Cardinale Italo Martire (Black Flame, Adversam, The Catechists) introduces Imperium Omega, a project conceived many years ago and finally brought to life with the debut album “Somewhere Along The Way”.
Blending dark ambient, black metal and industrial elements through a distinctly cosmic lens, IMPERIUM OMEGA takes shape as an immersive sonic experience that deliberately avoids categorization. Rather than a collection of tracks, the album unfolds as a journey into the void – meant to be experienced in a single breath as a complete work.
The album is structured in phases, each reflecting a specific mental state experienced during its creation. The result is a chronological pathway through the artist’s mind, where music and personal experience merge into a continuous, non-linear flow.
IMPERIUM OMEGA is an entirely intimate and self-contained project: Cardinale Italo Martire handled all instruments, recording and artwork himself, deliberately avoiding external collaboration in order to preserve the project’s artistic integrity and vision.
The release comes under the Vox Cardinalis banner, an imprint founded by Cardinale Italo Martire to support future artistic developments and parallel projects.
A new album is already scheduled for release in 2026.
photo by Julia Nikiforova – JN Lightning Photography
HateSphere will release “The Sickness Within” (2026 remaster) on April 17 through Scarlet Records.
Thefourth studio album for the Danish thrash-death machine, originally released by Steamhammer in 2005, “The Sickness Within” was the pinnacle of the first part of the HateSphere career, and still a killer thrash-death album after all these years.
Plenty of razor-sharp guitar riffs, some heavy crushing grooves and a subtle but cool melodic taste were the main ingredients of this brutally exquisite recipe, and truly represented the frantic HateSphere signature sound.
The Danish band was lead at that time by the charismatic frontman Jacob Bredhal: his raspy, powerful vocal delivery was one of the highlight of a flawless tracklist. Add a brilliant songwriting and a meaty production and you’ll simply get one of the best extreme metal albums of the early 00s.
artwork by Christof Kather
To this day, an unparalleled vulgar display of sickness!
remaster 2026 by Tue Madsen + 3 bonus tracks taken from “The Killing” EP (2005)
fourth studio album for the Danish thrash-death machine, originally released by Steamhammer in 2005;
HateSphere’s most commercially successful release ever;
produced by Jacob Hansen and Tommy Hansen at Hansen Studios;
mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio;
cover artwork by Christof Kather;
FFO: Slayer, At The Gates, The Haunted, Heaven Shall Burn, The Black Dahlia Murder;
“The Sickness Within” (2026 remaster) will be re-released in the following format: jewel case CD
“The Sickness Within” (2026 remaster) tracklist:
1 The White Fever 2 The Fallen Shall Rise In A River Of Blood 3 Reaper Of Life 4 Sickness Within 5 Murderous Intent 6 The Coming Of Chaos 7 Bleed To Death 8 Heaven Is Ready To Fall 9 Seeds Of Shame 10 Chamber Master 11 Marked By Darkness 12 You’re The Enemy (CD bonus track) 13 The Will Of God (CD bonus track) 14 Trip At The Brain (CD bonus track)
Line-up (2005): Jacob Bredahl – vocals Peter Lyse Hansen – guitar Henrik Bastrup Jacobsen – guitar Mikael Ehlert Hansen – bass Anders Gyldenøhr – drums
In other news, HateSphere is currently working on the follow-up to the acclaimed “Hatred Reborn” album (2023).
HateSphere 2026: Mathias Uldall – vocals Peter Lyse Karmark – guitar Kasper Kirkegaard – guitar Jimmy Nedergaard – bass Mike Park Nielsen – drums
Finnish melodic death metal act BLOOD RED DELUSION return with full force as their third studio album, “Bloodlust Awakening”, was released March 13th. Following two previous full-length albums and over one hundred live shows, the band has evolved into a more uncompromising and focused force. The uncompromising and hard-hitting record showcases the band at their most intense yet, combining relentless aggression with sharpened songwriting and dynamic execution. Their melodic death metal is now heavier and tighter than ever, packed with aggression and explosive energy.
“Bloodlust Awakening” has been met with international attention and glowing reviews, praised for its relentless intensity, sharp songwriting, and the band’s ability to fuse crushing aggression with memorable melodic hooks.
Marking the album’s release, the band unveiled the final single “Now I Am” accompanied by a music video. According to vocalist Hannu Mikkola, the track pushes performance to the limit, while guitarist Juuso Laitinen describes it as a quintessential Blood Red Delusion piece:
“It features all the elements you’d expect from us – sheer intensity, dynamic shifts, raw energy, blazing guitar work, and gigantic chorus.”
This balance is also evident in earlier singles such as “A Cavern of Emptiness” which leans into a more atmospheric and melodic side of the band. The track highlights their ability to move beyond sheer force while maintaining their signature intensity.
Another standout cut, “Never Fading Hate” pushes the band’s technical limits even further.
“It’s easily one of the most demanding tracks on the album, both compositionally and technically,” Juuso Laitinen explains. “At times, it pushed me close to my physical limits as a player. We even considered scrapping it at one point but thankfully we didn’t. The result is a track that naturally led to darker, more aggressive lyrical themes and a fitting visual concept.”
Bloodlust Awakening tracklist: 1. To The Past 2. Devastating & Profound 3. Never Fading Hate 4. Now I Am 5. Hollow Queen 6. Wrath Of Hearts 7. Devils InOur Eyes 8. Into The Dirt 9. Conviction In Chaos 10. A Cavern Of Emptiness
Coverart by Hannu Mikkola
Upcoming shows: 17.4 – Musta Wappu, Lappeenranta 10.7 – Dark River Festival 12.8 – Bar Loose, Helsinki (Dying Reverie, Post Pulse) 15.8 – The Van, Kotka (Dying Reverie, Post Pulse) 21–22.8 – Rock Am Sippola
Line-up: Hannu Mikkola – vocals Juuso Laitinen – guitar Tomi Laitinen – guitar Patrick Hakamäki – bass, drums
Prog-metal acts, ODDLAND (FI) and MOTHER OF MILLIONS (GR), with RING OF GYGES (Is) as special guest, are headed out on a split-headliner European run in the fall of 2026, in support of their upcoming albums.
Both headliner bands will have new albums out in the early fall of 2026, before the tour. Oddland shall release their 4th album and Mother Of Millions release their 6th opus. Both bands have toured Europe numerous times, both as support acts, and as split headliners/headliners, and now, it’s time to team up on European Prog Madness Tour 2026.
Dates are:
27.08: DK – Næstved @ Næstved Metalfest* 04.09: FI – Turku @ Logomo*** 17.09: DE – München @ Feierwerk 18.09: DE – Stuttgart @ Klub Zentral 19.09: NL – Zoetermeer @ Boerderij 20.09: BE – Diest @ Hell 22.09: Tba 23.09: Tba 24.09: SK – Bratislava @ Randal Club 25.09: RO – Cluj @ Machines Venue 26.09: RO – Bucharest @ Quantic + more to be added
*No Ring Of Gyges **Only Oddland
MOTHER OF MILLIONS – Greece www.motherofmillionsband.com Post/Progressive metal band from Athens, Greece, known for their cinematic atmosphere, intricate arrangements, and deeply emotional performances. They have become a significant force in the progressive metal landscape, praised for their unique blend of intensity and elegance. Several EU tours and lots of festivals, under their belt. For fans of Leprous, Katatonia, Soen, Anathema, Pain Of Salvation.
One of the most significant prog-acts to emerge from Finland, Oddland has made a good international name of themselves, with their initial signing to Century Media Records and later on, signing to Frontiers Records and with European tours, both as support act (Persefone and Soen tours) and as split-headliner. Oddland is the perfect mix of Leprous, Tool, Katatonia and will appeal to all prog-fans across the nations.
DREAM DROP are set to release their fourth album “Blackcastle” on May 15th.
“Blackcastle is not a place that exists on any map. It is an ever-changing structure that appears in dreams. The album revolves around this imagined castle as a metaphor for a future so perfect it becomes addictive to dream about. A place built from longing, avoidance, and the comfort of fantasy. It represents the quiet pull of something familiar yet harmful, where hope and self-deception coexist.
Each song explores a different room, corridor, or collapse within and around the castle. Not as a linear story, but as fragments of recurring thoughts and emotional cycles. Moments repeat, distort, and resurface, mirroring the way dreams and obsessions refuse to resolve. Throughout the album, unseen entities linger and interfere. They interrupt, question, and pressure the listener to stop dreaming and face reality, acting as manifestations of reality and the people that care about you.
Sonically, Blackcastle balances aggression and vulnerability. Heavy, modern alternative and metal influences collide with melodic, intimate moments, often within the same track. The dynamics reflect the tension between escapism and confrontation, between wanting to disappear and being forced to stay present. The record leans into raw emotion rather than polish, allowing discomfort, tension, and honesty to remain intact. It is music meant to feel close, uneasy, and lived-in.
At its core, Blackcastle is about being stuck in your personal development and the strange comfort that can come with that. It captures the feeling of knowing you should leave, while still being drawn deeper inside. The album does not offer resolution or escape. Instead, it documents the experience of wandering the same halls again and again.”
The Metal Voice spoke METAL CHURCH founder Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof about the bands up and coming album ‘DEAD TO THE RIGHTS’.
Watch the interview below.
When asked if Kurdt Vanderhoof would have ended the last lineup any differently
“Sure they (former band members) think I could have done it differently. That’s on them. We had a big discussion about it, There’s no point. Enough was said. I was clear. The Label lost interest. They (Label) weren’t interested in working with us anymore.” So, I was like, “Well, there’s no point in going on. I’m done. I’m shutting this down. Best of luck to you.” There you go.”
“We got back from Australia. Things got ugly. Things fell apart and a lot of nasty stuff was going on and the record company got done. They said, “No, we’re not doing this (Label).” And I’m like, “I’m not having any fun. I’m done.” So, I shut the band down. Let everybody know, “I’m done. I’m shutting this down. We’re done.” And I also made it very clear that I’m not going to say anything derogatory about anybody. And I hope you do the same because there’s one thing that I can’t stand in the world of social media, you know, he said, she said [ __ ] fight between former band members and blah blah blah. So obviously some people decided to go a different route. That’s on them. That’s fine. But I shut the band down. It (Metal Church) was done. So when it started back up again, um it wasn’t by me starting it up. It was Brian Allen suddenly showed up via Todd LaTorre from Queensryche and he said to (Brain Allan) you should send a couple of demos to Rat Pack (Records) and uh and he did and again this was going on without solicitation at all. So he (Brian Allan) sent it and then next thing I know I got a couple of MP3s of somebody singing a couple of old Metal Church songs and I was like, wow. Well, if I ever put the band together again or anything, this guy would be great. I didn’t know that I had known him before from his Judas Priest cover band from many, many years ago. So then I left it at that. And then because Dave Ellison was working with Rat Pack on the Ellefson/ Soto project, he extended to Rat Pack that well if Metal Church gets back together. I’d love to be involved in that. And I was like wow, cuz Dave and I have known each other forever. And then next, out of the blue, Jeff Plate said he’d come back if we put it back together. So here I’m sitting here going, well, this is awesome. You know, I really had no intentions. I didn’t want to go run auditions and and start looking. I was done. You know, it was like another lineup. Like another singer. Really? Come on. You know, this is stupid. but it just happened. So, I went with it and then as it turns out, we started with Jeff (Plate )and he couldn’t stay because of the Savatage reunion and that really took off, which is great for him. I’m really happy for those guys that they’re doing that. And then within a few days, I was in touch with Ken Mary. So, it just kept moving. So, I’m like, well, I think there’s something more going on then that I intended “I shut it down. .A year and a half, two years later, I put it back together.”
West Coast thrash metal legends Metal Church return with their 13th studio album, Dead To Rights, scheduled for release on April 10 via Rat Pak Records. The album marks the first release from the band’s latest lineup, featuring founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof alongside longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt, joined by bass icon David Ellefson, powerhouse drummer Ken Mary, and dynamic new vocalist Brian Allen.
From the aggressive opening assault of “Brainwash Game” to the riff-driven finale “My Wrath,” Metal Church prove they still possess the same relentless drive that has earned them fans for over four decades. Tracks such as “Deep Cover Shakedown,” “The Show,” and “Wasted Time” deliver the signature sound the band has long been known for. The album’s first single, “F.A.F.O.,” was released last November, with its accompanying video surpassing 400,000 views to date. Dead To Rights was produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof and mixed and mastered by Zeuss at Planet Z.
Track Listing: “Brainwash Game, “F.A.F.O.” “Dead To Rights, “Deep Cover Shakedown,” “Feet To The Fire,” “The Show,” “Heaven Knows (Slip Away),” “No Memory,” “Wasted Time,” “My Wrath”.
–Release Date: April 10, 2026. –Label: Rat Pak Records. –Producer: Kurdt Vanderhoof, with mixing and mastering by Zeuss at Planet-Z Studios.
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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
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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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