Danish progressive power metal veterans MANTICORA have officially completed the songwriting process for their next studio album, which will be released via Mighty Music in March 2027. The band will enter the studio over the coming months to begin recording the highly-anticipated follow-up to their 2024 album “Mycelium”, marking the next chapter in the group’s long-running career.
Reflecting on the new material, vocalist Lars F. Larsen comments: “After a great response to the last album “Mycelium” and tours and festivals around the world, we’ve been writing up another dystopian concept and gone beyond, to stretch the boundaries and parameters for what is possible in the Manticora-camp. With a new drummer, able to do 360 bpm on the drums, the borders are expanding for the musical playground and, trust us, when we guarantee you that those borders have been pushed to the max! Prog, thrash, power, melodies, death, black, symphonies and whatever you can name… It’s all in there, in the wrapping of the Manticora trademark sound! We’re looking forward for YOU to hear this..”
Following the critical acclaim and worldwide touring cycle behind “Mycelium”, Manticora now set their sights on pushing their sound even further. The upcoming album will once again explore a dystopian conceptual storyline while expanding the band’s musical palette, blending their signature progressive power metal with elements of thrash, extreme metal and orchestral arrangements.
Formed in 1997 by vocalist Lars F. Larsen, guitarist Kristian Larsen and drummer Mads Volf, Manticora quickly established themselves as one of the most distinctive names in European progressive power metal. Their debut album “Roots Of Eternity” arrived in 1999 to strong international acclaim, laying the groundwork for a career that has since produced nine studio albums.
Over the years, the Danish outfit – completed by long-time members Kasper Gram (bass) and Stefan Johansson (guitars) – has performed extensively across the world and appeared at major festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock Festival and Copenhell.
Their most recent album “Mycelium”, released via Mighty Music, showcased a darker and more aggressive direction while maintaining the band’s trademark blend of epic melodies, technical precision and conceptual storytelling.
More details about the upcoming album, including recording updates and release information, will be revealed in the coming months.
UK-based singer, songwriter and performer Adam Boyd returns with his compelling second solo single, “Going Down,” released on 6 March alongside an evocative official music video now available on YouTube and all major streaming platforms.
Known for his emotive vocal delivery and cinematic alternative sound, Boyd first made his mark as the frontman of the South African rock band Wake to Wonder, where he achieved multiple number one chart positions and saw the band’s music videos featured on MTV. Now based in the UK, Boyd is carving out a powerful new identity as a solo artist, blending introspective songwriting with striking visual storytelling.
“Going Down” marks a darker and more immersive step in Boyd’s evolving solo sound. The track dives into themes of uncertainty, faith, ambition and internal struggle, delivering a haunting and atmospheric listening experience.
The inspiration behind the song comes from a deeply personal place. Boyd explains, “‘Going Down’ was written during a difficult period in my life after losing my mom and watching my dad struggle with that loss. It was a time where a lot of things in my life felt uncertain, and the song became a way of processing those emotions and questions.”
At its core, the song grapples with the fragile balance between resilience and collapse. “The song explores the feeling of not knowing whether you are holding things together or quietly slipping under the surface,” Boyd says. “It touches on themes of doubt, faith, ambition and self-reflection. At its heart is the question: am I going down, or have I already gone down without realizing it?”
The track’s sonic identity grew from a minimalist starting point. “The writing started with a single piano note that repeats through the song,” Boyd explains. “From that ‘ping,’ I began building the deeper chords around it and the atmosphere of the track slowly developed. I wrote the verses first, and the chorus came very naturally after that. The bridge was born out of deeper and darker questions, particularly wrestling with faith and the struggles that come during difficult periods of life.”
After completing the song, Boyd collaborated with producer and engineer Dave Law to bring the track to life. “I recorded the song independently and Dave handled the mixing and mastering,” Boyd says. “He immediately connected with the track and became a great soundboard during the process, adding a few key production touches that helped polish the track and bring it fully to life.”
The release follows Boyd’s debut solo single “What You Really Needed,” which introduced audiences to his emotionally driven songwriting and cinematic visual style. With “Going Down,” Boyd pushes that vision further, delivering a darker, more atmospheric piece that highlights his growing artistic depth.
With its haunting soundscape and introspective narrative, “Going Down” signals an exciting next chapter for Adam Boyd as he continues to build a distinctive solo voice that merges raw emotion with immersive sonic and visual storytelling.
Tech-death guitarist and composer Matt Miller is gearing up to ignite stages across the USA this April with the launch of his 3 Shredders Tour, a high-octane, guitar-driven showcase featuring fellow shred titan Rene Benton and progressive Latin metal force Manuel Urgiles. Inspired by the spirit of legendary guitar tours like G3, this run brings together three elite players for a night of precision, speed, and boundary-pushing musicianship.
Representing the project MANUEL, Urgiles delivers a ferocious fusion of intricate metal riffing, percussive Latin rhythms, and emotionally charged instrumental storytelling. Born and raised in Los Angeles to a Peruvian family and now based in Maine, he blends cultural roots with modern technical mastery, creating a sound that is as powerful as it is purposeful. His performances are equal parts virtuosity and vision—lightning-fast runs, soaring melodic phrasing, and groove-driven intensity that proves instrumental music can speak just as loudly as lyrics.
Together, Miller, Benton, and Urgiles form a triple-threat lineup of technical command, creative fire, and unrelenting stage energy—three distinct voices united by one mission: to push the limits of the guitar and leave audiences leveled. For fans of technical mastery, explosive live energy, and next-level musicianship, this is a must-see performance.
The 3 Shredders Tour: 2026 Dates
Fans of technical mastery and explosive live energy can catch the tour at the following stops:
4/10 — Dallas, TX Reno’s Chop Shop Live 4/11 — Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Café 4/12 — Kansas City, MO SK8 Bar 4/13 — Chicago, IL Reggie’s Music Joint 4/15 — Minneapolis, MN Driftwood Charbar 4/16 — Sheboygan, WI Boheme 4/17 — Iowa City, IA Alley Cat 4/18 — Lincoln, NE Gray’s Keg 4/19 — Amarillo, TX Rockwell Event Center
MANUEL is: Manuel Urgiles – Lead/Rhythm Guitar Jason Ingalls – Drums Thomas Hiscock – Bass Guitar Ryan Cummings – Rhythm Guitar DJKTF – Keys/Percussion
Finnish Post-punk trio Sonic Punter has released the double single “Vanishing Act / Bronze Lining.” The songs continue the band’s uncompromising line — dark-toned, defiant and raw-energy rebellious rock.
In Sonic Punter’s hands, traditional post-punk takes on an uncompromising and tighly controlled, almost violent form. For that reason, the word hardcore can easily be attached to the band’s musical genre.
Alongside the single release, a sweaty and intensely energetic live video for “Vanishing Act”, directed by Samuel Meren and Mikko Pihkoluoma, was also released. The video is a document of the band where it thrives the most: on stage.
The single’s cover artwork was created by the band’s trusted graphic designer Ville-Veikko Viikilä, who sensitively captures what the band’s music might look like in visual form.
Sonic Punter celebrates the release of the new single on March 21 at the Satujuhlat Festival in Turku and March 27 at Semifinal in Helsinki, after which the band will continue touring throughout the autumn.
The band is also preparing the release of its second album, scheduled for early 2027. Sonic Punter’s debut album Twin Stranger was released in 2024.
Southern California’s favorite sons, the RIAA Platinum Certified band DIRTY HEADS, will serve up their much-anticipated ninth full-length album, 7 Seas, on June 12 via Better Noise Music.
To herald this exciting news, the band shared the video for new single”One of Those Days.”
Regarding the track, vocalist/guitarist Dustin Bushnell (Duddy B) says, “This is a song about getting together with some close friends and just enjoying the moment. With everything going on in the world today, it’s nice to have a lighthearted song like this to remind us to go have a good time.”
The band’s Jon Olazabal furthers, “‘One of Those Days’ is a quintessential Dirty Heads song. It feels like something you want to blast in your car and sing along with at the end of a long week. It’s about getting together with the people you love and having a good time.”
He finishes, “We recorded this song out in Nashville, which has sort of become our second home for writing and recording music.”
DIRTY HEADS’ signature brew of sun-kissed reggae, breezy hip-hop, boundary-breaking alternative, and hazy pop is as intoxicating as ever on “One of Those Days.” Anchored by a head-nodding groove, slick verses crest on the wave of an instantly unforgettable hook. The accompanying visual welcomes everyone into the group’s world, bringing the song to life seamlessly. As always, the track and the video continue to distinguish this collective as outliers. 7 Seas represents yet another evolution for the outfit.
About the album, Olazabal shares, “This album has something for everyone. Every mood, every vibe, every occasion. Having beers at the beach? Gotcha covered. Need some hype ass, late night bangers? Gotcha covered there, too. And everything in between, as well. We worked our asses off on this record, and as a band and individuals, we’ve been through a lot during the process. We are stoked to release it into the wild and for people to find their own connections with these songs.”
In tandem with the impending LP, DIRTY HEADS have just launched a collaboration with 4ocean — a global organization on a mission to end the ocean plastic crisis. The seeds for this alliance were planted when frontman Jared Watson embarked on an excursion alongside the 4ocean team. Together, they picked up trash from the shoreline of Key Largo at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. A major success, the trip resulted in the removal of over 750 pounds of trash – equivalent to approximately 36,000 plastic water bottles. The trash collected on the excursion has been recycled into a Dirty Heads 4ocean bracelet. Fans can help 4ocean pull even more plastic out of the ocean with purchase of the bracelets — either individually or as part of a very special and very limited, premium vinyl edition of the new album, which is now available for pre-order on the band’s store [LINK]. This edition also features an exclusive vinyl color variant, the aforementioned Dirty Heads 4ocean bracelet, and a 16-page booklet of images documenting the 4ocean cleanup effort, as well as photos from the studio sessions for 7 Seas. It’s a “must own” for DIRTY HEADS diehards.
About the partnership, Olazabal elaborated, “Some of my best childhood memories are early mornings spent surfing up and down the California coast with my friends. It’s incredibly important to me that my kids have the same opportunity to enjoy our beaches—clean, safe, and beautiful. 4ocean is doing amazing work removing plastic and debris from our oceans while creating some epic products in the process. We’re proud to partner with them and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish.”
“I’ve been a longtime fan of the Dirty Heads, so partnering with them to help drive real impact for the ocean is pretty awesome,” said Alex Schulze, Co-Founder and CEO of 4ocean. “This collaboration gives fans a way to be part of the mission, and every bracelet purchased funds the removal of one pound of plastic and trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines worldwide.”
DIRTY HEADS initially teased this era with the title track “Seven Seas.” Beyond clocking 1.6 million total streams to date, it landed looks from Kill The Music, Frontview Magazine, antiMusic, and more. Chaoszine praised, “The song underscores the band’s ability to balance feel-good energy with emotional depth, an approach that has remained central to their sound for over two decades.” Meanwhile, Daily Reggae dubbed the track as “Song of the Week,” going on to assure, “Things can get rough but this track brings us a sense of calm and belief to stay together and fight through.”
Fueled by optimism for the future, forward-thinking sonic experimentation, and genre-busting bangers without comparison, get ready to set sail into new territory with DIRTY HEADS once more.
Formed in 2000, DIRTY HEADS have built a dedicated global following by seamlessly fusing reggae, hip-hop, alternative rock, and pop. Their reach expanded significantly when the platinum-certified single “Vacation“found renewed popularity through viral culture, introducing the band to a new generation of listeners. The group later earned a No. 1 Alternative Radio hit with “Rescue Me,” further solidifying their place in the genre and scene.
With over 3 billion career streams worldwide and collaborations spanning artists such as Travis Barker, Nick Hexum, Matisyahu, Slash, and more, DIRTY HEADS continue to evolve — while staying true to the spirit that defines their music.
Additionally, fans can stay tuned to the band’s social media feeds for a very exciting summer tour announcement from DIRTY HEADS.
7 SEAS TRACK LISTING: “Seven Seas” “Soundboy Killa” “2 Young” (Feat. Sophia Lynn) “Future Self” “Better” “BADMAN” (Feat. IRAH) “Stranded” “Come My Way” “Old Beach Town” “One of Those Days”
Bulgarian thrash metallers Mosh-Pit Justice have unveiled the official cover artwork and the final tracklist for their upcoming seventh studio album “Future Is Denied,” due Spring 2026 via Punishment 18 Records.
The artwork was created by De Numbra Art. The album was recorded at Revenge Studio, with mixing and mastering handled in-house by the band’s guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Staffa Vasilev.
More details (exact release date and formats) will be announced soon.
01. Future Is Denied 02. Blame To take 03. Horror lives Again 04. MP Justice Congregation 05. Hell Has Arrived 06. The Gladius Prevails 07. Conspiracy For Life 08. Trough The Lies
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
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