‘Death Grip’ is the latest hammer blow from Oakland’s hardcore juggernaut Lionheart, taken from their upcoming album Valley of Death II. Powered by crushing intensity, massive grooves, and a standout guest feature from Kevin Skaff from A Day To Remember the track delivers everything fans expect. Heavy riffs, riot-ready shouts, and that unmistakable street-born edge. Lyrically, it dives into the fear of death, the collapse of faith, and the struggle to keep going when hope feels out of reach.
Following their official re-signing with Arising Empire, Lionheart are charging headfirst into the next chapter of their career. Their new album Valley of Death II, the long-awaited sequel to their 2019 release, is set to drop on 9th January 2026 via Arising Empire and promises to be darker, heavier, and more relentless than ever before.
To complete this massive new era, Lionheart will return to Europe in January 2026 for a huge headline tour, joined by Madball, Gideon, and Slope. With “’Bulletproof’ igniting the start and ‘Roll Call’ now following immediately, Lionheart make one thing crystal clear: this next chapter is already in full attack mode.
Swiss metalcore force Vicious Rain return with full intensity on their brand-new single ‘Silent Therapy’, marking the powerful next step toward their upcoming album The Anatomy of Surviving, set for release on 13th March 2026 via Arising Empire.
Following the massive momentum of their previous singles ‘IKIGAI’ and ‘Spitting Blood Again’, both of which firmly established the band as one of Europe’s most exciting modern heavy acts, Vicious Rain now dive even deeper.
With the release of ‘Silent Therapy’, Vicious Rain officially launch the pre-orders for their highly anticipated new album The Anatomy of Surviving. The record promises to be their most personal and dynamic work to date, capturing the struggle, resilience, and emotional weight that define both the band and their growing international fanbase.
From the spiritual drive of ‘IKIGAI’ to the ferocious outburst of ‘Spitting Blood Again’ and now the haunting depth of ‘Silent Therapy’, Vicious Rain continue to sharpen their identity — uncompromising, emotional, and built to endure.
International power metal band Asterise is set to release new EP ‘Twilight Opera’ on January 16th 2026. An eponymous single ‘Twilight Opera’ is released today and it’s available on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/asterise-twilight-opera-single
Bartlomiej Mezynski comments: “With this EP, I wanted to experiment with the old-school side of rock and power metal — to capture that classic spirit but make it sound fresh and relevant today. These songs didn’t quite fit the direction of our upcoming full-length release, but I couldn’t imagine leaving them unreleased. Each track explores a slightly different style, ranging from a more rock-oriented vibe to a storytelling power metal song, highlighting the diversity of this release.
The 25-minute material represents a more experimental side of Asterise while keeping the heart and energy of true power metal. As always, the vocal performances from all singers are outstanding and bring each track to life in a unique way.”
Track list:
Twilight Opera (07:48)
Eclipse (05:22)
Hope (04:39)
On My Way to Heaven (06:58)
–Composed & lyrics by Bartlomiej Mezynski –Mixed & mastered by Ronny Milianowicz –EP cover by Dream Visual Productions
Line-up on album: Guitars & Bass – Bartlomiej Mezynski Keyboards – Ariel Perchuk Drums – Slawomir Siwak Vocals – Mike Livas, Arnaud Menard, Luigi Soranno, Sozos Michael Guest Violin solo – Małgorzata Kilar
Since 2005, the German MY DOMINION has been continuously honing its apocalyptic soundtrack for that part of humanity that seemingly cannot drag itself into its own abyss fast and deep enough.
Musically, the Essen-based band led by growl monster Martin has continued to evolve. While cleanly sung choruses dominated the melodic Death Metal songs on their first album, this stylistic device is no longer to be found on the new album.
Nevertheless, the four musicians still place great emphasis on melody, groove, and catchiness in the ten new songs. Four songs that had already been released as singles in recent years were reworked, remixed, and remastered for this album.
The first single—the title track—was released on Oct. 31, along with a music video.
Band statement on the new release:
Just in time for the band’s 20th anniversary, we are releasing our long-awaited second album. The record is called EXTINCTION and takes a pessimistic look at the current state of the world.
Songs such as “Desolation,” “Riot!,” “Bastards,” “Destroy The Old World Order,” and the title track “Extinction” deal with dystopias, escapism, disinformation, and inhumane turbo-capitalism.
We don’t see ourselves as preachers with a raised index finger, but rather as observers of the seemingly inevitable downfall of human civilization.
While the first album, CONSUMED, depicts a dark science fiction setting including an alien invasion, the second LP is about reality, which seems to have already caught up with some pessimistic science fiction from the past.
After more than 20 years of silence, the legendary German rock icon PHANTOMS OF FUTURE rise again with their new album Forever Dark, out today via Massacre Records. Fresh, emotional and unpredictably vibrant, the Phantoms return with a renewed artistic fire and celebrate the release with the brand-new music video for “Spirit Of Love”, one of the album’s most captivating and dream-laden tracks.
Tracked and mixed at Soundlodge Studio in Rhauderfehn with producer/engineer Jörg Uken, and co-produced by Smith, Forever Dark tempers menace with melody and grit with cinematic sweep. Across thirteen songs, PHANTOMS OF FUTURE fold cold-glow electronics into taut rock architecture, letting texture do as much storytelling as the lyrics. The visual world, designed by Gee with layout by LividDeath, mirrors that mood: stark, luminous, and built for after-hours.
The studio lineup—Sir Hannes Smith on vocals, special instruments and lyrics; Olaf Oebels on keys, loops and samples; Peter “Pepe” Stein on bass; Viva on drums; and Anselm Tripptrap on guitars—records like a unit that has learned to leave air where the song needs to breathe, then hit with precision when the impact matters. An additional recording and mix for “I Don’t Believe You,” handled by Dieter Steffen and Olaf Oebels at Luna Tonstudio in Lüdinghausen, extends the album’s palette without breaking its atmosphere.
The release also marks a new chapter for a band with a singular history. Across the ’90s, PHANTOMS OF FUTURE built a reputation for immersive, magical-mystical shows, playing more than eight hundred gigs and sharing stages with Iggy Pop, The Stranglers, Sisters of Mercy, Sex Pistols, Cypress Hill, The Prodigy and others. They sent their track “SUN” into the German DAC Top 3 beside Metallica and Nirvana, contributed the first official Sea Shepherd soundtrack with “Sea Warrior,” and unsettled television waters with “Mary Jane.” After stepping out of the spotlight, they return not as a heritage act but as a creative force intent on pushing their myth forward.
“Some bands chase daylight,” Smith adds with a grin. “We’ve always preferred the hour when everything glows. That’s where these songs live. That’s where we live.”
PHANTOMS OF FUTURE are Sir Hannes Smith – Vocals, Special Instruments & lyrics Olaf Oebels – Keys, Loops and Samples Peter “Pepe” Stein – Bass Viva – Drums Anselm Tripptrap – Guitars
Following from the highly anticipated release of Angels Calling, Swedish born and LA based SOLENCE (@solenceofficial) are thrilled to announce a full EU/UK headline tour in the spring of 2026, with special guests: Dream State and Written By Wolves.
The extensive tour will span 23 dates and will mark the return of the band after their successful end of 2025 tour with NOTHING MORE. Kicking off from Helsinki SOLENCE will bring their unique soundscape and explosive live performances throughout iconic stages in Europe and the UK.
The band comments: “We’ve been on the road with NOTHING MORE over the last few weeks and the response has been amazing, so it felt natural that we get out there again and get the people what they want… more of THE SOLENCE EXPERIENCE! So get your tickets today, don’t miss out!!”
UK/EU tour dates are as follows:
Wed 8th Apr – Tavastia, Helsinki – FI* Fri 10th Apr – Fryshuset Klubben, Stockholm, SE* Sat 11th Apr – John Dee, Oslo, NO* Sun 12th Apr – Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, DK* Tue 14th Apr – Logo, Hamburg, DE Wed 15th Apr – LIDO, Berling, DE Fri 17th Apr – Proxima, Warsaw, PL Sat 18th Apr – Futurum Music Bar, Prague, CZ Sun 19th Apr – Analog, Budapest, HU Tue 21st Apr – Szene, Vienna, AT Wed 22nd Apr – Feierwerk, Munich, DE Fri 24th Apr – Luxor, Cologne, DE Sat 25th Apr – Im Wizemann, Stuttgart, DE Sun 26th Apr – DVG Club, Kortrijk, BE Tue 28th Apr – Fleece, Bristol, UK Thu 30th Apr – Cathouse, Glasgow, UK Fri 1st May – Academy 3, Manchester, UK Sat 2nd May – The Dome, London, UK Sun 3rd May – Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht, NL Tue 5th May – Bett, Frankfurt, DE Wed 6th May – Maroquinerie, Paris, FR Fri 8th May – Kiff, Aarau, CH° Sat 9th May – Pont Rouge, Monthey CH° *without Dream State °without Written By Wolves
Pre-sale: Monday, December 8th – 10:00 AM CET General on sale: Tuesday, December 9th – 10:00 AM CET Tickets will be available here
SOLENCE latest work Angels Calling fully showcases the band’s songwriting evolution towards a sonic dimension truly distinctive. SOLENCE skillfully blend electronic music with trailblazing Swedish metal, adding in pop and hip-hop flavors, in uplifting songs that possess a bold outlook on life, resulting in a sound that’s the aural equivalent of riding on the steepest and most winding rollercoaster ever. The album is available HERE.
Five singles have previously been from Angels Calling: · Angels Calling: Listen HERE and watch the video HERE. · Wish You The Worst: Listen HERE and watch the video HERE. · Dead_Alive: Listen HERE and the watch the lyric video HERE. · Where Were You..?: Listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE. · Monsters In My Head: Listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE.
ABOUT SOLENCE SOLENCE—frontman Markus Videsäter alongside guitarist David Strääf, keyboardist Johan Swärd, and drummer David “Viking” Vikingsson—return on Angels Calling with fresh visuals, a new look, and a retrofitted sound that combines the best of their past with a look into the future for both the group and the genre. “Our music is all about living in the moment and not taking anything for granted, and listening to angels that follow their every move,” Markus points out. “Our music is about making the most of life, relationships, and passion before heaven calls us home.”
Lauded as one of Pandora’s “Rising Rock Artists To Watch In 2023,” SOLENCE have, to date, garnered over 378 million cumulative streams with as many as 862k monthly Spotify listeners and over 100 million video views since their formation in 2012. The band started by releasing heavy renditions of well-known pop hits from the likes of Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, and Queen before breaking out with their 2019 debut album BROTHERS. It was quickly followed by their sophomore album, DIRECTION, which saw them achieve their first Active Rock radio charting with Animal In Me which became SiriusXM Octane’s most-played track in 2020. Octane’s Sr. Director, Music Programming Vincent Usuriello described SOLENCE’s sound as “a dynamic fusion of rock, metal, and pop elements, with powerful vocals, electrifying guitar riffs, and infectious melodies, creating an immersive sonic experience.” In 2021, SOLENCE released their third album, DEAFENING, which showed their range of inspirations from music to anime, gaming, sci-fi, and even philosophy and soon followed with their fourth album HOPE IS A CULT in 2023. Amidst writing new material for SOLENCE, Videsäter and Strääf have lent their songwriting skills to pop acts including Jason Derulo and Bebe Rexha.
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 