Hard Rock band A-Z released their brilliant sophomore album, A2Z², last month to critical acclaim. The band continues to celebrate the album’s release with the video for the track “Now I Walk Away,” the album’s epic closing track.
“‘Now I Walk Away’ is a modern power ballad with a distinctly nostalgic feel; a song that is relatable to anyone who’s ever experienced a toxic situation,” Mark Zonder said. “From the moment we wrote this song I always felt it could have crossover appeal to most any musical genre — much like Queensryche did with ‘Silent Lucidity’.“
Reviews of A2Z²:
“Encompasses everything that modern prog metal should be about. Brilliant!” – Metal Hammer (Germany)
“Essential, to the power of two. Not just for the Fates community – 9.5/10.” Rock Hard (Germany)
“‘A2Z² is a complete masterpiece that blends melodic hard rock with progressive metal and truly demonstrates that the band are true veterans of their craft and are showing no signs of slowing down.” – Lots of Muzik
“This album will be on repeat & leave the listener wanting more!” – The Prog Report
“Ten strong, melodic hard rock/AOR songs, with a high sing-along factor, that will continue to resonate in your memory after a few listens.” – Rock Tribune
“This new incarnation of A-Z brilliantly confirms all the potential glimpsed on the first album and takes A2Z² to a higher level” – Amarok
A2Z² Tracklist: 01. Fire Away (4:37) 02. Running in Place (4:58) 03. Nothing Is Over (4:18) 04. A Wordless Prison (6:04) 05. Reaching Out (4:16) 06. The Remedy (5:06) 07. I Am Numb (4:03) 08. This Chaotic Symphony (5:10) 09. Learning to Fly (4:38) 10. Now I Walk Away (5:39)
Spearheaded by legendary drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, Warlord) and along with former Fates Warning bandmate Ray Alder on vocals, A2Z² builds on the groundwork laid on the acclaimed 2022 self-titled debut album. The writing for the album began when Zonder and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) started working with vocalist Alder on the album’s first single and de facto statement, “Nothing Is Over,” showcasing the band’s commitment to making heavy music that’s sophisticated but hooky and accessible. Helping achieve those aural goals are bassist Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai/Ring of Fire/Warlord), Italian guitarist Simone Mularoni (A2Z² mixing/mastering, DGM) and keyboard player Jimmy Waldo (Alcatrazz/New England).
A-Z lineup: Ray Alder – Lead and Backing Vocals Philip Bynoe – Bass Guitar Nick Van Dyk – Guitars Simone Mularoni – Lead Guitars Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards Mark Zonder – Drums
After topping best of 2024 lists and breaking onto the Billboard charts, this year, Defeated Sanity have been slamming Europe and Latin America in support of their latest offering of brutally innovative, technical death metal. Now, as they prepare to level the stage next weekend at Brutal Assault, at long last, the band are announcing that they’re bringing Chronicles of Lunacy to the U.S.
This November, Defeated Sanity are touringmajor markets across the U.S. with Corpse Pile, Despised Icon and Sanguisugabogg, who featured DS vocalist Josh Welshman on their new single. During this 22 date run, the band will perform allof Chronicles of Lunacy, plus some old fan favorites.
“We are super stoked to announce our first U.S. tour since 2023!”, Defeated Sanity says. “We can’t wait to finally present our newest release Chronicles of Lunacy to our U.S. fans live and in action. Be sure to join us as we brutalize the U.S. once again”.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 1 at 10 am local time
Defeated Sanity 2025 U.S. Tour Dates with Sanguisugabogg, Despised Icon and Corpse Pile
November 4 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall [TICKETS] November 5 – Chicago, IL @ Metro [TICKETS] November 6 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe (Old National Centre) [TICKETS] November 7 – Lawrence, KS @ The Granada [TICKETS] November 8 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall [TICKETS] November 9 – Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater [TICKETS] November 11 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile Theater [TICKETS] November 12 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory [TICKETS] November 13 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre [TICKETS] November 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater [TICKETS] November 15 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club [TICKETS] November 17 – Dallas, TX @ Echo Lounge & Music Hall [TICKETS] November 18 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk [TICKETS] November 19 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Downstairs) [TICKETS] November 21 – Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum [TICKETS] November 22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade [TICKETS] November 23 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground [TICKETS] November 25 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre [TICKETS] November 26 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage [TICKETS] November 28 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza [TICKETS] November 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer [TICKETS] November 30 – Columbus, OH @ The King of Clubs [TICKETS]
Tracklist 1. Amputationsdrang (2:30) [WATCH] 2. The Odour Of Sanctity (3:36) [WATCH] 3. Accelerating The Rot (3:22) [WATCH] 4. Temporal Disintegration (5:52) [WATCH] 5. Extrinsically Enraged (4:09) [WATCH] 6. A Patriarchy Perverse (4:16) 7. Condemned to Vascular Famine (6:00) 8. Heredity Violated (3:48) Total runtime: 33:35
DEFEATED SANITY is unequivocally one of the most unique, boundary-pushing and crucial bands in the history of extreme death metal. Their music is as technically coherent as it is mind-bending and memorable. Endlessly replay-able and full of discovery, their maze of riffs and musical passages is inspired by infamous classic bands in the extreme metal genre, while also heavily steeped in jazz and progressive classical elements.
The band consists of four members. They’re led by drummer Lille Gruber, who’s the son of deceased co-founding member Wolfgang Teske. Gruber is joined by bandmates Jacob Schmidt (bass), Josh Welshman (vocals) and Vaughn Stoffey (guitar).
As well as being the drummer of Defeated Sanity, Gruber is the multi- instrumental, songwriting mastermind behind the band’s deep and compelling catalogue of songs and compositions. He possesses a bag of tricks seen nowhere else in the genre, and a musical prowess which is on full display throughout their new album Chronicles of Lunacy.
“We love experimenting”, explains drummer and founding member Lille Gruber. “But we realized that some of our oldest fans might have gotten lost after our last couple of albums. With the new one, we wanted to focus more on neck-snapping brutality”.
Chronicles of Lunacy punches you right in the face. Press play and “Amputationsdrang” already has you pinned to the mat beneath its non-stop blasts. Get comfortable, too, because Defeated Sanity don’t let the album up for air until the very end of Track 4. But turns out, acting like knuckle-dragging cavemen isn’t so easy for a band that has a Mensa-level maestro like Gruber at the controls.
At the tender age of six, Lille Gruber picked up heavy guitar and drums. Inspired by killer American BDM bands like Disgorge, Monstrosity and Brodequin, the German wunderkind recorded the band’s first demo alongside his father, Wolfgang Teske. Since Wolfgang’s passing in 2010, Gruber has taken on the bulk of the composing for Defeated Sanity. Whether he’s hammering his snare, pinging between cymbals or riding a colossal groove, The Chronicles of Lunacy flows like a never-ending stream of filth.
“Lille’s drumming is just ridiculous”, Jacob Schmidt says. Schmidt – who toured with Obscura behind Cosmogenesis – joined as the other half of Defeated Sanity’s chaotic rhythm section for the band’s beloved second album. His nimble, belching bass give the new album’s lead single “The Odour of Sanctity” a dizzying bounce. “He’s the face of the franchise, so we’re never going to abandon those head-scratching moments that set Defeated Sanity apart”.
Indeed, Chronicles of Lunacy isn’t Defeated Sanity for dummies. Heck, the lyrics are wrapped up in the twisted ways that delusions can rot the human psyche. This heady concept was made flesh by none other than Jon Zig. Drawn in painstaking detail by his wicked right hand, the album’s cover shows that the birth of some ideas look an awful lot like a gory and sex-crazed nativity scene.
“Each song on Chronicles deals with a different form of mental corruption”, Josh Welshman says”. “Odor” stinks of religious fanaticism. “A Patriarchy Perverse” cracks open the mind of co-ed killer Ed Kemper, while “Extrinsically Enraged” practically foams at the mouth with squealing hammer-ons. “That one’s more literal”, says Welshman with a hearty laugh. “It’s about contracting rabies”. If it weren’t for Disposal of the Dead / Dharmata, then Defeated Sanity would’ve chewed through as many vocalists as they have albums, but after a brutal showing on their last one, Welshman is back with more guttural vengeance. His growls ooze from the pit of his gut on “Temporal Disintegration”, stomped out like the innards of a cockroach by the gravity-defying slams.
While it still hits from every odd angle, Chronicles of Lunacy does draw a jagged red line back to Defeated Sanity’s brutal origins. After all, the band now share a label with their namesake. In true, DS fashion, the first song written for this album was “Heredity Violated”, a headbanging grand finale that never stops chugging. “This album isn’t as tough on the brain as the last two”, says new guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, whose chunky riffs whip “Accelerating the Rot” into the fastest song in the band’s canon. “It’s rawer and more straightforward, which gets back to what fans love about Psalms of the Moribund“.
To dig up the sheer brutality that long-time fans have come to crave, Defeated Sanity returned to Thousand Cave Studios. New York City’s most vile underground hotspot also served as the excavation site for the Billboard-charting The Sanguinary Impetus, which shoveled a fresh layer of dirt over the “polished” production of Passages into Deformity. But the band encouraged producer Colin Marston to get down and dirty with Chronicles of Lunacy. “We still wanted some of the high fidelity that you hear on modern death metal records”, Schmidt says, “but this album has the same crushing low-end as Psalms or Chapters of Repugnance“.
The band execute this two-headed approach to monstrous effect on “Condemned to Vascular Famine”. At just under six minutes, the song delivers the longest ass beating on Chronicles of Lunacy. At times, all four members sound like they’re climbing up the walls in separate asylums, but after slipping in a brief nod to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the band come slamming down into the album’s ugliest breakdown.
“That’s one of our favorites”, the band says. “It lands at a crossroad of the DS sound that we ended up with on Chronicles of Lunacy. Even though it gets pretty fucking weird at times, there’s still an emphasis on heavy, straight-up slamming”
None of their albums are ever going to follow a straight line, but on Chronicles of Lunacy, Defeated Sanity return to sheer brutality.
Lineup Josh Welshman – Vocals Vaughn Stoffey – Guitars Jacob Schmidt – Bass Lille Gruber – Drums
Guest musicians Danny Nelson and Paolo Paguntalan provide backup vocals on “Amputationsdrang” and “Accelerating the Rot”
Recording Studio Thousand Caves Studio in January 2024.
Production Recorded, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston. Produced by Colin Marston and Defeated Sanity.
Cover Art Artwork by Jon Zig Title lettering by Liz Schmidt Layout by Alex Eckman-Lawn
STRYPER are bringing the holiday spirit early with the release of a brand-new Christmas single, “Still the Light.” Just in time for Christmas in July, the track also arrives alongside an official lyric video, available below.
Michael Sweet comments on the track:
“STRYPER fans worldwide have wanted a Christmas record for 40+ years. Now we can say that we have finally made this a reality. With the first single, ‘Still The Light’ – let’s celebrate Christmas in July and acknowledge that Jesus will always be The Reason for The Season!!”
STRYPER are: Michael Sweet – Lead Vocals/Lead & Rhythm Guitar Robert Sweet – Drums & Percussion Oz Fox – Vocals/Lead and Rhythm Guitar Perry Richardson – Vocals/Bass
Hammerheart Records is thrilled to announce the signing of Sweden’s most explosive thrash metal export, Hostilia. This partnership brings together Gothenburg’s metal legacy with an uncompromising vision for the future of extreme music. The full album will be released later this year via the label.
What started as two teenage brothers with a dream, has evolved into Sweden’s most talked-about thrash metal force, proving that age is just a number when talent burns this bright.
The band comments on the signing: “We’ve been poked by a bunch of labels the past six months, but it wasn’t until we crossed paths with Hammerheart Records that we felt a true connection. The label’s genuine passion for music and the network they bring makes this collaboration a perfect match for us. We are super stoked about exploring the future together with Hammerheart.“
In celebration, Hostilia have released one of their Top Floor Live Session videos via the bands YouTube channel. Watch ‘Atomic Thunder’ here:
The Swedish thrash metal band Hostilia was formed in Gothenburg, in the fall of 2021 by brothers William (lead guitar) and Albert Lindeblad (drums) – just 18 and 14 years old at the time. Before the year was over, the band had released their first demo, which caught the attention of the underground. Several line-up changes followed, but everything fell into place when bassist Gabriel Sepúlveda, guitarist Petter Hernroth, and dynamic frontman Tim Angelini joined the ranks. The band had finally found a lineup ready to go all the way.
Since the beginning, Hostilia was set on pouring all their energy into becoming a ferocious live act. Their reputation spread fast, and in December 2023 they were handpicked to perform at the annual party at Restaurant 2112 – the Gothenburg bar owned by members of In Flames and The Halo Effect.
Among the guests was Jakob Herrmann, producer and owner of Top Floor Studios. There to enjoy the party, he left impressed and intrigued by the band’s songwriting and tight performance. Driven by curiosity, he offered Hostilia a chance to record at his studio – free of charge.
To test his gut feeling, Herrmann insisted on recording everything live in one room: no overdubs, no click tracks, no edits. The raw session exceeded all expectations and was released in December 2024 by Portuguese label Gruesome Records as All The Blood Spilt – The Top Floor Live Sessions, the EP captured the essence of Hostilia in full force. Each track was accompanied by a live-in-the-studio video.
In the summer of 2024, KISS legend Gene Simmons was looking for a young guitarist to join him on stage during his headline show at Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg. The Simmons team chose Hostilia lead guitarist William Lindeblad – on the very day of the concert. Just hours later, William stood on stage with his childhood hero, performing ‘I Love It Loud’ in front of 5,000 people – a song he had never played before.
Determined not to waste time, Hostilia began work on their debut album even before the EP was released. Drums were recorded and produced by Jakob Herrmann at Top Floor Studios. However, the band soon realized they wanted full creative control – and fearlessly chose to produce and record the rest of the album themselves, made possible by the band’s guitarist Petter Hernroth, at this point a certified sound engineer.
In November 2024, Hostilia joined Swedish heavy rockers Bombus as support act on a nationwide tour – an eye-opener for many unsuspecting metal fans across the country. By the tour’s end, Hostilia had been offered support slots with death metal legends Dismember and a tour supporting thrash icons The Haunted – both happening in the fall of 2025.
That same year, the band was featured with an interview and live footage in the critically acclaimed “Total Metal” exhibition in Stockholm – a tribute to Swedish metal past, present, and future. The segment was produced by world-renowned director Jonas Åkerlund. Swedish national TV also aired a piece about the future of metal in Sweden, with Hostilia as the example – including footage from their Top Floor live session videos.
What began as a simple ambition – to become a killer live band – may just have been the perfect strategy after all.
Hostilia tour dates 20 Sep – Black Nights & Heavy Nights Festival 2025 – Stavanger (NOR) 10 Oct – Dismember / Support: Impurity + Hostilia – Stockholm (SWE) 11 Oct – Dismember / Support: Hostilia + Impurity – Gothenburg (SWE) 30 Oct – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Uppsala (SWE) 31 Oct – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Örebro (SWE) 1 Nov – Vara In Rock Festival 2025 – Vara (SWE) 4 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Gothenburg (SWE) 5 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Norrköping (SWE) 6 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Gävle (SWE) 11 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Malmö (SWE) 12 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Jönköping (SWE) 13 Dec – The Haunted / Support: Eradikated + Hostilia – Karlstad (SWE)
Line Up: William Lindeblad: lead guitar Albert Lindeblad: drums Gabriel Sepúlveda: bass Petter Hernroth: guitar Tim Angelini: vocals
IN THEORY which is headed up by Mike Mostert and Tony Covino is not your average rock band; they are a powerhouse of sound, emotion, and creativity, redefining the boundaries of the genre with their unique and electrifying sound. Hailing from diverse musical backgrounds, this dynamic group of talented players has come together to forge a path that is distinctly their own. Formed in the heart of a bustling music scene, bringing together a group of talented individuals who shared a passion for pushing the limits of rock music. Their journey began in Muscle Shoals where they honed their craft, and their chemistry as a band quickly became evident.
n Theory has just released their new album Retribution with special guest Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper/ Hollywood Vampires/Crossbone Skully) on the title track which landed on the Apple Music New In Rock playlist and as Henriksen explains, “In Theory is a band that Mike and Tony have created and I was thrilled to be part of the track “Retribution” it’s a canvas of passion and attitude, where every chord strikes the heart of Rock n Roll.” The album also featured Black Sabbath/Dio drummer Vinny Appice who simply states, “It’s so good, I am speechless.”
The first single “Since I have been Loving You” which was released in April featured special guest Eric Gales in tribute to one the greatest Rock bands Led Zeppelin. As Mostert states, “We created a unique dark, dramatic version of a classic with tension, passion which takes the listener through an emotional journey that transcends the body and soul”.
The song landed on both the New In Rock and Breaking Hard Rock playlists on Apple Music and the Gibson Guitar Rock playlist. Covino continues his thoughts on the track, “A passionate remake of a classic song for the modern era filled with blazing guitars from two powerhouse players.10 out of 10!”, and Gales adds, “I am very proud and honored to be a guest on this rendition of such a legendary song, done by my guy Mike Mostert. Great playing all the way around. Love it.”
BUNDLE INCLUDES: 1-Retribution CD 1-CD Single w/special guest Tommy Henriksen 1-Photograph signed by Mike Mostert, Tony Covino, Tommy Henriksen 1-CD Single featuring Eric Gales 1-Melanie Watts Artwork signed by Mike Mostert & Tony Covino 2-In Theory/Mike Mostert custom signed Guitar Picks
NYOS, the lauded Finnish instrumental duo, return with news of their new album Growl, and reveal the first single ‘Get Ready’ from the record.
Growl will be released 10th October via Pelagic Records. Pre-order Growl here: https://orcd.co/nyos-growl
Since their formation in 2014, NYOS have carved out a distinctive place within Europe’s experimental and post-rock scenes, characterised by their relentless energy, polyrhythmic complexity, and hypnotic layering.
While still rooted in their signature loop-based approach, Growl is “more ambitious with song soundscapes and compositions”, says guitarist Tom Brooke, naturally embracing a denser, more textured sound with greater attention to atmosphere and tension.
Throughout their discography, NYOS have shown an emotional and tonal shift toward ambiguity — a willingness to dwell in dissonance or delay resolution in favour of sustained tension or tranquil drift. These dramatic shifts can be felt throughout the album, in which the listener is escorted from vibrance to intensity, offering a contrast not in energy, but in clarity.
“We often have a vibe or some ideas we wanna try out”, comments Brooke. “The songs though basically come from jamming – we’ll jam stuff and I record the jams, and then kinda backwards shape them into songs which we then re-record! So often the final structures will be set when doing the first guitar/loop recordings, but the ideas are always all there.”
The result is a dynamic and emotionally complex record that feels like a mature synthesis of everything that had come before. There is a joy in the interplay of Growl, even when the music veers into abrasive terrain.
“Growl is our longest record to date, and when producing it, we were very conscious to make sure it is an album that holds the listener”, states Brooke.
Throughout Growl, NYOS remain unmistakably themselves: their hallmark technical precision and sonic inventiveness are ever-present. Harnessing a vast dynamic range, the Finnish two-piece blend moments of fragile minimalism with visceral, precise, and emotionally immersive sound. “I think sonically it has all the characteristics of some of our works, but I think that we both feel like this record is the first time we’ve ever truly managed to capture everything we want”, says Brooke, “all the angles/emotions/vibes came out just as we hoped/imagined.”
Track-list 1. Get Ready 2. Superstar 3. Lézard Rouge 4. Harder Than Rain 5. Pepe-Pepe 6. Lo4 7. Walking In Moonlight 8. Be Free 9. Alright, Goodnight
As eclectic and exciting as ever, NYOS are a band in continuous motion, unafraid to challenge themselves and their listeners with ever-expanding sonic vocabularies. Growl is an album that is both coherent and seamless in its movement, walking a tightrope between meticulous structure and explosive energy.
NYOS are: Tom Brooke – guitar Tuomas Kainulainen – drums
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
