Richmond, Virginia metal-punk trioBAT are ringing in Hallows Eve with the perfect onslaught of horror movies and speed metal. The track ‘Horror Vision‘ was taken from the band’s second full-length album Under The Crooked Claw via Nuclear Blast Records. The brainchild of MUNICIPAL WASTE guitarists Ryan Waste & Nick Poulos, BAT ascended from the underground a decade ago on a dark, leather-winged trajectory. The band delivers their own blood-spattered horrorleaning heavily on the dirtier side of speed metal.
The track features 20 of the ‘video nasty’ titles highlighted throughout the song along with other classic horror clips edited together by Jim Stramel and Ryan Waste.
Ryan Waste states, “I grew up watching horror movies at a young age, and just like with heavy metal, I became obsessed, delving deeper into the obscure. In the early 80s, UK starch conservative Mary Whitehouse spearheaded a campaign against certain films she deemed unsuitable for viewing at home and coined the term ‘video nasties’. There was an initial list of 72 ‘obscene’ films on VHS, so of course I had to hunt them down and watch all of them in reverse protest. I inserted 20 Video Nasty movie titles in the lyrics for ‘Horror Vision’ as a tribute to anti-censorship. In the music video, we highlight those films plus many more in the horror realm. I called upon fellow fright enthusiast Jim Stramel (BAT, Streetbanger) for his editing skills once again to create this onslaught of terror. We made sure that Mary Whitehouse not only rolls in her grave, but rocks her stiff bones down to hell with this video clip.”
The power trio, completed by drummer Chris Marshall, decamped to Philadelphia in June 2021 where Arthur Rizk recorded the basic tracks for Under The Crooked Claw. Yavé Rust tracked lead guitars and vocals later when the band was back in Richmond, ultimately to be mixed by Rizk and mastered by Joel Grind. The artwork for the album was inked by Brandon Holt and colored by Margaret Rolicki.
Jam-packed with tight, concise songs loaded with punchy choruses and lightning-laced leads, each of the 13 tracks offers a new horror short story mixing the perfect blend of heavy metal, punk, and rock ‘n’ roll or as Waste coins it “primitive heavy speed”.
Swedish high-energy rock’n’roll pioneers THE HELLACOPTERS have revealed the cover and release date of their brand new studio album Overdriver, which will see the light of day on January 31st, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records.
Less than three years after their triumphant, chart-storming comeback record, Eyes Of Oblivion, Sweden’s most consistently great rock outfit is back with another banger of an album. Overdriver was recorded at Strawberry Studio & The Honk Palace and is the first HELLACOPTERS album entirely produced by Nicke Andersson. As you might expect from a HELLACOPTERS album it’s filled to the brim with roaring guitars and earth-shattering grooves, fist-raising energy and anthemic choruses, while keeping the variety richer than ever before. The striking cover for Overdriver was created by German illustrator Max Löffler. More info on pre-order and tracklist will follow very soon!
Also celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025, THE HELLACOPTERS could have a few more tricks up their sleeves to keep you boys and girls in line, so keep your eyes peeled!
ABOUT THE HELLACOPTERS Swedish high energy rock and roll band THE HELLACOPTERS released its eighth studio album, Eyes Of Oblivion, on April 1st, 2022. It marked the first full-length since the release of their temporary farewell record Head Off in 2008, which Nuclear Blast Records reissued in October 2024. Eyes Of Oblivion was met with massive acclaim from fans and media alike. Charting #1 in Sweden, #3 in Germany, #6 in Finland, the band celebrated a triumphant return culminating in a show with the mighty Iron Maiden in Gothenburg in July 2022, and apart from their own string of shows, gigs with Ghost in Germany in June 2023. Eager to keep the rock flowing, February 16th, 2024 saw THE HELLACOPTERS release not one, but two stunning versions of their classic Grande Rock album, which was originally released in 1999. Grande Rock Revisited included a remastered original version and a remixed and partially re-recorded version showing how the album could have sounded in a parallel universe with guitarist Dregen being in the band at the time. After making rock grande again, the group set sights on new material, debuting the phenomenal single ‘Stay With You‘ in May 2024 and releasing it as limited 7inch via Lightning Records.
Glorious news from Swedish symphonic power metallers TWILIGHT FORCE. The band proudly presents a re-recorded version and a new orchestral version of their speedy power metal classic ‘Battle Of Arcane Might‘ from 2016’s Heroes Of Mighty Magic album. A few weeks ago, the band already released a new music video for this re-recorded song. Now both new song versions can also be found on all streaming platforms.
Along with their music, TWILIGHT FORCE also introduce their majestic new line-up. The seven adventurers embark on a new chapter in their glorious journey with resharpened blades, neatly polished staffs and new magic crystals and secret treasures in sight.
On the new track, TWILIGHT FORCE comments: “Brave adventurers and valiant knights! We are delighted to finally share the re-recorded, re-orchestrated, and remixed rendition of ‘Battle of Arcane Might’ on all streaming platforms. You can now experience both the full mix, as well as a majestic orchestral version of this Twilight Force classic. Make haste, listen now, and May the Power of the Dragon Guide you all”
About: TWILIGHT FORCE is a Swedish symphonic power metal band known for their highly fantastical lyrics and LARP-style outfits which the band performs onstage in. The band’s main lyrical themes are based on the lore of a fictional world known as The Twilight Kingdoms, created by keyboardist Blackwald. The band has released four albums to date. Their latest, Dawn of the Dragonstar was released in 2019. Their newest opus, At the Heart of Wintervale is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
TWILIGHT FORCE is: Allyon | lead and backing vocals Krysthara | choirs & vocals Galyn | guitars Bramley Underhall | guitars Xandor | bass Blackwald | keyboards and narration De’Azsh | drums
Bringing together a wealth of experience from diverse musical backgrounds, Bonebag Records is thrilled to release the debut album from rising Stockholm-based trio MÖUTH; a band fast establishing themselves as ones to watch for 2025.
Made up of long-time friends – Erik Nordström, Martin Sandström and Fredrik Aspelin – the band formed a union in the fall of 2023, bonding over a shared passion for proto-metal, psych, and doom. Crafting a potent blend of raw, energetic rock, Möuth’s forthcoming debut album, Global Warning, has been officially announced for release on 14th February 2025 and promises to deliver a sonic onslaught, covering themes that range from personal liberation to societal critique.
“We are we very proud to welcome Möuth into the Bonebag Records family!” says label owner, Max Malmer. “I was lucky enough to catch Möuth at Duna Jam this year and was completely blown away so I knew there and then that we would have to sign them.”
‘Dirt’, the second single from the album showcases a faster, more garage rock-oriented side to the band while staying true to their heavy roots. Delving into the theme of a toxic relationships it’s a no-nonsense, hard-edged shiv of a single whose central riff will cut through your heart without apology.
Global Warning, the debut album from Möuth will be released 14th February 2025.
Following her successful 2024 UK tour, internationally acclaimed guitarist, and singer songwriter Erja Lyytinen will embark on an 11-date UK tour from April 2–12, 2025. Tickets are available from https://erjalyytinen.com/tour.
Erja will perform songs from her new live CD+DVD album 20 Years of Blues Rock!, plus her back catalogue, and new songs from her forthcoming studio album released March 28, 2025.
“Last time we toured the UK was Spring 2024,” says Erja. “It was so cool to meet my friends and fans at several club and festival gigs during those two weeks. Stopping along the way to take in the breathtaking scenery in Scotland, going to tea houses and enjoying a pint or two was lovely.”
“The most exciting part was probably when I finally got to drive in the UK in the left sided traffic! That had been something I wanted to do on all my UK tours. I drove six hours from York to Southampton! That box is now “checked” on my to-do-list.
In April 2025 we will play eleven dates in the UK with no off days! Our touring schedule is crazy, and the band never run out of energy. I´m especially excited about the fact that we will be renewing our set list with songs from our new album! It´s going to be so cool planning the setlist. We will perform old gems and new tunes for a rocking 100 minutes on stage. Expect a lot of slide guitar playing. I´m also planning to take a few more new guitars with me on tour. So, it will be a thrilling tour in many ways!
We are also releasing the live recording 20 Years of Blues Rock! taken from my anniversary show that was held at the legendary Tavastia Club in Helsinki during the Fall of 2023. Several of my bands and collaborators from the past 20 years were featured that night, so it’s a nice celebration of my career as a recording artist. The album will be released as a double CD/DVD package for the Christmas holidays.
Watch Erja Lyytinen perform”24 Angels,” Live at Tavastia on October 18, 2023:
Erja reflects on the story behind the live album 20 Years of Blues Rock! that was recorded at the legendary Tavastia Club in her native Helsinki. Says Erja, “Though I was just twenty-something, I had been active in the music scene since my early years. I had played in my parents’ band at dance halls since I was fifteen, I had been on TV shows and played all kinds of gigs from weddings to rock clubs. I couldn’t imagine what the future would bring, but I wanted to play lead electric guitar and sing and write my own songs. Twenty years after that festival performance I was standing on stage at the legendary Tavastia Club in downtown Helsinki in front of a sold-out audience performing with a bunch of different musicians I had been playing with since 2003.”
I thought it was about to time to make a tribute to my band mates and celebrate those twenty years of playing blues-rock around the world and making albums. Between my first solo album Wildflower (2003) and the latest studio album Waiting for the Daylight (2022) I’ve released several live and studio albums, recorded in the USA, England, and Finland. I’ve played in various countries all over Europe, the US, Canada, India, and I´ve had the pleasure of playing with the world’s greatest guitarists like Sonny Landreth, Santana, and Jennifer Batten. We have so many shared stories and experiences.
So, the time came to celebrate these years of growth and hard work with my fellow bandmates on this night at Tavastia. It was wonderful to rejoice with everyone and share this experience with the packed audience that had come to witness the spectacle once again. The event was three hours long and we kept changing the rhythm section along the albums we had made together over the years. I also had the opportunity to bring in two lovely featuring artists I had had the honour of sharing the stage with, Heikki Silvennoinen and Maria Hänninen, and they both brought their special energy to the event. It was also so sweet to have my twin boys Massimo and Dante announcing the show! It wasn’t their first time on this stage though, as they were there in 2013, but that time they were still in my womb!”
Classic Heavy Metallers HELL IN THE SKIES have unleashed a new single and lyric video ‘Sad & Done’, taken from their highly acclaimed EP “II”, which was released on May 15th , 2024 via Metalloscope Music.
The band says about “Sad & Done“: “The lyrics might take listeners through the raw, sometimes overwhelming emotions that come with grief, and also touch on how loss can stir up hidden, unprocessed traumas. The anger could stem from frustration at the situation, resentment toward fate, or even directed inward as guilt or self-blame. This type of song reflects the challenging, often cyclical journey through these feelings, with an underlying message of how complicated and sometimes isolating sorrow can be.”
🎬 ⚙️ Video by NoLa
TRACKS: 📺 01. Fields Of Betrayal (04:36) 02. Riotous Uproar (05:02) 📺 03. Vicious Scorn (06:29) 🆕 📺 04. Sad & Done (04:06) 05. Mental Asylum (04:02) 06. Prince Of Wallachia (05:29)
As grim narrators of the dark, HELL IN THE SKIES present their artistic self-image. Yes, these evocative creators of their very own SWAMP METAL audibly feel called to higher things.
And with the unmistakable and hypnotically organic sound of their truly unique compositions, these instinctive masters guarantee a truly powerful (live) experience.
The EP “II” presents six magnificently powerful and richly contrasting compositions, which are also consistently convincing vocally – after all, every second is bursting with sincere and honest authenticity. [ learn more here ]
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
