WidthOut return with “Dear Old Me”, their new single now available on all digital platforms via Volcano Records & Promotion, marking the first step of a new artistic phase that will see the band releasing a series of singles in the coming months. With this track, the band officially begins its collaboration with Volcano Records, representing a turning point in their journey: a sonic and identity-driven evolution that opens up new creative and strategic perspectives.
“Dear Old Me” is a direct, raw and unfiltered dialogue with one’s past self. It’s an emotional confrontation that moves between awareness and disillusion, between who we once were and who we have become. The result is a track capable of turning personal introspection into a universal experience, where every listener can recognize fragments of themselves. From a sonic standpoint, WidthOut push the boundaries by crafting a modern and impactful sound where alternative metal naturally merges with electronic elements. Tight structures, melodic openings and EDM influences create a powerful balance between energy and immediacy, placing the band firmly within the landscape of contemporary international productions in the genre.
With “Dear Old Me”, WidthOut are not just releasing a new single, but clearly defining the direction of a broader artistic project: a musical narrative that will unfold over the coming months through a series of releases aimed at strengthening the band’s identity and expanding their reach on the international market.
To support the release, the official music video for “Dear Old Me” is now available on YouTube:
Italian thrash metal pioneers EXTREMA are set to release “Thrashing ‘Till The End – Live at Slaughter Club”, a high-impact live document celebrating the 30th anniversary of their legendary debut “Tension At The Seams”. The performance was recorded at Slaughter Club in Paderno Dugnano (Milan) on October 7th, 2023 – exactly three decades after the album that helped redefine the sonic and cultural framework of Italian metal.
The full show will be rolled out as an episodic live video series on the band’s official YouTube channel, alongside a digital release across all major streaming platforms.
Released in 1993, “Tension At The Seams” stands as a cornerstone of European thrash: a record built on razor-sharp riffing, percussive precision, and an uncompromising compositional approach that pushed beyond genre orthodoxy. Its impact extended well beyond the Italian scene, setting new benchmarks in terms of arrangement density, production clarity, and expressive aggression.
To mark its 30th anniversary, EXTREMA returned to the stage with a purpose-built show engineered for maximum impact – conceived as a full-contact, no-compromise live assault. The setlist moves with surgical intent: a dominant portion of the debut album performed with renewed intensity, seamlessly integrated with key tracks from across the band’s catalog, culminating in material from their latest release, “Headbanging Forever”.
“Thrashing ‘Till The End – Live at Slaughter Club” captures that performance in its entirety – preserving the raw kinetic energy of the band’s live delivery while enhancing it through a modern visual production pipeline.
Beginning April 29th, all 16 tracks from the show will be released on a weekly schedule via the band’s official YouTube channel with three videos dropping per week – structuring the release as a sustained content cycle designed to maintain engagement and narrative continuity.
Filming and direction were handled by Daniele Farina, with the production delivered in 4K. The visual language combines tight shot sequencing, dynamic camera movement, and performance-focused editing, resulting in a final product that translates the physical intensity of the live set into a sharp, high-definition audiovisual experience.
Line-up Tommy Massara – Guitars Tiziano “Titian” Spigno – Vocals Marco Cassone – Guitars Gabri Giovanna – Bass Francesco “Frullo” La Rosa– Drums
BIOGRAPHY:
Extrema is an Italian thrash metal band formed in Milan in 1986. Known as pioneers of the thrash metal scene in Italy, they have carved out a reputation for their aggressive sound and relentless energy, both in the studio and on stage.
The band’s original lineup included guitarist Tommy Massara, vocalist/guitarist Andrea Boria, bassist Luca Varisco, and drummer Stefano Bullegas. Their debut EP, “We Fuckin’ Care” (1987), marked the beginning of their journey, selling 3,000 copies mainly through word of mouth and cementing their presence in the underground metal scene.
Despite challenges in gaining widespread recognition in Italy during their early years, Extrema gained credibility by opening for international heavyweights like Slayer, D.R.I., and Corrosion of Conformity. By 1993, the band underwent significant lineup changes, featuring Gianluca Perotti on vocals, Mattia Bigi on bass, and Chris Dalla Pellegrina on drums. With this lineup, they released their first full-length album, “Tension at the Seams“, which brought them to international festivals and stages, supporting acts such as Megadeth, The Cult, Suicidal Tendencies, and even Metallica.
In 1995, Extrema released their second album, “The Positive Pressure (Of Injustice)“, showcasing a more groove-oriented thrash sound influenced by contemporaries like Pantera and Machine Head. Although the late ’90s saw a decline in thrash metal’s popularity, the band remained active, producing albums like “Better Mad Than Dead” (2001) and “Set the World on Fire” (2005).
The band released their “Pound for Pound” (2009), followed by “The Seed of Foolishness” (2013). Their ability to adapt while staying true to their thrash roots kept them relevant in a rapidly changing metal landscape.
Their last studio album, “Headbanging Forever” (2019), released through Rockshots Records, marks a triumphant return blending their signature thrash grooves with a modern edge.
In October 2023, Extrema celebrated the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut album, “Tension at the Seams“, with the release of a special 30th Anniversary Boxset Edition, also under Rockshots Records. The box set includes a remastered version of the album from the original tapes, available in three formats: Blue Vinyl, Cassette, and Digital Download.
No band embodies the spirit of black metal like Mayhem. The Norwegians set the standard for the genre with their canonical 1994 debut, only to return six years later and defy all convention on their daring follow-up. That fall, the band brought their grand declaration to life by seizing the stage at one of Europe’s oldest settlement with Live in Marseille 2000.
Today, Season of Mist is celebrating 25 years of Live in Marseille by announcing a special anniversary edition of the album. Legions of fans can now relive this iconic performance from the true legends of black metal on a new colored vinyl edition that includes an exclusive embroidered patch and poster.
The 25th anniversary edition of Live in Marseille 2000 comes out June 26, 2026 on Season of Mist.
Available formats: Limited-edition 2×12” Colored Vinyl (Red and Black Splatter) with full color poster and embroidered patch
“Live in Marseille was filmed and recorded during the final performance of our European tour in support of Grand Declaration of War in 2000. It marked out first extensive tour since ‘the return…’, and it proved to be an intense yet highly successful journey”, Mayhem guitarist Blasphemer remembers.
“At that time, we were moving toward something distinctly different – what I consider a truly groundbreaking direction, reflective of the shifting landscape of the early 2000s. Whether embraced or challenged, this evolution represented a necessary expansion of our sound, not only for the band but for the genre as a whole.
“As a raw, vile, and chaotic as this recording may be, it stands as a crucial and defining chapter in the band’s history and enduring legacy”.
“Live in Marseille was recorded at the end of a long tour”, remembers Mayhem vocalist Maniac. “It was a band of worn out rebels hitting the stage in Marseille that evening. Somehow, maybe the loneliness of the long distance runners fused that night into a raging fire and pulled out whatever hidden strength and hatred was left in the combined machinery of Mayhem. We pulled off a great gig, the last stand of a long tour manifested in the rage of a hour-headed beast!”
“We were all young. We had no idea what we were doing, but we were gonna do it anyway – from stocking the dry ice in a fridge that was not plugged in to finding the barbed wire, the pig’s head and the military stock machine guns”, Season of Mist founder and manager Michael Berberian says. “I haven’t watched it since. It’s probably good, bad, amateurish, but it’s full of passion and a testimony of where things were in black metal in 2000”.
Tracklist
Intro (Silvester Anfang) (1:57) In the Lies Where upon You Lay (4:41) Fall of Seraphs (5:34) Carnage (4:25) Crystalized Pain in Deconstruction (3:40) Buried by Time and Dust (3:33) Symbols of Bloodswords (4:14) View from Nihil (3:47) Deathcrush (3:28) To Daimonion (3:20) Freezing Moon (6:14) Chainsaw Gutsfuck (4:39) A Time to Die (1:53) Pure Fucking Armageddon (1:49) I Am Thy Labyrinth / From the Dark Past (8:26)
The dynamic rock band Swim the Current is excited to announce the release of their latest single, “Already Dead”, via TLG|ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group. This incredible new track was co-produced by George Pond and David Caplinger.
The title of the track has taken on a deeper meaning in the wake of a frightening real-world event involving bassist George Pond.
Pond recently traveled overseas to perform shows in Japan with Mass Punishment, but during the run he suddenly fell ill and suffered a massive heart attack far from home, away from friends and family. Fortunately, the band is relieved to share that George is now making a strong recovery, and is expected to return to the U.S. soon.
In a powerful coincidence, Swim the Current’s new single “Already Dead” arrives as a reminder of how quickly everything can change and how resilience can rise from even the darkest moments.
Alongside the single, Swim the Current also unveiled the lyric video for “Already Dead.”
Bringing together an all-star lineup of rock talents, including vocalist Marcos Leal (formerly of Ill Niño), bassist George Pond (Disciples of Verity), guitarist Greg Antine, drummer Chris Moore (George Lynch, Ultraphonix, Rock of Ages), and lead guitarist Joe Gareri, takes the band’s sound to new heights.
Having played in numerous bands throughout the years, Guitarist Greg Antine came to a point in his career where he wanted to branch out and write songs that had more depth and were inspired by his personal life experiences. Having worked with Bassist George Pond for several years in previous projects including, Disciples Of Verity, Greg expressed his concept for Swim The Current to George in hopes of collaborating with him on this new music venture. The two began to flesh out ideas in George’s home studio and realized quickly that they were on to something special, but still needed something more to see their ideas through to complete their concepts. Greg was introduced to Joe Gareri, Guitar/Keyboards, by George during the Disciples Of Verity debut album recording sessions which Joe is also featured on as a guest artist. The three of them immediately hit it off and worked extremely well together. Greg and George realized that Joe’s cinematic writing style would be a perfect match for their concepts and Joe was then brought in as a full time member. After two songs were completed and demo’d in George’s studio utilizing programmed drums, it was suggested by their friend Allyson Song River Jaynes, that they reach out to her friend, drummer Chris Moore of Ultraphonix, Rock Of Ages, to see if he would be interested in working with the project. Upon hearing the strength of songwriting and musicianship of the band, Chris was all in and signed on as the fourth full time member of STC and now the band, from an instrument’s perspective, was complete.
The final missing piece for STC was a lead vocalist who could capture the sound they envisioned for their music. After working in the studio with a few different vocalists, George ultimately reached out to his friend Marcos Leal, of legendary international touring band Ill Nino. Marcos loved the music of STC as well as having the freedom and creativity of writing lyrics for the project. After recording their first song together with Marcos, “We Are Not The Same”, everyone new that this lineup was something special and Swim The Current was now complete! The release of “We Are Not The Same” took off instantly, and amassed thousands of streams, YouTube views and followers through a total organic DIY social media campaign.
Swim The Current’s sound is influenced and reminiscent of many of their favorite artists including, Deftones, Faith No More, Sevendust, POD, and Stabbing Westward. They continue to write new music and look forward to sharing their future releases with the world!
As recently announced, Italian death-grind veterans UNDERTAKERS will release their new album “Global Dominion” on July 10th, 2026 via Time To Kill Records.
Today, the band unveils the album’s tracklist and cover artwork, with the record set to surprise many thanks to its distinctive identity and uncompromising sonic vision.
Tracklist:
1. Call To Arms (intro) 2. United Front 3. Global Dominion 4. All Out War 5. Plutocracy Era 6. Iron Regime 7. Collapse Protocol 8. Rise of Resistance 9. Just Keep Fighting 10. Bodies’ Supermarket
“Global Dominion” marks the most mature chapter in the band’s history. It is where everything finally locks into place: grindcore violence, hardcore urgency, death metal weight and sharp black metal edges fused into a modern sound that never betrays its old-school DNA. No nostalgia trip, no trend-chasing—just experience, control, and intent.
The record is built on contrast: precision versus chaos, speed versus crushing mid-tempos, modern production versus a raw, uncompromising attitude. Every track serves a purpose, every riff hits with direction. This is a band that knows exactly who it is and has nothing left to prove.
Lyrically and conceptually, the album is both a denunciation and a reflection. “Global Dominion” is the core statement: a ruthless look at power, control, and submission in contemporary society, but also a mirror held up to human nature itself. This is not abstract politics, it’s about systems we live in, benefit from, and are crushed by at the same time.
Tracks like “Rise of the Resistance”, “Collapse Protocol”, and “Iron Regime” define the first impact: rebellion, systemic failure, and enforced order. “Plutocracy Era” sharpens the focus, exposing a world ruled by wealth and influence, while “Just Keep Fighting” stands as a blunt survival mantra. The album closes with “Global Dominion” and “United Front”, tying the narrative together: awareness without illusions, resistance without rhetoric.
This is a heavy record with something to say. Cold, aggressive, and direct. Modern in form, old-school in spirit. No compromises.
The first single and further details about the album will be revealed soon.
Line-up:
Enrico Giannone – Insults Stefano Casanica – Guitar Marco Mastrobuono – bass Giorgio Cifuni – Guitar Alfonso Mocerino – drums
UNDERTAKERS – Hate Since 1991
Formed in late 1991, UNDERTAKERS are among the longest-running and most uncompromising bands of the Italian extreme underground.
Over the decades, they have shared the stage with an insane number of international acts, including Napalm Death, Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, Vader, Cannibal Corpse, Vital Remains, Fuzztones, Sinister, Dog Eat Dog, Krabathor, Disgorge, Pandemia, Ryker’s and many more far too many to list properly.
The band has completed three European tours and appeared multiple times at major festivals such as Brutal Assault and Dynamo Open Air, building a solid reputation as a relentless and unforgiving live act.
Originally rooted in classic death metal, UNDERTAKERS have constantly evolved their sound into a violent and unmistakable mix of grindcore, brutal death metal and hardcore. The result is a raw and aggressive hybrid best described as pure brutal-core.
UNDERTAKERS were personally selected by 99 Posse as representatives of the Italian extreme scene for a BMG-promoted tribute project celebrating ten years of activity of the Neapolitan collective. This collaboration resulted in a grindcore reworking of the iconic track “Ripetutamente”, a crossover experiment that perfectly reflects the band’s anarchic and uncompromising attitude.
Throughout their career, the band has appeared on numerous compilations, released a 7” produced by Kick Promotion, and featured on Rock TV with performances on Database, Sala Prove and Rock TV Tour.
Their discography includes the split “Chaos in Musica” (Massacro Records) and the experimental release “Revision Distortion X-Version” (Nocturnal Music), an electronic reinterpretation of “Vision Distortion Perversion” blending grind, jungle and techno—clear proof that UNDERTAKERS have never played it safe.
In 2020, the band returned with “Dictatorial Democracy”, released on October 30th by Time To Kill Records in three ultra-limited vinyl editions. The album is a brutal summary of the band’s entire career, featuring new and classic tracks alongside two essential covers: “Fascist Pig” (Suicidal Tendencies) and the grind version of “Ripetutamente”.
In 2024, UNDERTAKERS released a split 7” with Plakkaggio, delivering a death metal reinterpretation of the punk classic “Pet Sematary” by the Ramones once again twisting icons into something far more extreme.
Long, long time ago…. The death of Buddy Holly, in a plane crash in February 1959, sent a seismic shock through the then-infant world of rock’n’roll, and one that continues to resonate today. Of all the multitude of musical passings since then, still Holly – just 22 at the time – continues to haunt the musical imagination, as successive generations look back at the magnificent music that he made, and dreamed of all that he might have achieved thereafter.
Short-haired, clean cut and bespectacled, Holly might have been the most “un-rock-ish” looking star of his age. But as a songwriter, singer and performer, he was peerless. February 3 1959 may not have been “the day the music died,” as Don Mclean sang in “American Pie.” But it certainly took a long time to recover from the shock.
Headcat – the dream team gathering of Lemmy, Danny B Harvey and Slim Jim Phantom – certainly aren’t the first act to pay tribute to Holly. From legendary 60s producer Joe Meek (“Tribute to Buddy Holly”) to the off-duty Paul McCartney & Wings (Denny Laine’s Holly Days album), and onto ground breaking covers by everyone from the Rolling Stones to Steeleye Span, Melanie to Cat Power.
Headcat’s tribute, however, might well be the loudest, and most powerful, of them all.
The original sessions took place back in the summer of 1999, and were released in 2006 as part of Headcat’s acclaimed Fool’s Paradise debut album. It was to these original masters that Danny returned while preparing this album, remastering his original mixes, rather than working with the released versions. The result is a fuller, more solid sound than ever before.
Danny relates the genesis of the albums, “When Lemmy, Slim Jim and I first teamed up to record a Headcat album, we knew it would be filled with songs we cherished and had always dreamed of recording.
“Since we had the chance to pick any great artist we loved (like Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Carl Perkins etc), it’s a bit funny that nine out of the thirteen songs we recorded for our first record were Buddy Holly songs. To top it off and add the icing to the cake, we also recorded an instrumental version of “True Love Ways,” making it a cool ten Buddy Holly songs.”
Now, the Holly tracks alone have been isolated, together with three previously unreleased alternate mixes, to create Headcat Plays Buddy Holly, 13 smoking hot slabs of riotous retro rock’n’roll, as performed by three masters of the form.
“At the time I was mixing the album, there were many harmony vocal tracks, all done by Lemmy, that I made multiple mixes of every track with different levels of harmony vocals, from no background vocals to all the harmonies I had recorded. This release includes three bonus mixes I made with no background vocals added, stripped down and bare.”
Buddy Holly
Of course Headcat were perfectly qualified to make a record like this. Lemmy grew up on Holly’s music – he was 11 when “Peggy Sue” gave Buddy and his band, The Crickets, their first UK hit, I October 1957, and their music was forever on the radio thereafter. Slim Jim, of course, was one-third of the Stray Cats, who regularly covered Holly in concert; and Danny B Harvey’s Rockats, too, were firmly grounded in the 50s rockabilly milieu.
Danny continues, “I’m so exited this album is coming out, showing how important Buddy Holly was to Lemmy, Slim Jim and I. We all love Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee and Little Richard, but as Lemmy said in his book White Line Fever, “Buddy Holly never did a bad track, as far as I could hear.” I’m sure that’s why our first album was mainly Buddy Holly songs.”
They don’t go for the obvious numbers, either. “Not Fade Away” might have become a monster hit for the Stones, but it started life as the b-side of Stray Cats’ favorite “Oh Boy.” “Fool’s Paradise,” too, was a b-side, credited to the Crickets alone (although of course Holly sang on it); “Take Your Time” was the flip of “Rave On”; and, while “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “True Love Ways” were major hits, they were released only after Holly died.
Others here, in the (admittedly loathsome) parlance of modern radio, could easily be described as “deep cuts.” but even they have a storied history behind them – “Crying Waiting Hoping” was a late 1970s single by Wreckless Eric; “Take Your Time” and “Tell Me How” were covered by The Hollies; “Learning The Game” was a Lemonheads favorite; “Well… Alright” has been revisited by Blind Faith (featuring Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood) and Santana.
And all are a towering monument to the sheer brilliance of Holly as a songwriter, and testament, too, to the deserved longevity of his music and legend. In Headcat’s hands, it’s easy to see why a skinny kid from Lubbock, Texas, is as much an integral a part of modern culture as he was to the birth of rock’n’roll, a full 70 years ago.
Plays Buddy Holly is released on CD and red./yellow split color vinyl on May 15. A digital EP featuring the alternate mixes of“Fool’s Paradise,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” is released the same day.
1. Fool’s Paradise 2. Tell Me How 3. Not Fade Away 4. Take Your Time 5. Well…All Right 6. Learning The Game 7. Peggy Sue Got Married 8. Crying, Waiting, Hoping 9. Love’s Made A Fool Of You 10. True Love Ways 11. Fool’s Paradise 12. Peggy Sue Got Married 13. Crying, Waiting, Hoping
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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
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