Check out ONTBORG‘s killer cover of Dissection’s “Thorns of Crimson Death”! A must-listen for fans of death metal and black metal.
Italy’s death metal band ONTBORG returns with a classic track, presented in their signature style, amidst new album releases. – Thorns Of Crimson Death Dissection Cover
Dissection has accompanied and influenced the members of Ontborg since their youth. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Storm Of The Lights Bane” Ontborg pays tribute to this album classic with their own interpretation of “Thorns Of Crimson Death.”
Music by Jon Nödtveidt & Johan Norman
Lyrics by Jon Nödtveidt
Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered in December 2024 at Sound Control Studio by Lukas Flarer
Video by Ontborg
Ontborg is: Lukas Flarer – vocals and guitar Florian Reiner – guitar Christoph Gufler – bass Christoph Flarer – drums
With their explosive mix of hard rock, punk, and heavy metal, four-woman powerhouse VULVARINE will take the scene by storm with their brand new studio album, Fast Lane, to be released on March 28, 2025 via Napalm Records!
Hailing from Vienna, Austria, the band has been making an unmistakable statement for powerful women in rock music since 2019, breaking into the international live scene following their dynamic debut full-length, Unleashed (2020). Newly signed with premium rock and metal label Napalm Records, the high-energy rock’n’roll quartet gives a first glimpse of what can be expected on their upcoming record with smashing first single “Fool”, together with a powerful official video. On “Fool”, VULVARINE explore the struggle between societal expectations and authenticity.
Kicking off on February 7, VULVARINE will bring their signature sound to various European cities, supporting Thundermother on their Dirty & Divine tour alongside label mates Cobra Spell.
VULVARINE on their new single “Fool”: “‘Fool’ is about the pressure to live up to expectations and the struggle to find your own identity. The song questions societal norms that define success through career and achievement, pushing people into a ‘work till you die’ mindset. We brought this theme to life in our music video, working with a dedicated crew who captured the tension between external pressure and personal freedom.”
Influenced by bands such as Girlschool, The Runaways and The Donnas, VULVARINE defines their own sound as “vulvarock”: a unique fusion of high energy rock’n’roll, heavy metal and glam, topped up with punk and blues elements. Following their debut album and the 2023 EP Witches Brew, on Fast Lane, VULVARINE head full speed into a new adventure filled with adrenaline and authenticity.
VULVARINE on the new album: “Fast Lane captures the whirlwind of creativity and energy that has driven us as a band. The album came together in an intense but exciting process, where we pushed our limits, worked with incredible people, and poured everything we had into the music. Signing with Napalm Records is a huge milestone, and we’re ready to hit the fast lane and dive headfirst into this new adventure.”
While remaining uncompromising and real, VULVARINE impresses with a variety of soundscapes on Fast Lane. The explosive opening track “The Drugs, the Love and the Pain” sets the scene for the rest of the album: rebellious, action-packed, raw, punky – and irresistibly catchy. “Ancient Soul” shows the softer side of VULVARINE while “Demons” dives into darker waters. VULVARINE’s strong rhythm section shines especially bright on “Alright Tonight”, and “Equal, Not the Same” is particularly refreshing and empowering. “Fool”, co-written with German producer Felix Heldt (Dominum, Feuerschwanz, Visions Of Atlantis), surprises with a different tone while remaining true to the sound and spirit of the band. “Polly the Trucker” is an ode to the highway, a classic rock’n’roll anthem with a modern touch, featuring raspy vocals and incredible guitars. VULVARINE brings in yet another highlight with an electrifying cover of Modern Talking’s “Cheri Cheri Lady”, featuring a powerful guitar solo from Thundermother’s Filippa Nässil, before wrapping the album up with pensive track “She’ll Come Around”.
On Fast Lane, VULVARINE soars to the next level with both songwriting and high-quality production without losing their edge. The album was produced in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt as a collaboration of three different producers: Thomas Zwanzger of Stressstudio, Dietmar Baumgartner of Sonar Music Productions and Engel Mayr (formerly of Russkaja) of Studio Mäusepalast, resulting in a cohesive work and VULVARINE’s strongest album yet. Fast Lane is a multifaceted and honest high-octane rock’n’roll extravaganza with no filler: the 11-track offering is packed with the very best of one of the most promising bands in the scene.
Fast Lane tracklisting: 1. The Drugs, the Love and the Pain 2. Ancient Soul 3. Heads Held High 4. Demons 5. Alright Tonight 6. Equal, Not the Same 7. Fool 8. Polly the Trucker 9. Dark Red 10. Cheri Cheri Lady (feat. Filippa Nässil) 11. She’ll Come Around
VULVARINE live 2025:
Dirty & Divine Tour EU/UK – Supporting Thundermother w/ Cobra Spell 07.02.25 DE – Hamburg / Grosse Freiheit 08.02.25 DE – Cologne / Essigfabrik 09.02.25 BE – Sint-Niklaas / De Casino 11.02.25 UK – London / The Garage 12.02.25 UK – Manchester / Rebellion 14.02.25 FR – Paris / Petit Bain 15.02.25 FR – Lyon / Marché Gare 16.02.25 IT – Milan / Santeria 18.02.25 DE – Saarbrücken / Garage 19.02.25 DE – Stuttgart / Im Wizemann 21.02.25 AT – Dornbirn / Conrad Sohm 22.02.25 DE – Memmingen / Kaminwerk 23.02.25 DE – Nuremberg / Hirsch 21.03.25 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 22.03.25 DE – Berlin / Festsaal Kreuzberg 23.03.25 PL – Warsaw / Niebo 25.03.25 CZ – Prague / Strom Club 26.03.25 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra Blue Stage 28.03.25 AT – Vienna / Szene Wien 29.03.25 DE – Munich / Backstage 30.03.25 CH – Pratteln / Z7 Konzertfabrik 01.04.25 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal 02.04.25 DE – Bochum / Zeche 04.04.25 DE – Obertraubling / Airport-Eventhall 05.04.25 DE – Hanover / Capitol 06.04.25 NL – Utrecht / Tivoli Vredenburg – Pandora
Festivals 2025: 21.06.25 AT – Ried im Innkreis / KiK Open Air Festival 23.07.25 SI – Tolmin / Tolminator Festival
VULVARINE are: Bea Heartbeat – Drums Robin Redbreast – Bass Sandy Dee – Guitar Suzy Q – Vocals
To celebrate their upcoming European Hell, Fire And Steel tour, SAXON unleash the dramatic video for the new single “1066”, taken from their critically-acclaimed 24th studio album, Hell, Fire And Damnation – out now via Silver Lining Music available HERE.
Saxon and Norman fighters played by Stronghold Reenactment; video directed, produced and edited by Paul M Green.
Saxon’s Biff Byford says – Saxon’s Biff Byford says – “A totally British themed song, the massive invasion… In fact, it was the end of the Saxons really, so I’m singing about the demise of the Saxons. I did a song with Amon Amarth a while back called ‘Saxons and Vikings’ which was about the end of the Vikings in England and the rise of the Saxons, so I thought I may as well do a song about six-seven hundred years later when William the Conqueror comes over and nobbles the Saxons. We’ll be playing the song on the Hell, Fire And Steel tour next month, which is gonna be fantastic.”
Meanwhile tickets for the Hell, Fire and Steel tour are selling fast with many of the band’s shows already SOLD OUT including the very first show in Bremen and more shows also running low on tickets. Saxon are joined by their great friends, Girlschool, as main support with Grand Slam appearing as special guests. Whilst very special guest, Doro, joins Saxon on the last show at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf.
The Hell, Fire and Steel European tour will not only see Saxon performing songs from their well received, recently released, top 20 album, Hell, Fire and Damnation, but also play the whole of their classic sophomore album Wheels of Steel (released 45 years ago this year) as well as playing other fan favourites and hits from across the band’s career.
Saxon’s groundbreaking album Wheels of Steel has been heavily cited by numerous journalists as one of those classic albums that every metal fan should own. Jam-packed with seminal songs and chunky riffs from the opening high octane belting riff of “Motorcycle Man”, Wheels of Steel (the album) packs a punch from start to finish. From the infectious and arguably the biggest riff of hit single “747 (Strangers in the Night)” through to the more stripped-down crunchy tour de force of title track “Wheels of Steel”. This is a one-off not to be missed opportunity to see one of metal’s best albums played from start to finish in all its glory.
Saxon’s Biff Byford says – “We are really excited to be heading back out to Europe early next year and wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. The Judas Priest tour was fantastic to be a part of and we wanted to take some of that spirit and energy into our next tour too and what better way than to play the first album that really took off for us globally, Wheels of Steel, in its entirety. We will of course also be playing the usual array of hits and other fan favourites as well as songs from our new album Hell, Fire and Damnation.”
The Hell, Fire And Steel tour kicks off at the Aladin Music Hall in Bremen on Feb 4th, then continues at the Amager Bio, Copenhagen on Feb 6th and at the Conventum in Orebro, Feb 7th. For all other shows and to grab the last tickets go to www.saxon747.com
The “Hell, Fire and Steel” tour kicks-off in Bremen, Germany, on February 4th, a full listing of dates are below.
HELL, FIRE AND STEEL EUROPEAN TOUR
FEB 04 – Aladin Music Hall, Bremen (DE)* [SOLD OUT] FEB 06 – Amager Bio, Copenhagen (DK)* FEB 07 – Conventum, Orebro (SE) FEB 08 – Värmekyrkan, Norrköping (SE) [SOLD OUT] FEB 09 – Slagthuset, Malmö (SE) [SOLD OUT]* FEB 11 – Rockefeller, Oslo (NO)* FEB 13 – Trädgär’n, Gothenburg (SE)* FEB 14 – Folkets Park, Huskvarna (SE) [SOLD OUT]* FEB 15 – Cirkus, Stockholm (SE) [SOLD OUT]* FEB 17 – Docks, Hamburg (DE)* FEB 19 – Lucerna Music Bar, Prague (CZ) [SOLD OUT]* FEB 20 – Studio, Kraków (PL)* FEB 21 – Gasometer, Vienna (AT)* FEB 23 – Progresja, Warsaw (PL)* FEB 25 – Muffathalle, Munich (DE) [SOLD OUT]* FEB 26 – Live Club, Milan (IT)* FEB 28 – Volkshaus, Zurich (CH)* MAR 01 – Central, Erfurt (DE)* MAR 02 – 013, Tilburg (NL)* MAR 04 – Huxleys, Berlin (DE)* MAR 05 – Haus Auensee, Leipzig (DE)* MAR 06 – Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Düsseldorf (DE)** *With special guests, Grand Slam **With very special guest, Doro
Hell, Fire and Damnation is an album which sees Saxon investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet. Biff delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass respectively lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, Saxon bring it all to the table. There’s a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim & leather coated super-sprint “Fire and Steel”, a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM’s birth in the electric mid-pace “Pirates of the Airwaves”, but maybe the true treasure amidst the jewels is “There’s Something in Roswell”, with the sort of expansive groove and embrace which deserves arenas.
Hell, Fire and Damnation is a superlative British Heavy Metal classic. Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) and Biff Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, the album strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle which Saxon co-created.
SAXON:
BIFF BYFORD – Vocals NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar BRIAN TATLER – Guitar NIBBS CARTER – Bass
Never Obey Again is a female fronted alternative unit that blends heavy sounds and modern electronic elements to create captivating, emotional sound scenarios. They did it effortlessly on the 2023 debut album “The End Of An Era”; they did it better and with an even stronger personal touch on their brand new record, where extraordinary singer Carol shines throughout the entire work.
On one hand, “Trust” has been conceived as ‘music for everyone’ regardless of gender or age as its lyrics and vocals could resonate with anyone; words and melodies that allow the listener to feel like home, protected and safe in sharing feelings.
On the other hand, it represents the band’s decision to go heavier and dress those lyrics with their own sound avoiding any compromise; it sounds deeper, rough and straight to the point. It sounds like Never Obey Again and nothing else.
Artwork by Never Obey Again
“Trust” tracklist
01 Animal By Choice 02 G.O.D. (Given Or Denied) 03 Never Feel, Never Fear 04 Give Me A Fuckin’ Break 05 Under My Skin, Before Your Eyes 06 Lost… 07 Control 08 I Wish 09 Conquer And Divide 10 Waterfall 11 Trust
Never Obey Again are: Carolina Bertelegni – vocals Alessandro Tuvo – guitar Alex Pedrotti – guitar Cristiano Trappoli – bass Marco Binda – drums
Mortui Vultus began their active journey in 2022 during the peak of the full-scale war. They quickly developed their unique style and started building a community of listeners who support them both in Ukraine and abroad.
Mortui Vultus’ music is a synthesis of post-black metal, blackgaze, screamo, post-rock, and post-metal.
“We don’t think within the boundaries of one or two genres. All the band members listen to very different music, which shapes our eclectic sound” – the musicians explain.
Ukrainian band released debut album titled “Distant Echoes” on January 24, 2025 on all major streaming platforms, except for Russian services.
The album’s lyrics are heavily influenced by the realities of life during and after the war. The band notes that life in such circumstances leaves no room for indifference, which has found its expression in their music. Now, the group aims to convey the feelings of pain and uncertainty experienced here, especially to listeners abroad.
“Distant Echoes” is a profound and complex work in terms of arrangements, characterized by its atmospheric and introspective nature. At the same time, the album is energetic, filled with an aggressive and dense vibe typical of post-black metal. In the lyrics, the band combines the pain of daily life, existential reflections, and an endless yet elusive hope.
“This album is a reflection of a person’s state of mind during the war. Each track feels like a fragment of an inner dialogue, where hope wrestles with despair, and rage hides within melancholy” – the band members comments.
The album cover features a film photograph by Alina Pleska, depicting the sea as a symbol of infinity and the unknown. This image, according to the musicians, best reflects the album’s theme and emotional depth.
Tracklist:
01. Mara 02. Outmoon 03. Klekit 04. Broken Bad 05. Susurration
Finnish one-man dark folk band Nobody is set to release a new EP Shadow Companions on March 14th 2025 via Inverse Records. The first and only single Hellfire is unleashed today.
The man behind Nobody, Tuomas Kauppinen comments the single: “Hellfire is a Dostoyevskian journey into the minds of a secluded community that brainwashes its members into blind submission. The outside world considers their simple way of life as pacifist generally, even though underneath its surface the religious sect is rampant with domestic and sexual abuse, especially of women of all ages. Archbishop John is notorious within the community for his deviant desires and though he is feared and loathed, his role as the spiritual leader of the community gives him free reign to carry out his crimes.”
Shadow Companions Track list:
Hellfire
Get Me
The Forest Has My Woman
Blunt Force Trauma
Music & Lyrics by Tuomas Kauppinen
Mixed by Jaakko Luomanen (ex-Lähiöbotox)
Cover art by Don Artvaara
Line-up: Tuomas Kauppinen – vocals, guitars, bass & drums
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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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )