Salvador), MORBID STENCH was created to explore the darkest and most putrid side of doom metal, enriched by a strong death metal influence. With all members active in the extreme metal scene since the early ’90s, the band combines crushing heaviness, oppressive atmospheres and rotten melodies, drawing inspiration from the forgotten swamps of Central America.
Their debut EP “The Stench of Doom” was released in 2016 on cassette through Morbid Skull Recs (El Salvador) and Till You Fukkin Bleed (Poland), quickly selling out and followed by a short tour in El Salvador and Guatemala with CONCEIVED BY HATE. In 2017, the band released the split 7” EP “The Bifid Tongue of Doom & Death” with Costa Rican death metal act NECROGOD.
The debut full-length “Doom & Putrefaction” arrived in 2019 through Putrid Cult, Morbid Skull Recs and other international labels, receiving strong feedback from the underground scene. This was followed by the split 7” EP “Ghospels of Necromancy” with Dutch death metal band ANARCHOS in 2020, and the second album “The Rotting Ways of Doom” in 2022, further establishing the band’s reputation among doom/death enthusiasts.
Despite the members now living in three different countries, the creative chemistry within MORBID STENCH remains intact. The songwriting process begins with Morbid composing and recording guitar and bass parts at his “Víspera del Demonio” studio in San Salvador, creating raw demo versions that are shared with the band for feedback and development. Purulent then works on the drum arrangements, while The Master Butcher completes the songs with his lyrics and vocal performances.
In 2026, MORBID STENCH will release their third full-length album, “Doom Metástasis”, a conceptual work that continues the band’s exploration of decay, darkness and the oppressive atmosphere of their signature doom/death metal.
Line-up:
The Master Butcher – Esophagus Morbid – Cosmic Chords of Doom Purulent – Barrels Full of Putrid Waste
The hauntingly brilliant multi-instrumentalist Dikajee has announced her brand new album The Frame, which will be out on 6th November. In celebration, the new single ‘Gunpowder’ is now being released with a music video, featuring Varijashree Venugopal (Snarky Puppy) and Jonathan Noyce (Archive, Jethro Tull).
Mastermind Olga Karpova comments on the video: “The ‘Gunpowder’ video is a story of overcoming the limits of the mind and body. The Blind will see, the Child will light the fires and the Ghost will have a face again. This is the life of a human“
Singer-songwriter Dikajee has captivated audiences on stages around the world, sharing lineups with acclaimed artists across the progressive, folk, and metal scenes.
In 2021, Dikajee released her critically acclaimed album Forget~Me~Nots, showcasing an intricate blend of folk, neo-baroque, neoclassical, and progressive rock. The album features guest appearances from Fiona Rüggeberg (flutes, bagpipes; FAUN), Guillaume Bernard (guitars; KLONE), and Artis Orubs (drums; Erik Truffaz), and received widespread praise from music publications across Europe, the UK, and the USA. Her achievements include being voted #1 Best New Artist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2025), #4 Vocalist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2021), while her single ‘Lily Of The Valley’ was featured on The Best of Metal Hammer 2021 compilation.
Her voice is incredibly versatile, allowing her to move effortlessly between genres and styles. From classical operatic vocals to extreme metal and everything in between, Dikajee‘s exceptional range, virtuoso vocal dynamics, and refined technique make her one of those rare singers capable of excelling across an extraordinary breadth of vocal styles. In 2023, the Russian-born artist was granted a UK Global Talent Visa and relocated from Saint Petersburg to the United Kingdom, where she rebuilt her band with a brand-new lineup.
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Dikajee is set to release her second full-length album, The Frame, on 6th November 2026. The album features an international lineup of guest musicians including Jonathan Noyce (Archive, Jethro Tull), Varijashree Venugopal (Snarky Puppy), German Vergara (Aisles), Guillaume Bernard (KLONE), Christian Ayala (Avandra), Vikram Shankar (Pain of Salvation, Charlotte Wessels, Within Temptation, Lux Terminus), and many more.
Both of Dikajee‘s albums showcase her distinctive blend of progressive rock, folk, classical music, and metal, highlighting her adventurous songwriting and fearless musical vision.
Track-list: 1. The Frame 2. Gunpowder 3. In the Blink of an Eye 4, Home of the Wind 5. Friar’s Lantern 6. Thrown Ashore 7. Imaginary Doctor 8. Travel Through Time (feat. German Vergara) 9. Troin (outro)
Dikajee live: 05/09 – Nene Valley Festival; full band 27/09 – the Horn, St Albans, solo, (supporting John Hackett Band) 08/10 – the Piper, st Leonard, solo (supporting John Hackett Band) 10/10 – West Hampstead arts Club, solo (supporting John Hackett Band) 25/10 – Bristol, JamJar, full band (supporting The Paradow Twin) 14/11 – Middlesbrough, Toft House, solo, supporting Shannon Pearl 30/11 – London, WaterRats, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin) 04/12 – Manchester, Empty Space, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin)
Dikajee are: Olga Karpova – songwriting, grand piano, keys, arrangements Dmitry Irinovich (studio) – keys, orchestral arrangements, keys Christian Ayala (studio) – guitars, programming Benjamin Baert – drums (studio) Graham Brown – drums (live) Gulia Naumova, Ksenia Sednina – strings, backing vocals Joe Fraser – guitars, vocals Victor Sankov – bass (studio) (tracks 1,3,4,8,9) David Honour – bass, backing vocals (live)
Swiss hard rock veterans Shakra share today a new track, “Wasteland Warriors”, along with a lyric video, the new single taken from the upcoming album, “Just Live Loud!”, out on September 4, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Musically, “Wasteland Warriors” combines classic Shakra hard rock with a modern, cinematic post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Driving guitars, subtle Hammond organ and bluesy elements shape a song that instantly feels made for the stage. The song shows the band from a darker, more epic and typically riff-driven side: dry as dust, razor-sharp and full of energy.
Lyrically, it tells a story of resilience, unity and the will to keep moving forward, even when everything around you lies in ruins. The song can also be seen as a metaphor for Shakra itself: a band that has never taken the easy road over the past three decades and has stood its ground against resistance, trends and setbacks.
The official lyric video takes the viewer through a post-apocalyptic landscape of dust, ruins and gigantic threats. Six warriors fight their way through a wasteland where hope becomes the last source of strength – and at the end, an unexpected plot twist awaits.
“Wasteland Warriors” is Shakra in full force: heavy, melodic, resilient – and ready for the next battle.
Mark Fox stated: “I wrote these lyrics because I am always amazed by how resilient and determined a human being can be. Even when you have just fallen into the deepest abyss of your life, you somehow find that tiny spark of hope that gives you the strength to rise again. I have experienced that myself. I have gone through several life crises, but I always got back on my feet – and in the end, I didn’t just overcome myself, I triumphed over all those obstacles”. “It was definitely time to write another riff in the spirit of ‘Rising High’. And yet ‘Wasteland Warriors’ has a character completely of its own. The razor-sharp riff, together with a subtle Hammond organ and other bluesy elements, turns the song into a modern SHAKRA classic that will surely find its way into the live set!”, added guitarist Thomas Muster.
Shakra return with renewed fire and unstoppable energy on “Just Live Loud!”, their explosive new studio album and the band’s very first release through Frontiers Music Srl. Fuelled by massive riffs, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable chemistry that has defined Shakra for decades, the album captures the spirit of classic European hard rock while pushing the band into a heavier, more modern sonic territory.
Vocalist Mark Fox commented: “Becoming a father has changed the way I look at many things. When I watch my daughter grow, discover the world and face every day with this incredible curiosity, I find myself asking even more consciously what life is really about. For me, the answer can now be summed up in three words: JUST LIVE LOUD! Don’t live halfway, don’t wait forever, don’t hide. I recorded the vocals for this album on my own in my basement. It was a very intense process that strongly confronted me with myself, my self-criticism and my responsibility. At the same time, it showed me that true freedom always comes with responsibility. For me, this tension is exactly what lies at the heart of this album.”
Guitarist Thomas Muster added: “Over the last 30 years, I’ve written many songs for Shakra. Heavier stuff, sometimes even poppier songs, and some really soft tracks. And even though I was ultimately always happy with the albums, I still always had this feeling inside me that musically, there simply had to be a little more. An even better riff, an even better hookline, simply even better songs. With ‘Something You Don’t Understand’ from the Snakes & Ladders album, I had that feeling of the perfect song for the first time”.
“And now comes “Just Live Loud!”, the Shakra album I always wanted to write, but somehow never quite managed to until now. And it comes with 12 great songs! If I could take only one Shakra album to the famous desert island, it would definitely be this one”, he continued.
Produced with a raw yet polished approach, “Just Live Loud!” delivers a powerful mix of thunderous anthems, emotionally charged ballads, and adrenaline-fueled rockers designed for both festival stages and late-night highway drives. From razor-sharp guitar work and pounding rhythms to towering vocal hooks, every track reflects the band’s commitment to authenticity, passion, and pure rock’n’roll attitude.
Lyrically, the album celebrates resilience, freedom, brotherhood, and the determination to live life at full volume – themes that resonate deeply with the band’s own journey through the international hard rock scene. “Just Live Loud!” also marks an exciting new chapter for Shakra, combining the experience and songwriting strength of their legacy years with a fresh creative momentum that feels more vital than ever.
The band proudly stated: “For over 30 years, we have been walking this path with Shakra. We have always worked on ourselves, put many things aside and given everything to push this band forward – without compromise, without a safety net. We have dared, we have taken risks, and we still do. But this very path has also given us our freedom: to find our purpose away from the ordinary, to lose ourselves in it, and to do what we burn for”.
“Just Live Loud!” brings all of that together in one album: origin, attitude, energy and the view ahead. As long as this fire is still burning, we will keep moving, keep daring and keep giving everything. Living louder is hardly possible – JUST LIVE LOUD!”, they added.
With this landmark release, Shakra reaffirm their status as one of Switzerland’s premier hard rock exports and prove that true melodic heavy rock is alive, loud, and ready to conquer a new generation of fans.
“Just Live Loud!” Tracklist:
1. Let The Show Begin 2. Wasteland Warriors 3. Just Live Loud! 4. Left Outside Alone (Feat. Seraina Telli) 5. Demon Of The Night 6. Legends Never Die 7. Lost Generation 8. When We Were Young 9. Another Day In The Universe 10. New Tattoo 11. High Above The Storm 12. Screaming Silence 13. Left Outside Alone (Solo Version)
Line Up: Thom Blunier – Lead Guitars Mark Fox – Vocals Thomas Muster – Guitars Cyril Montavon – Bass Roger Tanner – Drums Follow SHAKRA: Website Facebook Instagram
Caroline Breitler has released her new single “Dad” from her upcoming album “Roots” (release date: September 25, 2026).
While the first single, “Sentinel,” was direct and classic rock-inspired, “Dad” is significantly more playful. “The song is built on a massive, heavy foundation of powerful guitars—uncompromising, hard-hitting, a real powerhouse. Layered on top are modern, wide-ranging synth leads and electronic soundscapes that don’t soften the sound but instead add even more impact. They give the song depth, breadth, and that contemporary, almost futuristic drive that instantly sticks with you,” enthuses Caroline Breitler.
In fact, the song has a nu-metal vibe—raw and direct, a clear nod to the 2000s—but reimagined, fresh, and explosive. And here, too, the combination of Caroline Breitler, her band, and producer Alessandro del Vecchio works perfectly!
Fun fact: The video was filmed on the stage where the CD release party will also take place in September: at Chillout Boswil.
Caroline Breitler & Band – Between Fire and Emotion With a voice that gets under your skin and a captivating stage presence, Caroline Breitler stands for powerful rock with soul. Together with her top-class band, she brings an explosive mix of melodic metal, rock and emotion to the stage. On guitar, a virtuoso shines with a flair for powerful riffs and epic solos that get under your skin. The keys add orchestral depth and a cinematic atmosphere – sometimes ethereal, sometimes dramatic. The drummer is the rhythmic backbone of the band. With razor-sharp precision, unbridled energy and a flair for dynamics, he gives the sound that certain something – like a galloping herd of horses that sweeps the audience along and makes the pulse of the music palpable. Whether on record or live, Caroline and her band tell stories of courage, pain and hope. Their music is a call to stay true to yourself – loud, honest and rousing.
Tracklist:
01 Sentinel 02 Genghis Khan 03 A Million Miles 04 If Nobody Loves You feat. Mark Fox & Ivan Keller 05 In Her Shadow 06 Calling 07 Stuck In The Cold 08 Dad 09 Light To Dark
Next Live Date Sept. 26, 2026 – CD Release Party – Chillout Boswil, Switzerland
Tampa sludge/doom warriors BLOOD OF THE EARTH have officially welcomed J. Costa (THY WILL BE DONE) as the band’s vocalist, ushering in a bold new chapter for the heavy trio founded by Jeff Golden (ex-CROWBAR) and Katie Golden (ex-THE CONVALESCENCE).
Originally conceived as an instrumental project built around crushing riffs, towering atmosphere, and cinematic scope, BLOOD OF THE EARTH has evolved into a fully realized force with the addition of Costa, whose commanding voice adds a visceral new dimension to the band’s immense sonic weight. The lineup’s chemistry has already laid the foundation for a wealth of new material, with more details to be revealed soon.
Commenting on the addition of Costa, Jeff Golden says:
“Blood of the Earth has been a vision of mine for over ten years. I first became friends with J. Costa in 2010 when I was playing bass for Thy Will Be Done, during my first U.S. and Canadian tour. When Katie and I started writing new music after our first instrumental EP, we immediately knew J. was the voice we’d been searching for. So I sent him some of the material, he sent back his vocal ideas, and we were blown away. J. brings so much power, and presence to Blood of the Earth.”
Fans will also have their first opportunity to experience the band’s new lineup live as BLOOD OF THE EARTH announces its first two performances featuring Costa on vocals. The shows mark the live debut of this new era for the band and offer an early glimpse of what’s to come.
BLOOD OF THE EARTH Tour Dates: Oct 2 – Wallingford, CT – Cherry Street Station Oct 3 – Brooklyn, NY – Lucky 13
Additional news, music, and live dates will be announced in the coming weeks.
About BLOOD OF THE EARTH:
Blood Of The Earth is the convergence of weight, intention, and atmosphere, founded by married duo Jeff Golden (ex-Crowbar) and Katie Golden (ex-The Convalescence), and completed by the commanding presence of vocalist J. Costa (Thy Will Be Done).
Forged from crushing sludge, doom, and post-metal, the band channels immense heaviness into songs built on tension, atmosphere, and emotional impact. Their music balances monolithic riffs with cinematic textures, creating an immersive listening experience that is both punishing and deeply evocative.
With J. Costa’s unmistakable voice now completing the lineup, Blood Of The Earth stands poised to unleash its most powerful and fully realized work to date.
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
