German hard rock pionieers MAD MAX celebrate the reissue of their iconic debut recordings today, marking the first step into a milestone year! With 2026 set to bring the band’s 45th anniversary, this release opens a new chapter that connects their early roots with the energy of today.
The EP In Concert (1981) and the groundbreaking full-length Heavy Metal (1982), both newly remastered by Rolf Munkes (Crematory, etc.) and available on CD, LP, and digital, are out now on ROAR – A Division Of Reigning Phoenix Music!
The Heavy Metalreissue also includes unreleased photo material, detailed liner notes, and exclusive insights into the band’s early days, along with a special MAD MAX comic drawn by the acclaimed Latin American artist Arturo Said.
Order this true gem, one that belongs into every well-sorted, high quality hard rock and metal record collection, now on https://madmax.rpm.link/heavymetalPR!
Looking ahead, 2026 will see the release of the new studio album Stories Of Destiny via ROAR. This monumental record resurrects extraordinary songs that had remained in the shadows for decades – now reimagined and brought to life by Breforth and the current line-up featuring new lead singer Alan Clark. Further album details and first singles will folllow soon.
Get ready for the ultimate MAD MAX experience: The legendaryHeavy Metalreissue celebrating its rebirth today, the much-awaited new studio offering Stories Of Destinyin 2026, and a busy live schedule. The legacy of MAD MAX continues – stronger than ever!
Last Friday, on November 28, 2025, the Redux Serries companion album “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux” hit stores worldwide. To celebrate the event, MARISSA NADLER‘s hypnotic contribution ‘The Great Below‘ is presented with a stunning music video created, directed and edited by the multi-talented artist for her NIN tribute song.
Parallelto the companion album “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux“, Magnetic Eye Records releases “The Downward Spiral Redux” today, which contains 14 cover renditions of the original album tracks in sequence, recorded by some of the most compelling artists in hard and heavy music.
Both tribute albums are availablefor purchase HERE
The official music video for MARISSA NADLER‘s breathtaking version of the NIN classic ‘The Great Below‘ is now available to watch here:
MARISSA NADLER comments on ‘The Great Below’: “Both Milky and I were immediately drawn to the song’s intimate darkness and atmosphere – elements that resonate deeply with our own work“, the singer-songwriter and fine artist writes. “In this version, we aimed to preserve the original’s haunting sense of isolation and shimmering despair. NINE INCH NAILS have an incredible ability to evoke emotion through restraint and texture, both in their records and in Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s recent film scores. The sense of suspense created by that restraint in ‘The Great Below’ was immensely compelling to us. I’ve always been drawn to the slowest, saddest corners of a record – the ones that can open up into new realms – and ‘The Great Below’ felt like one of those rare portals.“
Probably best know as a singer-songwriter, MARISSA NADLER released her critically acclaimed tenth studio full-length “New Radiations” in the summer of 2025. As a musician, the mezzo-sopranist is not easy to categorise as she seamlessly blends folk and country with elements of black and experimental metal. Yet MARISSA NADLER is not limited to music. Studying painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in illustration and a master’s degree in art education, and has explored artistic techniques such as painting, bookbinding, wood carving, and hot wax painting. And at least by now video art needs to be added this already impressive list.
Tracklist “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux”
SNAKEMOTHER ‘The Day the World Went Away / Sin’
BLUE HERON ‘Head Like a Hole’
GRAYCON ‘Right Where It Belongs’
THE OCEAN ‘Even Deeper’
EVI VINE ‘This Isn’t the Place’
NONEXISTENT NIGHT ‘The Perfect Drug’
THE MOTH GATHERER ‘The Hand That Feeds’
CHROME GHOST ‘Every Day Is Exactly the Same’
MARISSA NADLER ‘The Great Below’
BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE ‘Over & Out’
THOU ‘Suck’
ORBITER ‘Terrible Lie’
BLEAKHEART ‘Something I Could Never Have’
Stream “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux” in full here:
Enhance your Redux experience of Magnetic Eye Records and friends, who are respectfully paying homage to US-industrial rock legends NINE INCH NAILS and their 1994 milestone album “The Downward Spiral”, with the additional of even more spectacular deep cuts and classics offered on the companion album “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux”.
At this moment, the world’s reliance on machines, algorithms, and artificial intelligence has never been greater. This makes now the perfect time to reflect on the emergence of a musical force whose blend of mechanized instrumentation and raw emotion was singular and revolutionary.
NINE INCH NAILS were formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. They arrived around the same time as grunge when Generation X was developing an awareness of itself, but while there was cross-appeal, the sound they created was clearly and intentionally something very different.
The skepticism of that era came through in the music, with artists from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE to NIRVANA pushing back against what were acceptable words and actions in our society, and everything from the ideals of what major musicians should do with their fame to what people and corporations stood for were fair targets.
NINE INCH NAILS were at least twice as cynical as everyone else and reflected the singular, driven musical expression of mastermind Trent Reznor. The music he made as NIN has always ranged from infectious, furious, delicate, and sexual to transgressive, uplifting, cautionary, and hopeless. While Reznor did not always make broad, blunt statements about politics, materialism or repression (though he definitely did at times), there was a consistently restless quality to his music. His frustration at the veneer of normalcy and acceptability that characterized modern popular music was palpable, and he seemed to search endlessly for seams to peel back and rip loose to expose what was underneath.
Of NINE INCH NAILS‘ seminal breakthrough album, Spin magazine respectfully had this to say in 2024: “As The Downward Spiral turns 30 this year, it still stands as an act of artistic transgression against the limits of popular music. Pushing the boundaries of creative censorship, it is still considered Nine Inch Nails’ most daring and uncompromising album.”
Join us in paying homage to one of rock’s most ambitious innovators and angriest Gen X voices railing against the status quo, as we present our latest Redux Series installment “The Downward Spiral Redux”, along with the traditional companion album “Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux”. The two double album collections together comprise 27 re-imagined renditions by some of today’s coolest and heaviest artists taking on NINE INCH NAILS classics and deep cuts.
The Magnetic Eye Redux Series features hand-picked classic albums from across the history of rock and metal re-imagined in their entirety from start to finish. Artists we love from within and outside the heavy rock landscape choose tracks to make their own, bringing these milestone records into the new millennium with crushing heaviness and searing energy. To date, we’ve produced Redux editions of PINK FLOYD’s “The Wall”, HELMET’s “Meantime”, BLACK SABBATH’s “Vol. 4”, JIMI HENDRIX’s “Electric Ladyland”, ALICE IN CHAINS’ “Dirt”, AC/DC’s “Back in Black”, SOUNDGARDEN’s “Superunknown”, JETHRO TULL’s “Aqualung”, and RAMONES’ self-titled debut, which have included artists like RED FANG, THE SWORD, MATT PIKE, PALLBEARER, THE MELVINS, ALL THEM WITCHES, KHEMMIS, ASG, SUPERSUCKERS, ZAKK WYLDE, MARK LANEGAN, VOIVOD, and many more amazing artists.
Join us for our tenth foray into Redux territory as we pay proper respect to the US industrial rock legends NINE INCH NAILS!
Artist: Various Artists Album: The Downward Spiral Redux Release date: November 28, 2025 Label: Magnetic Eye Records Style: Doom, Stoner Rock & Metal, Psych Rock et al.
–Mastered by Zach Weeks at God City Studios in Salem, Massachusetts (US) –Artwork, layout & design by Łukasz Jaszak
After a seven-year hiatus, multi-disciplinary artist Snovonne “Sno” Drake returns with “SOAK” – an existential, baroque-infused rock/pop piece exploring emancipation through self-acceptance. It’s a song about the emotional purge – the catharsis – that one ultimately owes to oneself.
“Autumn (mentioned in the song often) has always been special for me – all significant changes throughout my life happened during this time. It’s the time of year that picks me apart and glues me back together in a different, stronger way. Which is also why it’s very cathartic for me to be coming back after seven years in autumn, with a new single actually referring to autumn,” Sno explains.
Visually, “SOAK” embodies the same intimate rawness that defines the music. Sno continues: “I wanted to work with organic textures. The video needed to feel biological, anatomical… Something to ‘soak’ through the plastic buttons and LCD screens. I also love bringing back the dirt, the grain, and the visceral roots of emotion – something I sometimes miss in modern video production.”
Musically and thematically, “SOAK” marks a rebirth – a moment of clarity and release. The track merges elegance and abrasion, layering cinematic emotion over dark pop and art-rock foundations.
“SOAK” was written by Snovonne “Sno” Drake, who also delivers all lead and backing vocals and crafted the keys and synths. Johan Koleberg (Wolf; ex-Therion, ex-HammerFall) drives the track on drums, while Simon Johansson (Soilwork, Wolf; live guitar for Tiamat) handles both bass and guitars and also mixed the song at SolnaSound Production in Stockholm, where the rhythm and guitar sessions were recorded. Other synths, programming, vocals and production were helmed by Eddy Cavazza at Silent Ghost (Italy; credits include Paramore, Logan Mader, Awake For Days, Logical Terror, The Designs), with mastering by Thomas “Plec” Johansson at The Panic Room in Sweden. The video – true to the song’s visceral aesthetic -was directed, filmed, and edited by Snovonne “Sno” Drake via Sno Drake Design & Media.
About Snovonne “Sno” Drake
A musician, visual artist, and filmmaker active for nearly two decades, Snovonne’s work has been described as “theatrical dark pop”, “metal cabaret”, or “pop baroque.” Her artistic world merges vulnerability with intensity – a space where visual storytelling completes the message of her music.
Over the past years, she has collaborated on diverse projects, including Inner Fear (with Marthus Skaroupka of Cradle of Filth and Mike Wead of King Diamond), The Designs (electro-metal with Billy T Cooper), and Shadow Architects (with Anders Modd and Simon Johansson).
Her short film COPE [illustrations of the mind] – a dark fantasy psychological piece she wrote, directed, and scored – has won multiple awards at independent film festivals worldwide, including Best Short Film, Best Original Soundtrack, and Best Concept Art.
After living in England, Germany, and the USA, Sno is now based in Italy, continuing to explore the intersection of music, emotion, and visual art.
Following the previously-released cover version of Irene Cara‘s 80s anthem “Fame”, Hamburg’s power metal torchbearers IRON SAVIOR unveil their brand-new single “Forever Young”, a powerful take on the Alphaville classic!
The track is the latest preview of the band’s upcoming album “Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy”, set for release in March 2026 via PERCEPTION – A Division Of Reigning Phoenix Music.
IRON SAVIOR frontman Piet Sielck reveals: “When it came to pick the songs for “Awesome Anthems” Alphaville’s “Forever Young” was one of the songs that almost popped up immediately. I think we did a very interesting yet powerful version of this all time classic with all the typical Iron Savior trademarks. Eager to get your feedback…”
Experience the blend of timeless melody and heavy metal force that pushes “Forever Young” into a new era, and stream / download the song now at: http://ironsavior.rpm.link/foreveryoungPR
After reigniting their cosmic engines with “Machine World – Reforged” in 2025, IRON SAVIOR embark on their boldest mission yet. “Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy” transforms some of the most iconic pop hits of the 1980s into full-throttle power metal epics, combining nostalgia, passion, and the band’s trademark precision and fire.
From the electrifying rush of A-ha’s“Take On Me” and the thunderous drama of Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds” to the cinematic pulse of Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora’s“When The Rain Begins To Fall” and the adrenaline-fueled “Maniac” by Michael Sembello, IRON SAVIOR reforge pop classics into heroic, melodic metal anthems.
Sielck recently said:
“After the huge success of the 2002 Condition Red bonus track “Crazy” (Seal), which was actually used in a HBO TV show, we have been asked by fans and medias almost constantly to do a complete cover tracks album. So… two decades later here we are!” quotes frontman Piet Sielck. “AWESOME ANTHEMS continues the transformation from pop-to-metal in Iron Savior style as started with Seal’’s “Crazy” and Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams. We are absolutely proud of the outcome, which never looses the original vibe of the tracks but yet is 100% Iron Savior. Just listen yourself.. I guarantee a lot of smiles while doing so!”
With “Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy”, IRON SAVIOR fuse nostalgia and futurism, passion and precision, proving once again that the past can shine brighter than ever when reforged in metal! Pre-save the album now at: https://ironsavior.rpm.link/awesomeanthemsPR
Album Track Listing:
Fame
All I Need Is A Miracle
When The Rain Begins To Fall
Maniac
Take On Me
Relax
What A Feeling
Against All Odds
Separate Ways
Suburbia
Here Comes The Rain Again
She’s Like The Wind
(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight
Forever Young
Since You Been Gone
Call Me
Catch Me I’m Falling
About IRON SAVIOR:
Forged in Hamburg’s metal heart, Iron Savior have been delivering their signature brand of powerful, melodic heavy metal for nearly three decades. Led by founder, vocalist, guitarist, and producer Piet Sielck, the band has become a cornerstone of the German power metal scene with their blend of high-octane riffs, anthemic choruses, and sci-fi storytelling.
Photo by Terhi Ylimäinen — Artwork by Travis Smith with directions from Mikael Åkerfeldt
In celebration of the one-year anniversary of “The Last Will and Testament“, OPETH is proud to unveil a brand-new animated video crafted to bring the album’s intricate story to life. Created by Absynthe Moon Media, the film offers a visual interpretation of the narrative that has intrigued fans since the record’s release in November 2024.
The animated music video for ‘§3‘ returns to the central family story at the heart of the album. Set during the reading of a 1920s patriarch’s will, the video captures the shifting relationships and subtle tensions that shape the storyline, while allowing viewers to interpret the finer details for themselves.
Guided by Mikael Åkerfeldt’s story and concept, the visual narrative enhances the album’s core themes: identity fractured by lies, legacies built on instability, and the slow unraveling of those who once believed they understood their place within the family. The result is a stirring and immersive complement to one of OPETH’s most ambitious works.
Revisit the world of “The Last Will and Testament” and watch the new ‘§3’ animated video here:
5 Feb. US Montclair, The Wellmont Theater 6 Feb. US Boston, Orpheum Theater 7 Feb. US Philadelphia, The Filmore Philadelphia 10 Feb. US Detroit, Masonic Temple Theater 11 Feb. US Chicago, Riviera Theater 12 Feb. US St. Louis, The Pageant 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 22 Feb. US Sacramento, Channel 24 24 Feb. US Seattle, Paramount Theater 25 Feb. CA Vancouver, Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre 11 Jun. ES Zamora, Z Live Rock Fest 19 Jun. FR Clisson, Hellfest 10 Jul. IT Pompei, Amphitheatre Of Pompeii 11 Jul. IT Bologna, Sequoie Music Park 1 Aug. UK Halifax, The Piece Hall 2 Aug. IR Dublin, Bord Gáis Energy Theater 7 Aug. DE Gelsenkirchen, Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen 8 Aug. FI Helsinki, Hellsinki Metal Festival 29 Aug.SE Rättvik, Dalhalla
Swiss death metal unit DEFACED proudly announce the release of their long-awaited third studio album ICON, set for release on January 30th, 2026 via Massacre Records. The album will be available as Mediabook CD, limited Vinyl LP, and digital, delivering 41 minutes of precise, punishing and atmospheric extreme metal.
Alongside the album announcement, the band unleash the first single and music video “Culling The Herd”, a short, violent, high-energy blast that captures the essence of the new record. Written during an intense one-day session, the track pushes DEFACED’s aggression to the limit, fusing influences from modern extremity with their trademark mix of death metal, grindcore intensity and black metal aesthetics.
Guitarist Marco Kessi comments: “‘Culling The Herd’ was written to be pure, concentrated energy. We wanted a track that hits instantly, with no buildup – just impact. It represents the Icon’s merciless mindset: eliminate weakness, eradicate resistance, and push forward at all costs.”
“Culling The Herd” represents the worldview of the album’s central figure – the oppressive ruler at the heart of Icon’s conceptual narrative. Anyone who slows progress or dares to resist the regime is eliminated without hesitation. With its relentless pace and ferocious delivery, the track is destined to become a live favorite and an immediate statement of intent for this new era of DEFACED.
After years of meticulous songwriting and two complete pre-production cycles, Icon stands as the band’s proudest and most carefully constructed work to date. DEFACED remained fully committed to refining every detail, rewriting and discarding material until each song matched their exact creative vision. Produced, mixed and mastered by Simon Egli and Romano Galli at Hardbeat Studio Eggiwil, the album captures the band’s raw energy with polished clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.
Icon also marks the first studio appearance of vocalist Thomas Gertsch, guitarist Matze Schiemann and bassist Michael Gertsch, each bringing new influences that helped shape the album’s expanded sonic palette. While firmly rooted in death metal, the record ventures into grindcore aggression, black metal atmospheres and a pronounced passion for harmonies and ambience, remaining true to the band’s DNA while pushing their sound further than ever before.
Lyrically, the album explores authoritarianism, mass surveillance and psychological manipulation from the perspective of the oppressor himself. The visual interpretation of this dystopian concept was created by acclaimed artist Pär Olofsson, whose artwork perfectly reflects the record’s themes.
DEFACED will support the release of Icon with a 2026 European tour:
23.06.2026 Novi Sad 24.06.2026 Zagreb 25.06.2026 Ljubljana 26.06.2026 Remptemdorrf 27.06.2026 Vicenza 28.06.2026 Bologna 29.06.2026 Torino 13.09.2026 CZ Zelenice, IL Fest
DEFACED are: Thomas Gertsch – Vocals Massimiliano Malvassora – Drums Marco Kessi – Guitars, Backing vocals Matze Schiemann – Guitars Michael Gertsch – Bass
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