California’s hardcore heavyweights Lionheart push their current reign even further and now unleash their brand-new single ‘Salt The Earth’, now streaming everywhere. Building on the massive momentum of their recent run – from the comeback strike ‘Bulletproof,’ through the pit-igniting ‘Roll Call,’ the explosive ‘Death Grip’ featuring Kevin Skaff of A Day To Remember, and last week’s powerful title track ‘Valley Of Death II’ – the Oakland kings make it unmistakably clear that this new era is firing on all cylinders.
With ‘Salt The Earth,’ Lionheart deliver another uncompromising statement, driven by crushing grooves, merciless riffs, and commanding gang shouts that hit with absolute authority. The new single perfectly continues the band’s unstoppable streak and underlines why the response to their recent releases has been nothing short of overwhelming. One track after another, Lionheart prove that they have fully reclaimed their position at the top of modern hardcore.
With pre-orders for the new album already in full swing, Lionheart continue their unstoppable run toward the release of Valley Of Death II, set to drop on 9th January 2026 via Arising Empire. The record marks the long-awaited sequel to their 2019 fan-favourite and promises a darker, more aggressive, and uncompromising chapter in the band’s career.
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.
German metalcore force Doomcrusher continue their rapid ascent with the release of their brand-new single ‘Odyssey.’ Forged in an atmosphere shaped by uncertainty and upheaval, the project was created with a clear purpose: to push against stagnation and channel heaviness into something powerful, focused, and forward-moving.
Founded by Andy Posdziech (Any Given Day) alongside Jean Bormann (Rage), Marv Kinkel, and Rob Lee, Doomcrusher combine stomping, heavy mid-tempo industrial riffs with uncompromising guttural vocals that resolve into expansive, uplifting hooks. Layered electronic elements add depth and tension, creating a modern metalcore sound that feels both massive and controlled while staying firmly rooted in metal’s foundations.
With ‘Odyssey,’ Doomcrusher take their next decisive step, expanding their sonic scope while maintaining the crushing intensity that has defined the project from the start. Following the strong response to their first releases ‘Breakout,’ ‘Reflect,’ and ‘Adrenaline’ featuring Any Given Day, the band have already surpassed 1.2 million streams worldwide with only three singles – a remarkable foundation for a project still in its early stages.
Driven by a clear artistic vision and an uncompromising approach, Doomcrusher are not simply adding another chapter to their story with ‘Odyssey’ – they are continuing a deliberate exploration of modern heavy music, proving that intensity, atmosphere, and ambition can coexist at full force.
Wanikiya Record/Promotion is pleased to announce the official addition of the rock band Uraiha to its roster. Since 2018, the project has been leaving a significant mark on the Italian alternative music scene.
Founded by Adriano Di Feo (vocals and guitar) and Fabrizio Cammarano (rhythm guitar), Uraiha quickly defined their distinctive sound with the arrival of Edoardo Di Vietri (lead guitar), who reworked the demos and handled all the arrangements for the upcoming album. The lineup is completed by Francesca Tangredi (bass), part of the project since its inception, and Mike Rosa (drums), the latest addition and the band’s rhythmic backbone.
Line-up: Adriano Di Feo – Vocals & Guitar Fabrizio Cammarano – Rhythm Guitar Edoardo Di Vietri – Lead Guitar Francesca Tangredi – Bass Mike Rosa – Drums
Musical Style Uraiha deliver a powerful and melodic rock sound, where the personal experiences of each member merge into a unique blend of energy and experimentation.
Selected Discography: –No More Crowns (single, 2018) – a sonic manifesto marking the beginning of the project –Album in progress (forthcoming; recording sessions currently taking place at Hexagonlab Recording Studio)
Goals With the new album, Uraiha aim to reach a wider audience, taking their mix of alternative rock and experimentation beyond local boundaries and further consolidating their presence on the music scene.
Live Experience The band has played numerous shows across Southern Italy and recently completed a mini-tour in Germany (November 2024). Upcoming live dates:
December 25, 2025 – Rock Bar, CasalVelino (SA) January 2, 2026 – Melting Pot, Licusati (SA)
Wanikiya Record/Promotion is proud to support Uraiha in this new chapter of their career and invites fans and industry professionals alike to closely follow their next steps and official releases.
Finnish metal icons AMORPHIS present “Crowned In Crimson”, a powerful and emotionally charged new single, which also serves as the main theme song for the upcoming action feature Son of Revenge – The Story of Kalevala, premiering in Finland on January 16, 2026.
A striking father–daughter vocal collaboration between Amorphis frontman Tomi Joutsen and his daughter Iida, “Crowned In Crimson” presents the band at their most cinematic. The track’s sweeping dynamics and melodic depth echo the sonic identity of Amorphis’ massively successful 2025 studio album “Borderland“, while introducing a new layer of intimate storytelling that fits seamlessly into the band’s unmistakable sound world. The lyrics, penned by long-time collaborator Pekka Kainulainen, bring the tragic hero Kullervo to life with vivid emotion and mythic weight.
For decades, Amorphis’ music has breathed new life into the ancient stories of the Kalevala for fans around the world and now, with Son of Revenge – The Story of Kalevala, audiences will finally see those mythic visions brought to life on the big screen.
Songwriter and guitarist Esa Holopainen comments:
“Director Antti Jokinen got in touch with us and briefly told us about his ambitious film project. We arranged a meeting with him, during which we were able to see visual material from the film and go through the script. Antti hoped that Amorphis would create the film’s theme song — a project we agreed to immediately.”
Director Antti Jokinen comments:
„Amorphis’ music feels like strength wrapped in beauty – heavy enough to shake the landscape, yet poetic. Their music really lifts my spirit into the world of Kalevala myths and its characters. Exactly what I was looking for, when thinking about the theme song for my film. I’m very pleased they agreed to do it.“
With its haunting vocal interplay, soaring melodies, and unmistakable Amorphis atmosphere, “Crowned In Crimson” stands as a monumental addition to the band’s catalogue and a compelling preview of the cinematic world of Son of Revenge – The Story of Kalevala.
Son of Revenge – The Story of Kalevala is an upcoming Finnish historical fantasy film directed by Antti Jokinen and written by Jokinen and Jorma Tommila. Based on the Finnish epic poetry The Kalevala, the film tells the story of Kullervo, a tragic anti-hero marked by vengeance, sorrow, and supernatural power, with Elias Salonen in the title role. Set in 12th century North Karelia and primarily filmed in Nurmes, the film premieres on January 16, 2026.
See the movie trailer here:
About AMORPHIS
With “Borderland,” released in September 2025 as their latest album, the title couldn’t have been chosen more fittingly.Throughout their career, spanning over more than three decades, AMORPHIS have been an ever-evolving act, wandering on an exciting boundary-pushing path. From their sinister death metal debut “Karelian Isthmus” over genre-defining mid-90s melodic death works like “Tales From The Thousand Lakes”and “Elegy” as well as the melodic 2000’s grandeur of “Eclipse” or “Skyforger” to records combining the very best of all prior eras to refreshing new soundscapes (f.e. “Under The Red Cloud” or “Queen Of Time”): Whatever this group works on promises long-range success. With 2022’s “Halo,” the Finn’s were rewarded for their researching musical approach once again the sextet took home two awards from the prestigious Emma Gaala (“Band of the Year” & “Export of the Year”). The impact of “Halo” became a driving force for what’s to come. Rather than rushing into a follow-up, the band chose to step back from live performances and focus fully on their next chapter. The result is “Borderland” – a meticulously crafted opus that builds on their celebrated recent era, while seamlessly weaving in new, timely elements. It’s a bold, organic continuation of their journey, shaped by experience and guided by vision.
AMORPHIS are: Tomi Joutsen | vocals Esa Holopainen | guitars Tomi Koivusaari | guitars Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine | bass Santeri Kallio | keys Jan Rechberger | drums & percussion
Just before Christmas, Austrian thrash/death metallers Darkfall are turning things up one more time! Although plans for an upcoming new album are already quite advanced, the band decided to send out a loud sign of life before the year ends.
Today they release “Only Death Is Real”, a previously unreleased track, as a digital single accompanied by a lyric video on YouTube – giving fans something heavy to bridge the wait for the next album. Check it out!
French dark and melodic heavy metal band The Losts, formed in 2010, released their third studio album ‘Venom Within via Finnish record label Inverse Records on December 19th 2025.
About Venom Within: DGC: “With this new record, we wanted to recapture the extreme edge and darkness that Phil Reinhalter (PUTRID OFFAL, MERCYLESS, NOISE EMISSION CONTROL, …) had brought to Mystery of Depths. We also wanted to push the boundaries of production further. Working with Phil again was an obvious choice—we gave him more freedom to push us to our limits. It was a tough ride, but we’re really proud of the outcome.”
PPG:“This album gave me the chance to bring in my groovy vision of the bass. On the last record, I had just joined the band and the production was already far along, so I couldn’t really express myself freely. Here, thanks to Phil’s work, the bass stands out and adds a unique soul to the songs.”
YGC:“The Losts has always been a playground for the diversity of our tastes and personalities. But with Venom Within, we’ve delivered our most collective work so far—a true statement of music with many faces, forged together into one vision.”
JCR :“The artwork for this new album is the remarkable creation of independent artist Alec Vladski. Together, we envisioned it as a kind of ‘cabinet of curiosities.’ Since the concept of The Losts ultimately questions the very notion of existence, what better way to illustrate it than through the struggle for survival—at every scale of life?”
Track list:
A Dark Place To Hide
Black Out Days
Back To Never
Magical Idea
Mellem Verdenerne
Muspellsheim Ascent
Exponential Law
The Headless Cross Reloaded
Here Comes Tragedy (feat. Valérie Penumbra)
Into The Unknown…
The Whisperers
Music by The Losts, Concept & lyrics by YGC, arrangements by The Losts & Phil Reinhalter
Indian percussion and beats on “Mellem Verdenerne” by OfRo and Piano by Gabrielle Bonenfant
Vocals on “Here Comes Tragedy” by Valérie Chantraine (Penumbra)
Illustrations and booklet by Alek Vladski
Drums and bass recorded by Phil Reinhalter at Psykron Studio – WaveLight Factory
Guitars, acoustic instruments and vocals recorded by The Losts at Lambs Studio
Editing, mixing and production by Phil Reinhalter at Psykron Studio – WaveLight Factory
Mastering by Mobo at Conkrete Studio
Reproduction, promotion and distribution by Inverse Records
THE LOSTS is a Dark & Melodic Heavy Metal band from the North of France, touring since 2010 in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It has shared stages with bands such as SERENITY (Austria), DIRTY SHIRT (Romania), ZORNHEYM (Sweden), LONEWOLF (France), WIZARD (Germany), KING HEAVY (Chile), CAPILLA ARDIENTE (Chile), DRAKKAR (Belgium), FIREFORCE (Belgium), DOOMOCRACY (Greece), LOUDBLAST (France), and many more.
The music of THE LOSTS, always led by a melodic side, reflects the tastes of each member. Thus, Hard, Dark, Black, Doom, Thrash, Oriental, even Rock, enrich the Heavy Metal which represents the roots of the band. The band cites MEGADETH as well as ARCTURUS, MERCYFUL FATE, JINJER, THERION or even IMMORTAL for major influences.
All the lyrics and designs are linked by the same concept: the mythology of the “Losts”, a fictional story and a pretext to portray a satire of our societies. Born from nowhere and driven by a thirst for humanity, these characters draw closer to human civilizations. As their story unfolds through the songs, they embody and then question the essence of human nature, its power, and the meaning of existence.
Formed by DGC (guitars), JCR (drums), YGC (vocals/guitars) and GGV (bass), this line-up released its first self-produced EP, “No God, No Devil”, in 2013. This EP received a warm welcome from the musical media (reviews in Metallian and Rock Hard France for example). In 2016, its debut full-length album “…Of Shades & Deadlands” was released in partnership with Ellie Promotion. The artwork was designed by the renowned Stan W. Decker. Thanks to sales and media coverage, the album reached audiences beyond Europe, gaining traction in Asia and South America, with enthusiastic feedback from both the press and fans.
In 2020, during the recording of the second album, GGV left the band. This marked the first lineup change, welcoming PPG on bass — a new member who brought fresh energy and direction to the band. This new formation completed “Mystery Of Depths”, produced by Phil Reinhalter at WaveLight Studio (PUTRID OFFAL, MERCYLESS, NOISE EMISSION CONTROL, HYLDR…) and mastered by Frédéric Motte at Conkrete Studio (LOUDBLAST, ETHS, GOROD, TGOO,…). The cover art was created by American artist Chadwick St John, known for his work with DARKTHRONE. Released in 2021 in collaboration with Ellie Promotion and distributed by Season of Mist, the album received critical acclaim and was included in several “Best of 2021” lists across the international metal press. The band has also appeared on numerous compilations (Howl, Pavillon 666 sampler, Ultraje Portugal sampler, French Metal, etc.).
“Venom Within”, the third album, is once again mixed and mastered by the duo Phil Reinhalter and Frédéric Motte. The 11 new tracks continue the musical exploration that defines THE LOSTS, pushing boundaries while offering a wide playing field where a multitude of vocal “characters” come to life. Released under Inverse Records, the Finnish label that has placed its trust in the band, this new creation is eager to claim its place in today’s musical landscape.
Line-up: DGC – Lead & rhythm guitars, thrash & backing vocals JCR – Drums, extreme & backing vocals PPG – Bass guitars, backing vocals YGC – Lead & backing vocals, lead & rhythm guitars
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 ) 