Freshly signed metalcore outfit Hopsydian unveil their brand-new single ‘DEVOTE’ – a track that doesn’t just introduce the band’s next step, but defines the core of who they are. Watch the video below.
Formed in Milan in 2024, Hopsydian have quickly built a reputation for blending sacral, ritualistic atmospheres with modern metalcore power, alt-metal sharpness, and post-hardcore urgency. ‘DEVOTE’ captures this duality perfectly: cinematic tension and dark elegance collide with crushing riffs, explosive dynamics, and massive, chant-ready choruses where beauty and brutality exist side by side .
At the heart of Hopsydian’s sound lies contrast. The band explore worship, love, obsession, sin, and the seductive temptation of becoming God – framing desire as devotion and temptation as salvation. Their name, derived from hope and obsidian, reflects this very balance: resilience and rebirth set against shadow and transgression. ‘DEVOTE’ feels like a ceremony in motion, slowly building atmosphere before erupting into moments designed to be shouted back from the crowd.
Despite having released only a handful of songs so far, Hopsydian have already proven their impact beyond the studio. In 2025, they made their live debut on the Slam Dunk Italy main stage, sharing the bill with international heavyweights before going on to support Caskets in Milan – a clear signal that momentum is already on their side.
With ‘DEVOTE,’ Hopsydian step into a new chapter – darker, bolder, and more intentional than ever. This is not just a single release, but the foundation of an era built on ceremony, contrast, and conviction. And if this track is any indication, Hopsydian are only just beginning to reveal how far their devotion will go.
CABAL frontman Andreas Bjulver reveals a brand new solo project under the moniker bleak. – a raw creative outlet forged in the shadows of depression, chronic stress, and the unfiltered frustrations of life on the road. The debut single ‘Burned Out’ stands as a visceral and uncompromising statement on inner collapse and burnout.
Best known as the vocalist and frontman of the Danish deathcore powerhouse CABAL, Andreas Bjulver is recognized for his intense, uncompromising vocal style and relentless, high-energy live performances. Over years of international touring, he has shared stages with major global acts and collaborated with multiple bands such as Lorna Shore, Knocked Loose and Parkway Drive.
Set against a world that feels like it’s unraveling in real time, bleak. channels the exhaustion, emotional weight, and instability of existence as a touring musician navigating an era defined by uncertainty and personal turmoil. With his signature intensity and honest lyrical darkness, Andreas invites listeners into the first chapter of bleak. – where the noise is loud, the emotions are heavy, and everything feels relentlessly bleak.
–ISRC: DK4V62600104 –Label: Prime Collective –Songwriters: Andreas Bjulver, Chris Kreutzfeldt –Producer: Chris Kreutzfeldt –Mix & Master: Chris Kreutzfeldt –Artwork: Alan Grnja
LOVER is an original project combining classical electronic music and film music, led by Witold Brylewski, known for playing in bands such as In Hell’s Duty and Sour Blood.
“Technicolor” is a conceptual album at the intersection of electronica and rock, inspired by classic synthesizer music, horror and science fiction soundtracks of the 1970s and 1980s, and video game music. The album consists of 10 tracks and was written as a coherent narrative, described as “a soundtrack to a film that never was made,” with each track representing a separate chapter in the story.
Influences include the work of artists such as Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, John Carpenter, and Hans Zimmer, as well as music for science fiction games and films, including: Mass Effect, Cyberpunk 2077. It is also a love letter to the musical form of the album, standing out from today’s so-called TikTok culture.
“Technicolor” is a nod to classic electronica of the 1970s and 1980s, but also an attempt to reinterpret it and differentiate it for the listener through: – a blend of electronica with rock songwriting (using guitar, drums, and song structures), – references to horror and science fiction, – a narrative, emotional approach to the album’s form as a whole, – a cinematic, nostlag character inspired by soundtracks, – a distinct artistic concept and storytelling.
The album may be of interest to: – fans of classic electronica and the Berlin School, – listeners of film and ambient music, – gamers and soundtrack enthusiasts (science fiction, horror), – progressive rock fans open to experimental projects.
TRACKLIST:
01. The Exaltation 02. Aura Serpentine 03. Encounters 04. The Vanishing 05. And Her Birds Sang Death 06. March Of The Dead 07. Nigh Was The Black Dawn 08. Love In Technicolor 09. The Inhumane End 10. Now Fade
The album was released yesterday – January 31, 2026, and the release is available for listening on the most popular streaming platforms (https://musicraft.ffm.to/technicolor) and on CD, which can be purchased directly from the artist.
Evermore has released a lyric video for “The Illusionist (Raise The Curtain)”, first single taken from the new album “Mournbraid” to be released on March 20 by Scarlet Records.
Deception is a performance and every lie is a scripted line. “The Illusionist (Raise The Curtain)” explores the hollow life of a social manipulator, drawing a haunting parallel between a backstabber and a fading stage magician. As the performer relies on cheap tricks and shallow illusions to maintain their status, the audience slowly sees through the act. One by one, friends depart and trust dissolves, leaving the spotlight to shine on nothing but an empty room.
video by Stefano Mastronicola
“Mournbraid” album:
produced by Marcus “Mackan” Alfsson at MWC Studios and mastered by Svante at Chartmakers West;
illustrated by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion (Elvenking, Unanimated, Verikalpa);
“Mournbraid” tracklist: 1 The Void 2 Underdark 3 Nightstar Odyssey 4 Titans 5 Oath Of Apathy 6 The Illusionist (Raise The Curtain) 7 Armored Will 8 Ravens At The Gates 9 Mournbraid 10 Old Man’s Tale (bonus track) Total running time – 50:09
FFO: Avantasia, Edguy, Judas Priest, Helloween, Stratovarius, Nocturnal Rites, Europe
artowrk by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion
The third record for the Swedish masters of power metal, “Mournbraid” delivers the trademark Evermore sound made of aggressive guitar riffs, soaring epic vocals and unforgettable strong hooks – all amplified by a massive neat production.
Master of ardour and melody perfectly blended together, the Scandinavian trio further refined its pretty unique songwriting and lyrical touch. Each song of the album tells a different story from the perspective of individuals experiencing the diversity of existence’s challenges and feelings of personal struggles.
As always in Evermore’s music, the end goal is to make the listener relate to the music on a very deep personal level.
Evermore: Johan Haraldsson – vocals Johan Karlsson – guitar, bass, piano, orchestrations Andreas Viklands – drums
Irish metallers Survivalist today release their long-awaited new album A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone via Seek and Strike, alongside a new single and video for the album’s title track. With this release, Survivalist continue to carve out a singular space in modern heavy music, refining their self-described groove-core sound, a visceral fusion of crushing riffs, climactic breakdowns and melody, bound together by unflinching emotional weight.
Watch the video for‘A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone’ here:
Commenting on the single, Survivalist said: “This track is the most honest snapshot of who we are right now and what this record represents. The album is heavy, dark and aggressive, but it’s also meant to be a refuge, a place you can turn to no matter what headspace you’re in. Whether you need to vent anger, sit with sadness or just feel understood. ‘A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone’ captures the anguish, stress and mental weight behind the entire writing process, while setting the tone for the variety across the record.”
Forged through personal struggle, lived experience and a raw response to the world as it is, A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone stands as Survivalist’smost focused and ambitious release to date. Written without boundaries or compromise, the album confronts themes of loneliness, isolation and mental health head-on, while allowing each track to exist as its own emotional reckoning. Brutal, dark and aggressive at its core, the record is equally intended as a sanctuary, a place to release anger, sit with sadness or simply feel less alone.
The album marks the band’s first release with Seek & Strike, following years of self-releasing their music. On signing to the label, Survivalist commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to sign to Seek and Strike. We’ve always wanted to do this properly and take it as far as we can go, not just for ourselves, but to help shine a light on the heavy and alternative scene in Ireland, which we feel deserves far more recognition. After self-releasing all of our music, we knew the next step was finding the right partner. A label that genuinely believed in our vision. From the very first conversation, it was clear that Seek and Strike were exactly that. Being a part of a label that’s helped grow bands we listen to is incredibly motivating and it truly feels like a mutual partnership. We couldn’t be happier to be part of the Seek and Strike family.”
Survivalist first made their mark with their 2021 debut VII, a release praised for its intensity, introspective lyricism and modern yet familiar approach to heavy music. The album has surpassed 100,000 streams and earned widespread critical acclaim.
On the live front, the band have steadily built momentum, sharing stages with Thy Art Is Murder, Chelsea Grin, Polaris, Suffocation, Atreyu, Kublai Khan, Party Cannon, Heriot and Distant, among others. Their rising profile has also seen them appear on Channel 5 in prime-time television, interviewed by Gaby Roslin and Ortis Deley.Following a recent tour with Thy Art Is Murder,Survivalist unveiled a run of singles from A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone, including ‘Deathbed‘ featuring Alex Koehler (ex-Chelsea Grin / Ameonna), ‘Radio Bleed‘ and ‘Failure Of Being‘ featuring producer Josh Sid Robinson. The album also features a guest appearance from Kid Bookie on track ‘Speak Up (Louder)’.
At their core, Survivalist are about connection, community and survival. Through A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone, they deliver a record that is as uncompromising as it is human, a powerful body of work from a band rapidly cementing their position as one of the most compelling heavy acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years.
Survivalist and Existentialist join forces for The Intimidation Across The Isles tour in spring 2026. The run will see the bands cross the UK and Ireland, joined by close friends Suffer on all dates, with death metal legends Foetal Juice appearing in Belfast and Dublin. These shows mark Survivalist’s only Irish headline performances of 2026, with more announcements and surprises still to come.
Tour Dates: 27.03.26 – The Flapper, Birmingham 28.03.26 – Green Rooms, Treforest 29.03.26 – Grand Central, Manchester 03.04.26 – Limelight, Belfast 04.04.26 – The Sound House, Dublin 05.04.26 – The Siege of Limerick, Limerick
Survivalist are: Gavin Sharp (vocals) Nick Butcher (guitars) Lee Shaw (bass) Rhys Fraser (drums)
With the critically-acclaimed release of Behind The Eclipse, Norwegian progressive metal band COURSE OF FATE present their third studio album, available now via ROAR – A Division Of Reigning Phoenix Music.
The album takes listeners on a captivating journey through dark soundscapes and melodic, atmospheric moments, reflecting themes of contrast, conflict and clarity. Behind The Eclipse represents a defining chapter in the band’s career and their most mature release to date.
Following their concept album Mindweaver (2020) – hailed alongside classics like Operation: Mindcrime, Scenes from a Memory, and The Wall – and their powerful sophomore effort Somnium (2023), COURSE OF FATE return with their most dynamic and heavy material yet.
Behind The Eclipse presents a diverse collection of songs where light and darkness intertwine, both musically and lyrically. Though not a concept album, each track connects through this theme, showcasing the band’s signature mix of melodic depth, progressive sophistication, and emotional weight!
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 ) 