Shogun Mojo – an exciting new collaboration between legendary Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer and acclaimed singer-songwriter Dan Reed of Dan Reed Network fame – debut on Frontiers Music Srl with a self-titled album, set for release on November 6, 2026.
The band is also thrilled to unveil the first single, “Under The Gun”, along with an official video, available below.
Dan Reed stated: “In the first single ‘Under the Gun’… Tommy kills it, and Bengt and Ikiz lay down a killer funk groove. As for the lyrics, they point at the current trends on earth of more division, more anger, and more fear. I’m simply saying we should be careful of the amount of negativity we populate our lives with, because we just might make it come true. If we bring on dystopia then we better be prepared for the ride”.
Shogun Mojo is the explosive new rock collective masterminded by legendary guitarist Tommy Thayer (KISS, Black ’N Blue) and acclaimed vocalist Dan Reed (Dan Reed Network), uniting decades of arena rock legacy, musical innovation and pure rock’n’roll spirit.
Backed by a Sweden-based and exceptionally tight lineup featuring drummer Robert Mehmeti Kizilcay, guitarist Roger Öjersson and bassist Jake Nyman, the band delivers a debut album packed with towering hooks, driving energy and electrifying performances.
Tommy Thayer commented on the record, by saying: “I’ve always loved doing projects like this because they give me a chance to step outside of my usual world and just create, play guitar and have fun making music. Dan and I go back a long way, and it’s been great getting to know Bengt and Ikiz over the past year and discovering the chemistry we have together. Shogun Mojo really came from that shared energy, getting in a room, playing, writing and seeing where it took us. There’s a great spirit and camaraderie in this band that comes through in the music, and I’m excited for people to finally hear what we’ve created together.”
“This debut album is a reflection of all the rock records both Tommy, Bengt, Ikiz and I grew up listening to! Even Brion James from my band Dan Reed Network has a co-write on the album called ‘Funk Party’! What we captured in the studio is playing live together like bands did in the 70s, and the outcome is a record that’s groovy, rowdy funk rock celebration of life. At least that was the goal”, added Dan Reed. “In a world of AI music, we took it back to the roots of having fun writing in a room together and recording in a room together. We hope you feel what we attempted to capture. We are often told ‘People don’t want to hear guitar solos anymore’… so Tommy has a guitar solo in every song!”
Musically, Shogun Mojo channel the infectious melodic punch of classic late ’70s and early ’80s hard rock, blending the anthemic spirit of KISS with the soulful intensity and unmistakable swagger of Dan Reed’s vocal style. Fans of Dan Reed Network’s Slam will immediately connect with the album’s vibrant mix of massive choruses, funk-infused grooves and feel-good rock energy – but with a warmer, more organic and timeless sound that recalls the golden era of analog-driven rock records.
Raw, dynamic and unapologetically alive, Shogun Mojo’s debut is a celebration of big riffs, earworm melodies and the enduring power of classic hard rock reinvented for a new generation.
“Shogun Mojo” Tracklist:
1. Fight For The Light 2. Under The Gun 3. Gonna Raise Hell 4. Fire With Fire 5. Dog Eat Dog 6. Turn It Up 7. Nothing To See Here 8. In The Air Tonight 9. Star Rider 10. Funk Party
Line Up: Dan Reed Tommy Thayer Bengt Jonasson Robert Ikiz
Norwegian melodic black metal veterans ISKALD have unveiled the second official teaser for their upcoming sixth full-length album, “Curse of the Mind”, due out on September 25th via Dusktone. Following the first preview, this new teaser offers another glimpse into the album’s dark and expansive atmosphere, bringing together further excerpts from across the record. Rather than revealing a single composition in isolation, the teaser highlights the different shades that shape “Curse of the Mind”, from its melodic black metal foundations to its more imposing and atmospheric passages, offering a broader taste of what ISKALD have prepared for their return.
Listen to the new teaser:
Frontman Aage Krekling comments:
“For our second teaser we go deeper into the ritual. You will hear fragments from ‘Manifestation of Madness’, ‘A Burden of Hope’, ‘Curse of the Mind – Invocation II’, ‘The Sacrifice’ and ‘The Other Realm’. Where the first invocation opened the door, this one pulls you into the prison itself – isolation turning into doubt and psychological collapse. Helheim is not a place, it is the inner darkness taking shape, and the mind is the true battlefield. This passage leads directly to our first and only single before the album release, ‘The Other Realm'”.
Following the acclaimed “Innhøstinga” (2018), the new album marks the beginning of a new chapter for the band after signing with Dusktone in early 2026. Available on colored LP, black LP, CD Box and CD, “Curse of the Mind” was recorded during the summer of 2025 at Strand Studio in Beiarn, mixed and mastered by Hallstein Sandvin, and features artwork by SG7 Graphics.
For over two decades, ISKALD have stood among the leading names in Norwegian melodic black metal. Now performing as a five-piece, the band expands its trademark northern sound with its most ambitious and immersive work to date.
Built as a conceptual journey, “Curse of the Mind” unfolds through four interconnected chapters linked by ritualistic invocations, exploring themes of psychological torment, inner conflict, fragile hope and ultimate sacrifice. Framed within a stark, Norse-inspired vision of Helheim, the story is mythological in setting but deeply psychological at its core. Helheim is not merely a place, it is the shape taken by inner darkness. The true battlefield is the mind itself.
The album unfolds in four movements, connected by four ritual Invocations:
I. The Other Realm – The Descent Vast emptiness, fog and isolation.
II. Manifestation of Madness – The Prison Doubt, fragmentation and psychological collapse.
III. A Burden of Hope – The Fragile Light Strength found through accepting the darkness within.
IV. The Sacrifice – The Ritual Before the throne of Hela, suffering becomes meaningful.
Tracklist:
1. Curse of the Mind – Invocation I 2. The Other Realm 3. Curse of the Mind – Invocation II 4. Manifestation of Madness 5. Curse of the Mind – Invocation III 6. A Burden of Hope 7. Curse of the Mind – Final Invocation 8. The Sacrifice
Line-up:
Aage Krekling – Vocals Simon Larsen – Guitars Ben Hansen – Guitars Isak Larsen – Drums Tobias Aubert – Bass
ISKALD were formed in 2005 in Sortland, Northern Norway, by Simon Larsen and Aage Krekling, with the ambition of creating a distinctive form of melodic black metal deeply connected to the atmosphere of the Arctic north. After the self-released “Northern Twilight” EP, the band gained international attention with their debut album “Shades of Misery” (2007), establishing themselves as one of the most promising acts in the Norwegian scene.
Throughout their career, ISKALD have developed a sound where cold melodies, aggression and atmospheric depth coexist, drawing inspiration from nature, Norse heritage and existential themes. Their discography includes acclaimed albums such as “Revelations of Reckoning Day” (2008), “The Sun I Carried Alone” (2011), “Nedom og Nord” (2014) and “Innhøstinga” (2018), each marking a further evolution of their artistic vision.
Having performed at festivals including Inferno Festival, Midgardsblot, Hove Festival and by:Larm, and shared stages with major names in extreme metal, ISKALD now enter a new phase with Dusktone. The partnership leads to the release of “Curse of the Mind”, their sixth full-length album and first concept record, arriving in 2026.
“Needs Must When The Devil Drives”, the long-awaited second album from ABSOLUTE POWER, will be released on October 30th, 2026 via Time To Kill Records.
Fifteen years after the release of their self-titled debut, the heavy metal project founded by vocalist and producer Simon Efemey and Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury returns with a powerful celebration of classic heavy metal. Drawing inspiration from the timeless legacy of Judas Priest, Saxon, Black Sabbath, Dio and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, “Needs Must When The Devil Drives” combines old-school riffs, unforgettable melodies and larger-than-life songwriting with the energy and attitude of a new era.
The world is in meltdown, and we’re all going to hell in a handbasket. Thankfully, ABSOLUTE POWER are here to offer maximum-volume resistance to the madness with their monumental second album, “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”.
ABSOLUTE POWER is the brainchild of vocalist and producer Simon Efemey and bassist/multi-instrumentalist Shane Embury, two heavy metal lifers who, between them, have left an indelible imprint on modern music.
Embury is the longtime bassist of grindcore pioneers Napalm Death, a band that began pushing music to its furthest extremes in the 1980s and has never stopped evolving. Efemey is one of the most influential British metal producers of his generation, having shaped the modern scene through his work with artists including Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts and Napalm Death, while also developing a reputation as one of the most charismatic figures behind the scenes.
Together, they spent five years crafting “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”, an exhilarating tribute to the classic heavy metal they grew up with, infused with the energy and attitude of 2026.
“I want people to have a good time in the old school way,” says Efemey of the album. “I want them to forget the mundane, boring or horrible parts of their jobs. I want them to forget themselves for a couple of hours. That’s what good music should allow us all to do.”
The album continues the vision that originally brought ABSOLUTE POWER together: a desire to recapture the sense of adventure, grandeur and excitement that defined the heavy metal of their youth.
“When we did the first album, we wanted to make songs like our heroes – Judas Priest, Saxon, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – everything we liked as kids,” explains Efemey. “When we were on tour buses, we’d have a few drinks and start blasting old-school heavy metal like Black Sabbath or Dio. One day we said we should write our own tunes like that.”
The debut album was embraced by fans of traditional metal, and “Needs Must When The Devil Drives” expands on that foundation, delivering a collection of songs built around powerful riffs, memorable hooks and a strong sense of identity. The title itself comes from an old proverb that Efemey and Embury would jokingly repeat to each other during the recording sessions.
Alongside the title track, “Saviour” and “Kernschmelze” showcase the band’s most direct and energetic side, while “Mountain Of Hope” increases the epic dimension that has always been central to ABSOLUTE POWER. Meanwhile, “Within” temporarily strips away some of the heaviness in favor of a more atmospheric and hypnotic approach, recalling the psychedelic spirit of 1970s classics such as Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan”.
The album also features a reinterpretation of Queen’s 1978 classic “Sheer Heart Attack”, preserving the original’s punk-driven energy while adding the unmistakable personality of ABSOLUTE POWER.
“The drums sounded terrible on it,” laughs Efemey.
For “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”, Efemey and Embury invited several respected musicians to contribute to the album’s expansive sound. Former Judas Priest and Iced Earth vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens returns after appearing on the first record, delivering his unmistakable screams on the title track. The Mission and Tricky guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite adds subtle layers and textures to several songs, expanding the band’s traditional metal foundation.
“I’ve known him for years,” says Efemey. “I recorded a demo for his old band years ago. I sent him some tracks and he put some magic on them. He added a little goth flavour to some of those tracks. It took it further than the first album, which was just straight-down-the-line traditional metal.”
Also appearing on the record are Napalm Death guitarist John Cooke and drummer Carl Stokes, whose career includes collaborations with bands such as Cancer and The Groundhogs.
At the heart of ABSOLUTE POWER, however, remains the partnership between Efemey and Embury. Both grew up in the West Midlands and shared formative experiences attending concerts at Birmingham’s legendary Odeon before following very different paths: Embury becoming one of extreme metal’s defining musicians, and Efemey establishing himself as a highly respected producer.
“Over the years our paths crossed, and we realized we had a similar love for music and a similar sense of humour – Monty Python, The Young Ones, really dark humour,” says Efemey.
Throughout his career, Efemey has worked with artists ranging from British indie heroes The Wonder Stuff to extreme metal pioneers Napalm Death, but his influence has always extended far beyond production. His larger-than-life personality and his approach to music have made him a unique figure within the British scene.
“You hear the stories from back in the day about these legendary bands and the mad stuff they’d get up to,” he says. “For me, that’s part of rock’n’roll. I never wanted to just be the guy sitting there in the studio nodding along with what bands say. It was more about entertaining people and entertaining ourselves.”
Yet behind all the chaos, Efemey has always remained focused on the most important element: the songs.
“We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we’re serious about the music,” he says of ABSOLUTE POWER. “We reject ideas that aren’t good enough. Every song needs a good riff and a catchy melody. I wouldn’t let anything go out that was just fodder. That approach has always been prevalent in my work.”
That philosophy defines “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”. The album carries the confidence of a band that knows exactly what it wants to achieve, embracing the foundations of classic heavy metal while sounding fully alive in 2026. As the world falls apart around them, ABSOLUTE POWER stand tall, armed with riffs, melodies and songs built to last.
“I can’t think of many new British bands doing what we do,” says Efemey. “I think people like our stuff because it’s old-school with melodies you can sing along to. We use the formula from the 70s and 80s because we know it works. We make this kind of music because we love it and we want people to sing along with us.”
Tracklist:
1. Needs Must When the Devil Drives (feat. Tim “Ripper” Owens) 2. Saviour 3. Kernscmelze 4. Stand Up and Be Counted 5. Within 6. Mountain of Hope 7. Insanity 8. Hammer of Justice 9. Praise the Fire 10. Sheer Heart Attack 11. Orphans of the Storm
Line-up:
Simon Efemey – vocals Shane Embury – Bass, Additional Instruments
Guests musicians:
Tim “Ripper” Owens – vocals (ex Judas Priest, Iced Earth) Mark Gemini Thwaite – guitars (The Mission, Tricky) John Cooke – guitar (Napalm Death) Carl Stokes – drums (Cancer, The Groundhogs) Joe Taylor – drums Dominik Gryzbon – lead guitar Ilsa Nielson – lead guitar
German melancholic heavy metal outfit THE NIGHT ETERNAL today presents their video for “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back).” The track comes by way of the band’s critically adored Cold Velvet full-length out now on Metal Blade Records.
Serving as both focus track and fourth single, “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back)” showcases all the signature elements of THE NIGHT ETERNAL: an instantly memorable chorus, mesmeric guitar work, and straight-forward, uplifting rhythms. On a lyrical level, the song expands the band’s ongoing exploration of Greek mythology, continuing themes introduced in tracks like “Elysion” and “In Tartarus” while retelling the tragic tale of Orpheus. Forged as the very first song for the album, “Eurydice” set the uncompromising direction for everything that followed.
Watch THE NIGHT ETERNAL‘s previously released videos for “The Veins Of Time” HERE, “Where This World Ends” HERE, and “Caught In A Spell” HERE.
With Cold Velvet, THE NIGHT ETERNAL has ultimately carved out its own subgenre, weaving darkness, dreamlike unease and deep melancholy into a dramatic yet untainted heavy metal rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Recurring trademarks such as hypnotic, ritualistic rhythms, mesmeric guitar riffs and melodies, and irresistibly catchy choruses permeate every track drawing the listener into a trance-like state and unleashing a relentless surge of dark energy and dopamine.
Cold Velvet was recorded between May and December 2025 at Church Of Sound Studios in the greater area of Munich, Germany. Production, recording, and mixing duties were handled by Michael Zech – guitarist of black metallers Secrets Of The Moon and a highly respected producer known for his work with Sulphur Aeon, Triptykon, and The Ruins Of Beverast, among others.
Cold Velvet Track Listing: 1. Where This World Ends 2. Eurydice (Don’t Look Back) 3. Caught In A Spell 4. When The Last Candle Dies 5. The Veins Of Time 6. The Watcher Of The Burning Veil 7. Shape Of Sorrow 8. Dance On Crimson Ground
THE NIGHT ETERNAL Live: 8/27/2026 Drums of War Festival – Barcelona, ES 9/25/2026 Delta Zinnober – Essen, DE
w/ Messa: 10/27/2026 Le Dodu – Marseille, FR 10/28/2026 Sala Salamandra – Barcelona, ES 10/29/2026 Sala Copernico – Madrid, ES 10/30/2026 Antirouille – Montpellier, FR 10/31/2026 Rock Art Festival – Trier, DE * THE NIGHT ETERNAL only 11/01/2026 Petit Bain – Paris, FR 11/03/2026 Cathouse – Glasgow, UK 11/04/2026 Rebellion – Manchester, UK 11/05/2026 Rescue Rooms – Nottingham, UK 11/06/2026 Thekla – Bristol, UK 11/07/2026 The Garage – London, UK 11/09/2026 13 – Tilburg, NL 11/10/2026 Kavka – Antwerp, BE 11/12/2026 Franz Club – Berlin, DE 11/13/2026 Logo – Hamburg, DE 11/14/2026 Rockpalast – Bochum, DE 11/15/2026 Artheater – Cologne, DE 11/17/2026 Das Bett – Frankfurt, DE 11/18/2026 Backstage – Club Munich, DE 11/19/2026 Dynamo – Zurich, CH 11/20/2026 Sunset Bar – Martigny, CH 11/21/2026 Live Club – Trezzo sull’Adda, IT
THE NIGHT ETERNAL: Ricardo Baum – vocals Robert Richter – guitar Henry Käseberg – guitar Aleister Präkelt – drums
Back in the early, glorious 1980s, the world of heavy metal looked very different indeed. There was a unique spirit of creativity combined with a rebellious sense of new beginnings, and the now-classic works of IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON and other icons influenced and inspired generations. Right at the heart of it all was Jürgen Breforth from Münster, who, alongside MAD MAX, founded one of the first heavy metal bands in German history, following in the footsteps of ACCEPT and the SCORPIONS. Their first EP was released in 1981, followed by their debut album „Heavy Metal“ (1982), whose title said it all.
MAD MAX are still active and will soon release their anniversary album „Stories Of Destiny“. It is closely linked to the history and experiences of Jürgen Breforth, who has kept them alive for over 45 years. Musically, however, he has primarily anchored the band in the hard rock genre, which enabled them to achieve great success worldwide in the 1980s.
At heart, however, Jürgen Breforth is a true metalhead whose riffs still possess the same edge and who has the NWoBHM in his blood. Under his aptly named own quality label, BREFORTH, the string wizard has established a second venture, through which he musically reconnects with his early days and with heavy metal itself. The debut album “Metal In My Heart” could hardly have been more aptly titled and offered flawless, traditional old-school heavy metal. In frontman Peter Lenzschau, he made the perfect choice, as his raspy voice is at times reminiscent of Udo Dirkschneider. The North German quintet is completed by Erik Blumenthal on lead guitar, Jens Lükermann on bass and Arne Fleischhut on drums. Together, BREFORTH won the ‘German Rock & Pop Award’ in 2023 with their debut album.
BREFORTH are currently working on new songs for a second studio album, due to be released in 2027 on their new label, Fireflash Records (Holy Moses, Wolf, Rock Justice, amongst others). The first new single, entitled “Colombian Hills”, is set to be released during October and is currently being given the finishing touches.
“The motto of my new label, Fireflash Records, is ‘HEAVY METAL IS THE LAW’, and that’s exactly why I founded my band Mad Max back in 1981; Breforth, too, have ‘Metal in my heart’. That’s why I’m absolutely delighted that BREFORTH have found the right partner in FIREFLASH RECORDS to tell many more exciting stories through music from my now more than 40 years in the heavy metal business,” states Jürgen Breforth.
“I’m absolutely delighted to welcome another veteran of the scene, Jürgen Breforth, to Fireflash Records. I had the honour of taking a trip down memory lane with Jürgen to work on and realize the reissue of the Mad Max debut, and the chemistry was spot on right from the start. In my opinion, Breforth’s album „Metal In My Heart“ is an absolute masterpiece that far too few fans are aware of and should discover. Metalapolis Records were kind enough to pass on to us the majority of their remaining stock, which the band signed to celebrate the signing of the contract. We’d like to offer it to you at a special price via our Bandcamp shop page. Do yourselves a favour and grab this heavy metal gem on LP or CD, or stream it on repeat. You can also look forward to new material and a few surprises”, adds Fireflash owner Markus Wosgien.
Markus Wosgien (Fireflash Records) and Jürgen Breforth (Breforth)
“Metal In My Heart” is now available via Fireflash Records digitally, and on CD & Vinyl via Bandcamp in a signed version exclusivly.
The German progressive black metal band Der Weg einer Freiheit are announcing an instrumental version of their critically-acclaimed sixth album. The instrumental version of Innern marks the album’s one-year anniversary by highlighting the compositions and instrumentation that underpins one of the band’s most introspective albums.
Along with the announcement, today, Der Weg einer Freiheit are releasing the instrumental version of “Xibalba” across all digital platforms. The song carries particular significance for Innern. It was the first song on the album that the band finished the instrumentation for but was the last to receive vocals.
Listen to the instrumental version of “Xibalba” on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
“The initial idea came from our bassist, Alan,” says Der Weg einer Freiheit vocalist and guitarist Nikita Kamprad. Alan Noruspur spent months living with the instrumental version of “Xibalba” during the writing process for Innern. He found himself missing it once vocals were added. That attachment led the band to reconsider an idea they had floated even before theoriginal release of Innern: a fully instrumental companion to the album.
The instrumental edition is not simply a muted version of the original mix. Kamprad built an entirely new mix for the release, rebalancing instrument levels and adding new atmospheric layers in places. “The instrumental version has to carry the same atmosphere, emotion and narrative on its own,” he explains. “Removing the vocals allows all of these carefully crafted details to breathe.” With the vocal layer gone, the synthesizers and ambient textures that give Innern its cinematic scale, treated by Kamprad as compositional elements rather than embellishments, move to the foreground, alongside the interplay between Kamprad and Nicolas Rausch’s guitars, Alan Noruspur’s bass and Tobias Schuler’s drums.
“Every song usually begins as an instrumental composition, so in many ways, this version of Innern represents the songs in their original form” Kamprad says. “We don’t see it as an alternative to the original album, but as another perspective on the same body of work, one that places the focus entirely on the music itself.”
Der Weg einer Freiheit 2026 European Fall Tour with Conjurer and Brnjsmin
October 16 – Dresden, DE @ Groovestation October 17 – Kraków, PL @ Zascianek October 18 – Warsaw, PL @ Mechanik October 19 – Brno, CZ @ Melodka October 20 – Graz, AT @ Explosiv October 21 – Milano, IT @ Q-Hub October 22 – Wörgl, AT @ Komma October 23 – Sion, CH @ Le Port Franc October 24 – Langenthal, CH @ Old Capitol October 25 – Maastricht, NL @ Samhain (without Brnjsmin) October 26 – Cologne, DE @ Essigfabrik October 27 – Marburg, DE @ KFZ October 28 – Bremen, DE @ Tower October 29 – Hanover, DE @ Bei Chez Heinz October 30 – Rostock, DE @ Peter Weiss Haus October 31 – Stuttgart, DE @ Kulturquartier
With Innern, their sixth studio album, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT return with their most introspective and compositionally expansive work to date. A meditation on suffering, transformation, and the fragile thresholds of the human psyche, Innern refines the band’s signature blend of black metal intensity and post-metal atmosphere. The title, German for “inward”, anchors the album’s conceptual weight: a turning away from the external, into a realm of personal reckoning, silence, and renewal. Across six meticulously crafted tracks, the band explores cycles of disintegration and emergence, inviting listeners to confront the deep and often contradictory nature of existence itself.
DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT formed in Würzburg, Germany in 2009, the brainchild of guitarist and composer Nikita Kamprad and original vocalist Tobias Jaschinsky. The band’s early beginnings were humble but explosive: their self-released debut quickly sold out, drawing attention across the underground metal scene. A reissue in 2010 with newly recorded drum parts by Christian Bass (Heaven Shall Burn, ex-Night in Gales) established the band’s first official lineup and led to extensive touring across Germany and Europe. From the outset, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT were set apart not just by their technical prowess, but by a philosophical inclination that would become the band’s artistic hallmark.
Their 2012 sophomore album, Unstille, expanded on their debut’s melodic harshness, while introducing a deeper emotional weight. It also marked the first appearance of drummer Tobias Schuler, whose intricate and expressive playing would become central to the band’s identity. Though vocals on Unstille were still performed by Tobias Jaschinsky, he would leave the band shortly after its release. Kamprad took over vocal duties in the months that followed, stepping into the role of frontman in time for the writing and recording of their next album.
Stellar, released in 2015 via Season of Mist, solidified the band’s stature within the modern black metal landscape. Drawing from post-rock and progressive influences, the album embraced wider dynamics and cinematic structures, aligning them with the likes of Wolves in the Throne Room and Deafheaven, without sacrificing their own Germanic rigor and introspection.
In 2017, Finisterre signaled a conceptual leap forward. It confronted themes of isolation, personal dissolution, and spiritual finality across sprawling arrangements and stark tonal shifts. This period saw further lineup changes, with the departure of guitarist Sascha Rissling and bassist Giuliano Barbieri, and the arrival of Nicolas Rausch and Nicolas Ziska. Finisterre also marked their first chart placement in Germany and set the stage for increasingly ambitious live performances.
A live album, Live in Berlin (2019), captured the raw power and cathartic energy of the band’s concerts, affirming their reputation for immersive, emotionally charged performances. But it was Noktvrn, released in 2021, that truly redefined what DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT could become. Inspired by the ambiguous state between wakefulness and dreams, and drawing influence from classical composers such as Chopin and Arvo Pärt, the album saw Kamprad experiment with clean vocals and subdued textures. It was both a thematic and sonic breakthrough and was received by critics as their most refined and contemplative release to date.
Now, with Innern, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT move even deeper into the abyss. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Kamprad in his own studio, the album is an intensely focused work. “Eos,” the album’s lead single, contrasts war and renewal, imagining a post-human earth fertilized by sacrifice and reclaimed by nature. “Marter” follows as a searing portrayal of inner torment and emotional release—suffering not only as a source of agony, but as a path toward transcendence. “Xibalba” then confronts the machinery of fear—media, propaganda, and spiritual fragmentation—urging a return to our collective essence through introspection and clarity. And with “Forlorn,” the band delivers their most vulnerable statement yet: a delicate plea for emotional refuge, sung in English to underscore its universality. The album also marks the studio debut of bassist Alan Noruspur, whose presence brings a new emotional and personal depth to the band’s sound.
Musically, Innern leans into contrast and contradiction. Kamprad and Rausch’s guitar interplay oscillates between searing aggression and elegiac restraint. Noruspur’s basslines pulse with warmth and gravity, while Schuler’s drumming remains as meticulous as ever-bridging technicality with emotional nuance. The album’s production captures a sense of immediacy and live energy, yet remains rich in detail and atmosphere. It is not merely a refinement of past styles, but a reinvention—one that places the listener in direct confrontation with the void.
DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT stand now at the peak of a fifteen-year evolution. Their music is as concerned with silence as it is with sound, as shaped by introspection as by fury. As they prepare to bring Innern to European stages in autumn 2025, they do so not as provocateurs of extremity, but as artists navigating the fragile space between collapse and clarity. In a genre often defined by spectacle, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT remain committed to vulnerability, transformation, and truth.
Line-up: Nikita Kamprad — Guitars Nicolas Rausch — Guitars Alan Noruspur — Bass Tobias Schuler — Drums
Production Credits: Recorded, mixed & mastered in Würzburg, Germany by Nikita Kamprad. Drums recorded separately at Studio Weißmann, Würzburg, Germany.
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 ) 