Big Big Train, the award-winning, international progressive rock band, will issue their 16th studio album, Woodcut, via InsideOutMusic on February 6th, 2026. Woodcut marks their first ever full-length conceptual piece, a continuous narrative exploring creativity, sacrifice and the thin line between inspiration and madness.
Now, they release “Counting Stars,” the third and final single from the album, a track co-written by lead vocalist – and ‘Woodcut’ producer – Alberto Bravin and bassist Gregory Spawton.
Watch the video for “Counting Stars,” once again created by Crystal Spotlight:
For over a decade, NMB has stood as one of progressive rock’s most enduring and unified collectives. With their latest studio album L.I.F.T., set for release on February 27th, 2026, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer, and Randy George return with a work that embodies vision, passion and inspiration . Written and recorded during a period of major transition, L.I.F.T. captures the band’s creative chemistry at its most instinctive and inspired.
Dream Theater are starting up their “Lost Not Forgotten Archives” series again with Live In Tokyo, 2010 scheduled for release on March 13th. The latest live release from the band comprised of James LaBrie, John Petrucci, John Myung, Jordan Rudess, and Mike Portnoy documents their performance from Summer Sonic Festival from Tokyo, Japan in 2010. That performance would end up being founding drummer Mike Portnoy’s last performance with the band until he returned in 2023.
The 6-track release captures some of the band’s most-notable classics in one live performance. Live In Tokyo, 2010 is available in numerous configurations including a special edition CD Digipak, gatefold white 180g 2LP, Ltd gatefold white-lilac marble 180g 2LP, Ltd Gatefold Fig Cream 180g 2LP and as a digital album.
Pre-order “Lost Not Forgotten Archives” Live In Tokyo, 2010 here.
Frontiers Music Srl is proud to announce the upcoming release of JARED JAMES NICHOLS’ fourth studio album, ‘Louder Than Fate.’ Due out on June 5, 2026, this new album is easily the guitarist, singer, and songwriter’s most powerful and fully realized statement to date.
Raw, unapologetic, and deeply rooted in the lineage of blues-driven hard rock, the album captures an artist at the peak of his creative confidence, channeling grit, groove, and soul with relentless intensity.
NICHOLS had this to say about ‘Louder Than Fate’:
“I’m beyond excited for this record. I’ve been counting down the days until its release like it’s a personal holiday. If the singles are any hint for you, there are plenty of riffs ripping through the speakers like a buzz saw. But going deeper into the record, there are tons of different emotions and sounds that I have yet to explore as a singer/songwriter. I am personally thrilled to share different shades of myself on this record, giving so much more depth and insight to the listener. Get ready for ‘Louder than Fate’. “
To celebrate the album’s announcement, JJN is sharing the latest single, “Pretend,” alongside a new music video, available to view below. About the track, he comments:
“‘Pretend’ hits like a live wire – gritty, pumping drums and guitar chugs that scream on the edge of chaos. Sometimes a relationship is all smoke, no fire; it’s just a borrowed desire.”
Produced and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour, Amon Amarth, Skindred, and Steel Panther) with additional production by Roger Alan Nichols (Larkin Poe, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown and Hayley Williams of Paramore), ‘Louder Than Fate’ balances muscle and melody, combining thunderous riffs, searing solos, and emotionally charged vocals with a modern, punchy production. The songs move effortlessly between hard-hitting rock anthems and more reflective, dynamic moments, showcasing NICHOLS’ ability to fuse classic influences with a contemporary edge. Tracks like “Bending or Breaking” and “Killing Time” expand the sonic palette with subtle keyboards and cinematic string arrangements, adding depth without ever sacrificing power.
Since his breakout debut, JARED JAMES NICHOLS has built a reputation as one of the most electrifying guitarists and performers of his generation. Known for his unmistakable tone, fearless playing style, and commanding stage presence, he has toured extensively across the US and Europe, sharing stages with some of the biggest names in rock and earning praise from fans and critics alike.
‘Louder Than Fate’ is not just an album — it’s a declaration. A record that speaks to resilience, conviction, and the unstoppable force of an artist who plays every note as if it truly matters. Loud, honest, and deeply human, this is JARED JAMES NICHOLS at his absolute best.
‘Louder Than Fate’ Track List: 1. Let’s Go 2. Ghost 3. Way Back 4. Bending Or Breaking 5. Killing Time * 6. Dust N’ Bones 7. Show Me * 8. Looks Like That Felt Good * 9. Runnin’ Hot 10. Pretend
Killing Time (acoustic version) Bonus Track Japan The Death Of Love (bonus track Digital)
Produced & Mixed by Jay Ruston Except * Produced & Mixed by Roger Alan Nichols
Upcoming Live Appearance: Saturday, Jan 24, 2pm – Anaheim, CA @ The NAMM Show / Blackstar Amplification
Swedish progressive metal legends OPETH return with a powerful new performance video for “§7,” a key track from their critically acclaimed album “The Last Will and Testament.”
The video captures the band in raw, commanding form, spotlighting the precision, atmosphere, and emotional weight that define OPETH at this stage of their career. Focused and unembellished, the performance highlights the band’s musical chemistry and the intensity at the heart of the track.
The release arrives ahead of OPETH’s upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off in two weeks and will see the band bringing the music of “The Last Will and Testament” to stages across the country alongside fan favorites from their storied catalog.
Mikael Åkerfeldt comments: “That track was scary to play live at first. Most of our songs are challenging, I suppose, and this one is no exception. I believe we all love playing this one. There are a myriad of details that could go wrong though, but it’s fun. It keeps you on your toes. And of course, then there’s Ian Anderson’s narrations, which is the only thing in our set that isn’t ”live”. Since we don’t play to a click-track, it’s dragging or pushing depending on the tempo of the evening. Again, it’s fun and I love the unforeseeable character of this song in a live setting. That’s a bit odd since I normally want to feel completely secure and really know what I’m doing. I generally don’t like surprises on stage.”
“§7” serves as a pivotal moment within the album’s broader narrative, which has been widely praised for its cinematic flow, depth, and fearless exploration of light and shade. By stripping the song back to its essence, the new video reinforces OPETH’s ability to balance technical mastery with emotional resonance – a duality Mikael Åkerfeldt has often highlighted in the band’s work.
Following the U.S. run, OPETH will also perform select dates across Europe later this year.
Fans old and new are encouraged to revisit the album in full, streaming “§7” alongside its other chapters to experience the complete arc as intended. From its haunting opening moments to its powerful conclusion, the record rewards deep listening.
5 Feb. US Montclair, The Wellmont Theater – Low Tickets 6 Feb. US Boston, Orpheum Theater – Low Tickets 7 Feb. US Philadelphia, The Filmore Philadelphia – SOLD OUT 10 Feb. US Detroit, Masonic Temple Theater 11 Feb. US Chicago, Riviera Theater 12 Feb. US St. Louis, The Pageant – Low Tickets 14 Feb. US Dallas, The Bomb Factory 15 Feb. US Houston, Bayou Music Center 16 Feb. US San Antonio, Majestic Theater 18 Feb. US Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Center 20 Feb. US Las Vegas, Pearl Concert Theater At Palms 21 Feb. US Riverside, Riverside Municipal Auditorium – Low Tickets 22 Feb. US Sacramento, Channel 24 24 Feb. US Seattle, Paramount Theater – Low Tickets 25 Feb. CA Vancouver, Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
LIVE DATES EUROPE 2026 1 Jun. ES Zamora, Z Live Rock Fest 19 Jun. FR Clisson, Hellfest 10 Jul. IT Pompei, Amphitheatre Of Pompeii – SOLD OUT 11 Jul. IT Bologna, Sequoie Music Park 30 Jul. BE Antwerp, OLT Rivierenhof 1 Aug. UK Halifax, The Piece Hall 2 Aug. IR Dublin, Bord Gáis Energy Theater – Low Tickets 5 Aug. NL Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg – Low Tickets 7 Aug. DE Gelsenkirchen, Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen 8 Aug. FI Helsinki, Hellsinki Metal Festival 29 Aug.SE Rättvik, Dalhalla – Low Tickets
Alkaloid know no bounds. Since joining forces in 2013, the supergroup has rearranged the very composition of progressive death metal. But upon returning to the stage last summer, Morean, Hannes Grossman, Linus Klausenitzer, Justin Hombach and Max Blok proved once and for all why they are metal’s maddest scientists. Their new live album, Bach Out of Bounds, is a genre-defying experiment that only true maestros can perform.
“Alkaloid don’t just bend genre boundaries”, Metal Lair writes about Bach Out of Bounds in a 4.5/5 review, “they erase the chalk lines entirely”.
Bach Out of Bounds was released yesterday, Friday, January 23, and you can hear the all eight explosive compositions by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
“The audience who came and saw these performances went crazy for it”, Morean remembers. “I’m so happy that we can now share them with people everywhere. People aren’t going to know what hit them. Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands – or even Alkaloid – normally do”.
Recorded live in the Netherlands, Bach Out of Bounds brings the revered composer in conversation with the heaviest of underground arts. Across three separate performances – at the Bachfestival in Dordrecht, Paard van Troje in The Hague and on November Music in Den Bosch – Alkaloid present three faithful renditions of Bach classics alongside an award-winning ensemble. Heavenly vocals grace sacred aria “Agnus Dei”. Even the hellacious guitar solo on “Allegro” achieves perfect harmony with softly shredding strings.
Of course, being metal’s mad scientists, Alkaloid also unveil some fresh creations by re-imagining songs from their own acclaimed catalogue in Bach’s image. As if summoned by a siren’s call, “Beneath the Sea” is revealed as a speaker-shaking precursor to the band’s monster hit “Cthulhu”. New song “Haunter of the Void” goes where no metalhead has gone before: following a digitized brain into deep space’s crushing void. “These will change everything”, Morean growls as “The Fungi from Yuggoth” spawns into a headbanging symphonic mutation.
With Bach Out of Bounds, Alkaloid deliver a classically innovative performance as only true maestros can.
Tracklist
1. Allegro (BWV 1052-I) (8:28) 2. Adagio – All Is Vanity (BWV 1052-II) (6:56) 3. Beneath the Sea (7:26) 4. Cthulhu (6:00) 5. Haunter of the Void (10:11) [WATCH] 6. A Fool’s Desire (8:55) 7. Agnus Dei (BWV 232) (6:25) [WATCH] 8. The Fungi From Yuggoth (7:47) [WATCH] Full runtime: 1:02:10
ALKALOID know no bounds. Morean, Hannes Grossmann, Linus Klausenitzer and Christian Münzner had already defied the laws of the metalverse as members of Obscura, Triptykon and Dark Fortress, but since banding together as a supergroup in 2013, they have rearranged the very composition of progressive death metal. Their three studio albums fuse everything from worldly polyrhythms and sci-fi concepts to monstrous growls, brutally technical riffs and infectious choruses.
“German collective Alkaloid bucks the trend often associated with bands fitted with the ‘supergroup’ tag”, Angry Metal Guy wrote in praise of their last LP Numen. “Alkaloid established a unique sound from the onset, their cosmic, science fiction-infused technical and progressive death metal formula featuring a futuristic, otherworldly vibe and melodic, experimental flair”.
Despite their already impressive discography, during the summer of 2024, Alkaloid conducted a boundary-pushing performance that, once and for all, proved their alchemical mastery. With their new live album Bach Out of Bounds, the band build fascinating parallels between their unmatched compositions and revered composer Johann Sebastien Bach. Joined by an award-winning ensemble of vocalists, accordion and string players, the metal maestros prove that Bach’s music is as relevant today as it’s always been by projecting his Baroque style through a lens that’s radically different – and way heavier.
Bach Out of Bounds brings three of the composer’s classics in conversation with the underground arts. “I didn’t change any notes of Bach’s scores”, Morean says, “but I took maximum liberty in how I arranged them”. Sacred aria “Agnus Dei” is performed faithfully, graced by sopranos Rianne Wilbers and Chrysa Tsaltampasi. Of course, as metal’s mad scientists, Alkaloid inject plenty of their own virtuoso. The band’s new guitarists Max Blok and Justin Hombach shred harmoniously with violinists Julija Hartig and Oene van Geel through the monumental “Allegro”. Marieke Hopman’s mourning accordion lights the way during the slow and sorrowful procession of “Adagio – All Is Vanity”.
“The original ‘Adagio’ is super quiet and very slow. It’s a piece with just a few notes. What I did is the opposite of that”, Morean says with a pleased grin. “Our version turns it into a heavy doom metal song”.
In a feat of reverse engineering, Bach Out of Bounds also transfuses the soul of Bach into Alkaloid’s own creations. “The idea behind this performance wasn’t necessarily for us to try and write a Bach song”, Morean explains. “We wanted to use Bach’s techniques to write an Alkaloid song”. The album includes extended renditions of recent fan favorites in “A Fool’s Desire” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth”, not to mention two brand new songs. As if summoned by a siren’s call, “Beneath the Sea” reveals itself as a speaker-shaking precursor to the band’s monster hit “Cthulhu”. Whereas “Haunter of the Void” goes where no metalhead has gone before. Commissioned by the Dutch Performing Arts Fund (FPK) and written especially for this performance, the 10-minute epic follows a severed, digitized brain that’s been shot into space from a long-dead Earth. Amidst a crushing cosmic void, this spec of hope clings to life, creating a new habitat one riff at a time.
“Cell by cell starts to unfurl / And I come into my own”, Morean growls as their fresh tale swirls into a headbanging symphony.
Alkaloid performed Bach Out of Bounds during three separate shows in the Netherlands – at the Bachfestival in Dordrecht, Paard van Troject in The Hague and on November Music in Den Bosch. The performances drew people from around the world along with interest from Dutch national radio and TV. Now, fans everywhere can experience this truly one-of-a-kind performance on limited-edition CD and vinyl.
“The audience who came and saw these performances went crazy for it”, Morean remembers. “I’m so happy that we can now share them with people everywhere. People aren’t going to know what hit them. Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands – or even Alkaloid – normally do”.
With Bach Out of Bounds, Alkaloid deliver a classically innovative performance as only a true maestro can.
Recording Credits: Recorded live in The Netherlands at Bibelot (Dordrecht) & Paard van Troje (The Hague). Front of house engineer: Laurens Voois
Production Credits: Produced by Alkaloid. Mixed by Hannes Grossman at Mordor Sounds, Germany. Mastered by Victor Bullok at Woodshed Studio, Germany.
Songwriting Credits: Music for “Allegro”, “Adagio – All Is Vanity” and “Agnus Dei” written by Johann Sebastian Bach. Music for “Cthulhu” written by Morean and Hannes Grossman. Music for “Beneath the Sea” and “Haunter of the Void” written by Morean. Music for “A Fool’s Desire” written by Hannes Grossman. Music for “The Fungi from Yuggoth” written by Christian Münzner. Lyrics to “Adagio – All Is Vanity” based on “Es ist alles eitel” by Andreas Gryphius and adapted by Morean. Lyrics to “Agnus Dei” taken from John 1:29. Lyrics to “Beneath the Sea”, “Cthulhu”, “Haunter of the Void”, “A Fool’s Desire” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth” written by Morean.
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 ) 