GRAMMY Award winning bassist DAVID ELLEFSON has announced his BASS WARRIORTOUR across Europe for spring 2025. The tour will feature Ellefson and his solo band performing select cuts from his well-known catalog of Mega hits, solo material and other hard rock & metal favorites which inspired him during his 40-year music career.
To coincide with the announcement, Ellefson teamed up with AMERICAN IDOL contestant JAMES DURBIN to release a powerhouse version of the JUDAS PRIEST classic Metal Gods. The song also features Ellefson’s solo band of musicians including his long-time friend & musical director Andy Martongelli.
The song is now available across all digital platforms and can be heard here:
Ellefson states, “As we’re announcing the next round of Bass Warrior tour dates for 2025 it seemed fitting to push out a new track which so clearly identifies heavy metal music, that of our favorite Judas Priest! And, to do it with our friend James Durbin on vocals. He has such a fantastic voice and he even performed with the mighty Priest on American Idol so this story pretty much wrote itself.”
Durbin continues, “When David Ellefson & Andrea Martongelli DM you and want you to cover Judas Priest with them, the answer is ‘YES’! Aside from the late great Ronnie James Dio, the mighty Priest are the top of the heavy metal mountain for me and covering their music is a request I’ll never turn down, especially considering who that request come from.”
James Durbin was a contestant on the 10th season of American Idol and performed alongside Judas Priest during the show’s finale that year. The track is produced by Ellefson and his solo band guitarist Andy Martongelli and mixed by Alessio Garavello at Rogue Recording Studios in Wembley, UK.
Musician’s featured on the Metal Gods track are:
James Durbin-Lead Vocals David Ellefson-Bass Guitar Andy Martongelli-Lead & Rhythm Guitars Walter Cianciusi-Lead Guitars Paolo Caridi-Drums
Produced by David Ellefson & Andy Martongelli
Mixing and backing vocals by Alessio Garavello for Rogue Recording Studios, Wembley, UK
Finnish melodic death metal pioneers WOLFHEART are set to make history as the first European metal band to ever perform in Saudi Arabia. The groundbreaking performance will take place as part of XP Music Futures, the renowned 3-day music conference in Riyadh. WOLFHEART will bring their thunderous sound to this landmark event, blending crushing melodies with a historic moment for the global music scene.
“2024 has been full of adventures and taken us to places where we have never been before from Australia to the Balkans and of course to familiar territories all around Europe and Scandinavia. The highlight of the year will definitely be the fact that we will be the first European metal band ever to play a show in Saudi Arabia. Absolute honor and a privilege. Wolves of the north will bring the winter storm to Riyadh!“ -Tuomas / WOLFHEART
The show, set to occur during XP’s vibrant nightlife programming, marks a bold new chapter in WOLFHEART’s career as they continue their international tour in support of their latest album, Draconian Darkness. Released to critical acclaim, Draconian Darkness was recorded at Deep Noise Studios, with production, mixing, and mastering by the band’s long-time collaborator, Saku Moilanen, and artwork by visionary artist Nikos Stavridakis (VisionBlack).
WOLFHEART’s inclusion at XP is part of the conference’s mission to lay the foundation for a thriving music industry in the region. XP Music Futures provides a platform for artists, entrepreneurs, designers, and policymakers to collaborate and innovate while offering attendees workshops, dialogues, networking opportunities, and electrifying live performances.
“We’re incredibly proud to bring WOLFHEART to Saudi Arabia for the first time as the headliner of the Heavy Arabia Showcase at XP Music Futures. WOLFHEART is a staple of melodic death metal in the Nordics, and having them here is a huge moment for our local scene. This isn’t just about a performance; it’s about giving our audience the chance to experience one of the genre’s most iconic bands live in their homeland. It’s a moment that celebrates the passion and dedication of Saudi metal fans and highlights how far the scene has come. This showcase is another milestone for metal in Saudi Arabia, and we’re so excited to see what this means for the future of our community.” – Gigi / Heavy Arabia
With their powerful stage presence and the emotionally charged anthems of Draconian Darkness, WOLFHEART promises a performance that will resonate far beyond the walls of the venue. This extraordinary show represents not just a historic moment for WOLFHEART but also a celebration of the evolving music landscape in Saudi Arabia.
To learn more aboutXP Music Futures or Choose XP Nite / Thursday ticket, visit their website HERE.
WOLFHEART live:
“Endtime Signals” – European Tour 2024 w/ DARK TRANQUILLITY, MOONSPELL, HIRAES Presented by Metal Hammer, musix, metal.de, powermetal.de, eventim & Decibel Touring 20.11.2024 HU Budapest – Barba Negra 21.11.2024 AT Vienna – Arena *LOW TICKETS* 22.11.2024 DE Karlsruhe – Substage *SOLD OUT* 23.11.2024 DE Weissenhäusser Strand/Ostsee – Metal Hammer Paradise *SOLD OUT* 24.11.2024 DK Copenhagen – Pumpehuset 26.11.2024 NO Oslo – Vulkan Arena 28.11.2024 SE Stockholm – Fryshuset Klubben 29.11.2024 SE Örebro – Club 700 30.11.2024 SE Gothenburg – Filmstudion *SELLING FAST*
10. – 12.07.2025 FI Kotka – Dark River Festival *NEW*
Artwork by Nikos Stavridakis / VisionBlack
“Draconian Darkness” was recorded at Deep Noise Studios and produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s long-time collaborator Saku Moilanen; its artwork was crafted by Nikos Stavridakis (VisionBlack).
Founded by the hardworking multi-instrumentalist Tuomas Saukkonen (known for BEFORE THE DAWN, BLACK SUN AEON, etc.), WOLFHEART represents a unique blend of sinister atmosphere and intense Northern European metal. Their music combines raw power with poetic depth, earning them significant acclaim within the global metal community. While WOLFHEART’s art is primarily inspired by their Finnish surroundings, their albums weave eclectic stories that connect nature and human emotions. With each release, they have expanded their artistic horizons, continually enriching their musical expression.
HOLE IN THE FRAME are back with a new version of their track “Insomnia Pt. 2”, available from November 20, 2024, on all digital platforms via Volcano Records & Promotion.
This raw and visceral live version marks another chapter in the band’s storytelling, delving deep into the darkest and most intense human emotions. Blending crossover groove metal, nu metal, and influences from bands like Pantera, Korn, and Slipknot, Hole in the Frame takes listeners on a journey into their darkest nightmares. “Insomnia Pt. 2 Live 2024” narrates a battle within, between fears and anger, capturing the essence of those who experience metal on their skin, unfiltered and uncompromising.
The band from Molise, active since 2014, has always stood out for its ability to convey genuine emotions through a unique mix of dark sounds and powerful lyrics. “Insomnia Pt. 2 Live 2024” is a new testament to their style, capable of captivating both genre enthusiasts and those seeking a profound musical experience.
Today, the mighty KREATOR have released a digital album and full video stream of their monumental live performance at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, which was held and recorded on April 23rd, 2023.
Fans can relive the mayhem and massive circle pits that erupted throughout the night, showcasing the raw energy that only KREATOR and their Chilean Hordes can command.
With Live In Chile you can experience one of the world’s most renowned extreme metal bands rip through a breathtaking, career-spanning set full of fan favourites and songs from their most recent album, Hate Über Alles, proving that they’re still at the very top of their game.
Almost coinciding with the release, KREATOR‘s European co-headline tour with US thrash legends ANTHRAX and guests, TESTAMENT, kicks off Thursday, November 21st. Tickets are still available for some of the shows. Scroll down for all dates.
International metal forces join in a monstrous union between Kreator andUS metal monsters, Anthrax. Completing this unmissable line-up, a very special guest, the Bay Area’s metal machine, Testament!
KREATOR + ANTHRAX 2024 EUROPEAN TOUR w/ very special guests Testament 21-Nov-2024 UK – Manchester, O2 Apollo 22-Nov-2024 UK – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall 23-Nov-2024 UK – London, Eventim Apollo 25-Nov-2024 IE – Dublin, 3 Arena 27-Nov-2024 UK – Glasgow, OVO Hydro 29-Nov-2024 FR – Paris, Zenith 30-Nov-2024 DE – Düsseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Halle 01-Dec-2024 DE – Munich, Zenith 03-Dec-2024 LU – Esch-sur-Alzette, Rockhal 04-Dec-2024 CH – Zurich, Halle 622 06-Dec-2024 IT – Milan, Alcatraz 07-Dec-2024 DE – Stuttgart, Schleyerhalle 08-Dec-2024 DE – Berlin, Uber Eats Music Hall 10-Dec-2024 HU – Budapest, Barba Negra 11-Dec-2024 PL – Katowice, Spodek 13-Dec-2024 DE – Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle 14-Dec-2024 DE – Hamburg, Edel Optics Arena – sold out! 15-Dec-2024 NL – Den Bosch, Mainstage
[photo credit: Mikhail Yuyukin, Viktor Shkarov, Marat Zaborovskiy]
With 10 years of experience behind them, Siberian atmospheric black metal legion GRIMA will release their sixth album and Napalm Records debut, Nightside, on February 28, 2025. After several shows across Europe, including some with fast-rising German death metal force Kanonenfieber, GRIMA are set to honor the spirit of the Siberian Forest, Taiga, with their impending next chapter. In addition to their unforgettable sound echoing the mesmerizing cold of the Siberian evening wilderness, the band’s eerie, piercing look – towering like living trees with intimidating carved wooden masks and branched fingers – adds another haunting element to their brutal yet beautiful output.
Alongside the album announcement, GRIMA present their first output and reveal the new single “Skull Gatherers”, an atmospheric and haunting black metal track that conjures powerful imagery of inevitability, cold, and eternal slumber. “Skull Gatherers” is underlined with a bewitching official music video and serves as a perfect soundtrack for the gray season.
GRIMA on “Skull Gatherers”: “’Skull Gatherers’ tells the story of the Skull Gatherers, particularly devoted servants of GRIMA, who are dedicated to harvesting trophies from the bodies of the deceased and weaving them into an endless collection. Each lyric and chord resonate with the somber silence and chill of the earth, the final resting place for those who have found peace in the Taiga. The song transcends listeners into a realm of nocturnal shadows, rugged nature, and mysticism – the perfect soundtrack for those prepared to confront what lies beyond the boundary between life and death.”
The brand-new single, “Skull Gatherers”, is constructed with folk instruments such as the Russian accordion bayan, but GRIMA also incorporate death metal-like growls into their delivery on “Impending Death Premonition”. While fans of their dark, deep and melancholic sound can look forward to tales like in“Flight Of The Silver Storm” and “The Nightside”, GRIMA also showcase focused effort and skill on the album’s more brief, accessible offerings. “Beyond The Dark Horizon” and “Curse Of The Void” are as dreamy and complex as their big brothers, but also satisfy as more direct black metal anthems. With their mysterious visual aura and intriguing sound inspired by the unforgiving nature around them, GRIMA continue to prove themselves as an unmissable band to watch within the genre with their new album Nightside.
GRIMA about the album: “GRIMA is a secretive cult devoted to an ancient, long-forgotten Siberian forest deity, lying in wait, shrouded within the endless embrace of the Taiga. Our music is a ritual of reverence to the ancient magic of the forest, an endless dance of mysterious entities and ancient spirits, a beautiful and terrifying legend cloaked in the form of Siberian Atmospheric Black Metal. Nightside is a mysterious and melodic recording, infused with the mesmerizing cold of the Siberian night wilderness—brutal, yet equally beautiful and irresistibly alluring. A mysterious nocturnal land where winds slam the shutters of cabins in abandoned villages, guiding stars only lead you deeper into the silver storm, and a dead man is knocking his claw on an ancient pine, counting down the remaining time of yet another lost.”
Mixing, mastering, and helming Nightside’s harsh, powerful but also clear-as-an-icicle sound is black metal-experienced producer Vladimir Lehtinen. The two driving forces behind the band’s unique sound, Vilhelm and Morbius, both deliver different aspects of the band’s impactful, massive guitar riffs, leads and melodies, while Vilhelm also soars as the voice of the woods. Guest musicians Vlad (drums) and Serpentum (guitars) also join the fold both in studio and on stage.
Nightside tracklisting: 1. Intro (Cult) 2. Beyond the Dark Horizon 3. Flight of the Silver Storm 4. Skull Gatherers 5. Impending Death Premonition 6. The Nightside 7. Where We Are Lost 8. Curse of the Void 9. Mist and Fog 10. Outro (Memories of a Forgotten Home)
GRIMA Live 2025 25.04.2025 DE – Lichtenfels / Ragnarök Festival 27.04.2025 AU – Vienna / Viper Room 28.04.2025 HU – Budapest / Dürer Kert 29.04.2025 RO – Timișoara / M2 30.04.2025 RO – Cluj Napoca / Hardward Pub 01.05.2025 RO – Bucharest / Fabrica 02.05.2025 BG – Sofia / Live & Loud 03.05.2025 GR – Thessaloniki / 8ball 04.05.2025 GR – Athens / Arch Club – Live Stage 05.05.2025 GR – Larisa / Skyland 09.05.2025 SE – Belgrade / TBA 10.05.2025 SL – Ljubljana / Menza pri Koritu 11.05.2025 PL – Brno / Melodka 13.05.2025 PL – Krakow / Gwarek 14.05.2025 PL – Wrocław / Liverpool 15.05.2025 CZ – Praha / Vagon 16.05.2025 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 17.05.2025 DE – Weiher / Music Hall 18.05.2025 DE – Kassel / Goldgrube 21.05.2025 DE – Magdeburg / Factory 22.05.2025 DE – Frankfurt a. M. / Nachtleben 23.05.2025 NL – Haarlem / Patronaat 25.05.2025 UK – London / Underworld Camden 27.05.2025 UK – Glasgow / Ivory Blacks 28.05.2025 UK – Manchester / Rebellion 30.05.2025 DE – Munich / Backstage Halle 31.05.2025 DE – Hamburg / Kulturpalast
GRIMA is: Vilhelm – vocals, guitars Morbius – guitars
As the mists of time part like whispers through the Scottish Highlands, Saor weaves a new historic tapestry. Inspired by a hilly walk through an older world, Andy Marshall and his band of Caledonian warriors craft a majestic symphony that welds the intensity of black metal with Celtic folk melodies on their upcoming new album Amidst the Ruins.
Watch the stunning and scenic music video for the title track:
Guided by the spirit of Caledonia, Saor’s latest opus captures the stark contrast between the echoes of a once-great heritage and the distractions of our modern lives. “Amidst the Ruins” draws listeners into a reverent reflection of Scotland’s sacred past, where the very ground holds stories of strength and identity that’s now overshadowed by fleeting, shallow pursuits.
More praise for Saor
“It’s just so epic. Saor is habitually great” – Angry Metal Guy
“Andy Marshall is the poster child for harnessing the random beauty of nature and threading it together with the limitless opportunity atmospheric folk/black metal presents” – Ghost Cult
“When it comes to atmospheric black metal, Saor needs no introduction” – Everything is Noise
“…critical listening for anyone who is a fan of black metal, folk metal or music in general” – Nine Circles
Tracklist: 1. Amidst the Ruins (12:41) [WATCH] 2. Echoes of the Ancient Land (11:41) 3. Glen of Sorrow (12:05) 4. The Sylvan Embrace (8:19) 5. Rebirth (14:10) Full runtime: 58:57
Out of the mists, where lore whispers in the winds, SAOR, the heralds of Caledonia’s primeval beauty and ancient tales, rise once again to enrapture souls far and wide. Their newest offering, Amidst the Ruins, is an epic voyage set to rekindle the fires of heritage and resurrect the valor that courses through Scotland’s vast landscapes.
Since their emergence in 2013, SAOR has beckoned listeners to transcend the mortal plain, intertwining the ferocity of atmospheric black metal with the gentle, haunting melodies of Celtic fold. Andy Marshall, the sage bard and architect of SAOR‘s sound, continues his pilgrimage through the verdant glens and stark highlands, revealing sights both ethereal and eternal through his music.
Building upon the chronicles of old, the forthcoming album Amidst the Ruins stands proud, a timeless sentinel amidst the sands of time. For in this work, Marshall, the visionary, has deftly woven strands of modern-life dissonance into the rich tapestry of Scottish lore, enshrining the enigmatic contrast between the remnants of a glorious yore and the often-elusive grasp of the present day. This auditory saga resounds with the resonance of ruined structures and forgotten paths, its melodies steeped in the reverence for sacred ground and a lament for the disconnect wrought by modernity.
Delve deep and you shall find Echoes of the Ancient Land, a heartfelt tribute to Scotland’s timeless landscapes and their profound ancestral connections. Through The Sylvan Embrace, SAOR imparts a harmonious sanctuary, a sylvan retreat where solace is found, and spirits are soothed. With Rebirth, the cycle is complete, weaving an intricate spell of transformation and new dawns.
The band’s odyssey upon the stage is nothing less than transcendental, as audiences bear witness to the heart of their aural fables brought vividly to life. These live performances stand as sacred rituals, bridging the veil between epochs, inviting all to partake in the shared legacy of the Scottish Highlands.
In Amidst the Ruins, the warriors of SAOR cast a clarion call to awaken from the lethargy of modern existence, to reclaim the essence of a heritage laid asunder. From the vibrant resonance of ancient battles to the hushed despair of Glencoe’s betrayed souls, every note spills forth like blood of the fallen seeping into the heathered earth.
As we stand on the cusp of this new era, Amidst the Ruins, the latest chronicle unfolds. SAOR‘s watchful eye turns to the horizon, the whispering woods, the twilight skies, and the sleeping stones bearing seers’ dreams, evoking the indomitable spirit of the realm. In their hands, the past is resurrected; its tales to be retold for those who would heed the call—SAOR, remain the ceaseless bards of Caledonia unbroken.
Line-up: Andy Marshall – All Composition, Writing & Instrumentation
Guest Musicians: Ella Zlotos – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles, Uilleann Pipes Carlos Vivas – Drums Jo Quail – Cello & FX on “The Sylvan Embrace” Àngela Moya Serrat – Violin on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth” Miguel Izquierdo – Viola on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth” Samuel C. Ledesma – Cello on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth
Recording: Andy Marshall – Vocals, Guitars, Bass recorded at Fortriu Studios, Scotland Nikolaus Jira – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles and Uilleann Pipes recorded at NikolausRecordings Studio, Germany Jose Garrido and Daniel Sabugal – Drums recorded at NewLife Studios, Spain Mattias Eklund – Violin, Viola and Cello recorded at Farkosten Studios, Spain Chris Fielding – Mixing and Guitar reamping at Penylan Studio, Wales Tony Lindgren – Mastering at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )