Wormholedeath welcomes UK funeral doom project Abysmal Growls Of Despair to its roster. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for the one-man project led by the prolific artist Hangsvart, as he prepares to unveil his latest and most profound work, Torn, on June 5, 2026.
AGoD has been Hangsvart’s main project since 2013. It has explored a wide range of sounds but centered on ritualistic dark ambient, drone, and funeral doom. Inspired by bands like Funeral Moth, Ataraxie, Comatose Vigil, SUNN O))), Remembrance; by ancient civilisation and spirituality, despair, grief and madness. Hangsvart has always been straightforward with his own struggle with schizophrenia since 2007, being a main source of inspiration.
Torn is a solemn and uncompromising work. It unfolds slowly, with immense weight and emotional gravity, and leaves a strong, lasting impression. This is not an album you listen to. This is an album you enter. This album of funeral doom metal explores the emotional landscape of a husband caring for his wife battling cancer. It is a testament to love and resilience. Trombones and tubas add weight and solemn grandeur, while 8-string guitars and the guttural voice entomb the listener.
Hangsvart commented: “I am very excited to sign with WormholeDeath for my album Torn. Even though I have released a dozen of physical albums with other labels, WormholeDeath is definitely a step above anything I’ve ever done before, allowing me to reach a much wider audience.”
Tracklist 1 – Prologue to Agony 2 – Growth 3 – Mourning Has Broken 4 – Torn
Experience the atmosphere of “Torn” via the official teaser:
British artist A.A. WILLIAMS, acclaimed and defined by her musical interplay of fragility and force, unveils today the artwork and track list for her striking new full-length album Solstice, set for release on June 5, 2026 through RPM, alongside the video for her powerful new single ‘Poison’.
A.A. WILLIAMS says “’Poison’ is a song of learning not to fear freedom. Restraints slowly melt away, you push yourself, you long for more. Recklessness begins to consume reason, limitations are forgotten, euphoria and self-sabotage look like one and the same. Desperate to satisfy the craving you torch everything you’ve built. As the old world crumbles, and you rise, unafraid.“
Immersed in a shadowy, dreamlike —or perhaps nightmarish— world where darkness meets elegance, A.A. WILLIAMS together with visionary collective Gruppa13 (renowned for their stunning work with artists like BEHEMOTH or IGORRR), crafted a hauntingly powerful visual suspended between vulnerability and something far more unsettling.
Play it and let it consume you:
Solstice finds A.A. WILLIAMS standing at the threshold between shadow and renewal, shaping songs that feel carved from storms and starlight. Known for her haunting vocals, cinematic dynamics and emotional clarity, WILLIAMS expands her sonic world with music that moves like a ritual through shifting seasons. Moments of stark intimacy open into surging crescendos as guitars swell and crash like gathering weather, anchored by a formidable sense of weight and scale. Strings glow with fragile warmth before giving way to waves of heavy distortion and all-encompassing catharsis, while her voice rises from quiet confession to commanding intensity.
Drawn from years of global touring, acclaimed collaborations and boundary-pushing reinterpretations, Solstice captures an artist in full command of her craft. The album is intimate yet immense, delicate yet thunderous – guiding listeners through darkness with both vulnerability and force toward a distant, resolute dawn.
09/05 – DK Copenhagen, A Colossal Weekend 23/05 – DE Leipzig, Wave Gotik Treffen 03/06 – PL Gdansk, Mystic Festival 05/06 – FI Tampere, Ankea Festival 13/06 – IT Ferrara Summer Fest w/ A Perfect Circle 18/06 – HR Zagreb, SRC Salata w/ A Perfect Circle 23/06 – NL Tilburg, 013 w/ A Perfect Circle 24/06 – NL Amsterdam, AFAS Live w/ A Perfect Circle 07/08 – CZ Jaromer, Brutal Assault 22/08 – UK Bristol, Arctangent Festival 29/08 – NL Maastricht, Pelagic Fest
Having made her debut live appearance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands off the back of a self-titled EP, A.A. WILLIAMS has since toured across the globe with the likes of CULT OF LUNA, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, SLEEP TOKEN and THE SISTERS OF MERCY, as well as establishing herself as a headline artist – including a show at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall inside London’s Southbank Centre.
Standout festival appearances have dovetailed with two album releases – 2020’s “Forever Blue” and 2022’s “As The Moon Rests” – both of which received widespread critical acclaim and placed A.A. WILLIAMS at the forefront of a wave of artists taking textured, epic and folk-rooted heavy music into new and progressive directions. A BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios only bolstered her credentials.
Never one to rest on her laurels, she has also released a series of ‘companion pieces’: a collaborative single with Japanese post-rock titans MONO (“Exit In Darkness”); a solo covers collection recorded during 2020’s pandemic lockdown – “Songs From Isolation” – that drew praise from THE CURE’s Robert Smith and SMASHING PUMPKINS’ Billy Corgan; and perhaps most impressively, 2021’s arco, in which the multi-instrumentalist completely reworked her debut EP from rock instrumentation to string ensemble, drawing on her classical training to stunning effect.
The Icelandic Sátan Festival has announced the final line-up for their 2026 edition, which will be held on 4-6 June in Stykkishólmi, Iceland. With Icelandic rock legends Sólstafir, the line-up for this year’s edition is now complete and includes prestigious acts including The Haunted, Hamferð, Múr, Aborted and many more. A full list can be found below.
Final line-up Aborted Barnaveiki Bootlegs Cadaver Carpe Noctem Devine Defilement Gavin Portland Hamferð The Haunted Kookaveen Misþyrming Múr Necrowretch Nexion Power Paladin Sign Skitsystem Sólstafir Stripshow Sventevith (Misþyrming and Nergal) Tailgunner Voivod Wistaria WMB winners
Sátan is a three day metal festival happening in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The festival focuses on offering a variety of Iceland’s best metalbands as well as a carefully curated selection of international bands.
The organization behind Sátan consists of metalheads and musicians that have been active in the Icelandic scene for up to 30 years and have extensive experience of organizing music festivals and concerts as well as general band related activities.
Everyone is welcome at Sátan regardless of origin, skin color, religion, gender or sexual orientation and there is only one goal: that everyone, staff, bands and guests, go home smiling after a great festival.
Judas Priest today announce the upcoming release ‘The Best Of Judas Priest’, a career spanning collection celebrating one of the most influential and enduring bands in heavy metal, out via Sony Music on June 19th 2026.
The mighty Judas Priest have defined and redefined the sound and imagery of heavy metal for more than five decades. With over 50 million albums sold worldwide and more than 2.5 billion global streams across their catalogue, their impact on music and culture remains unmatched.
This special collection of songs brings together some of the band’s globally revered recordings, including ‘Breaking The Law’, ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Coming’, ‘Electric Eye’, ‘Turbo Lover’ and ‘Painkiller’. Together, these tracks represent key moments from across their catalogue and trace the evolution of a band that helped shape the genre itself.
Internationally the band’s most iconic songs continue to reach new audiences. ‘The Best Of Judas Priest’ serves as both an accessible entry point for new listeners and a definitive collection for longtime fans looking to revisit the songs that cemented the band’s legacy.
Judas Priest continue to showcase their exemplary live shows across Europe this Summer as well as a festival stop at Bloodstock in the UK on August 9th and a headline show at Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on September 21st.
An in-depth documentary ‘The Ballad Of Judas Priest’ was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival recently. Directed by Tom Morello and Sam Dunn, this fascinating insight into the bands vast career will be released later this year.
“Behind Us All”, the second studio album by Finnish doom metal act GRAIN OF PAIN has been released in March via Noble Demon. Production of the Vinyl version took a bit longer than expected but is now available as well finally! Orders – along with the Digipak CD – are available for purchase at THIS LOCATION
To mark the occasion, the band has unveiled a stunning animated lyric video for the track “If Morning Never Comes” feat. Kirsten Jørgensen, which you can watch here:
With their latest album “Behind Us All”, GRAIN OF PAIN takes their signature blend of doom and death metal to new emotional depths. Combining crushing heaviness with melodic intensity and a dark, immersive atmosphere, the album showcases a refined and powerful sound that resonates long after the final note fades.
Hailing from Finland, GRAIN OF PAIN is driven by Timo Solonen, who is responsible for songwriting, guitars, and vocals. On bass and clean vocals, Lars Eikind (Before The Dawn) adds a distinct melodic dimension to the band’s sound, further elevating the dynamic range of the compositions.
The album also features renowned musicians Juho Räihä (guitars, additional screams) and Juuso Raatikainen (drums), both known for their work with Swallow the Sun.
“Behind Us All” was produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, ensuring a cohesive and powerful sonic experience throughout.
Following their signing with German metal label Noble Demon in 2024 for their debut album “The Moon Lights The Way”, GRAIN OF PAIN now raises the stakes with their sophomore full-length release. “Behind Us All” stands as a testament to the band’s evolution, delivering a deeply atmospheric and emotionally charged listening experience.
“Behind Us All” is out via Noble Demon and available for purchase HERE
Tracklist:
Shattered Peace
To Burn Inside (Featuring Pekka Olkkonen)
The Offering (Featuring Eemeli Bodde)
Ruins Of The Heart
The House
Dance With Me
Bless You With Sorrow
If Morning Never Comes (Featuring Kirsten Jørgensen)
LUCID DREAMING have signed a worldwide deal with El Puerto Records.
After three fantasy-themed concept albums, Till Oberboßel (also guitarist for Elvenpath) is breaking new ground with his fourth album. He is supported by major metal luminaries such as Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden), Zak Stevens (Savatage), Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), and Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer), among many others.
The album will be released this summer!
Till Oberboßel:: “My band Elvenpath released their latest album on El Puerto Records and working with that label proved to be the right thing. Therefore I’m very happy that the new Lucid Dreaming album will be released by them too! I’m very proud of the forthcoming album and I’m sure that El Puerto Records is the right label to unleash this beast unto the world. Watch out!”
Torsten Ihlenfeld, co-founder of El Puerto Records, echoes this sentiment: „Following the great collaboration with Elvenpath, we’re excited to welcome Lucid Dreaming to El Puerto Records. This album is a true statement—powerful, uncompromising, and ready to make its mark. We’re proud to unleash this beast together with the band. Watch out!“
Line-up: Till Oberboßel – Guitars, Bass, Orchestration Alex Holzwarth – Drums
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 ) 