When Programmed landed in 1990, Kentucky’s Lethal delivered an album that many hailed as “the best Queensrÿche record since Operation: Mindcrime.” Blending the muscle of American power metal with the sophistication of melodic heavy metal, the band achieved songs that combine intelligence, melody, and might in perfect balance.
Frontman Tom Mallicoat commands every moment with soaring, expressive vocals, while brothers Eric and Glen Cook drive the music with dynamic twin-guitar harmonies and intricate arrangements. From the opening firestorm “Fire in Your Skin” to the title track “Programmed” and the emotional centerpiece “Another Day”, the album never falters—each song delivering technical mastery and heartfelt conviction. Remastered by Rob Colwell and presented in a jewel case with a 12-page photo/lyric booklet, this Metal Icon Series edition restores Programmed with vivid clarity and punch. For fans of Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Crimson Glory, and Helloween, this is one of the defining melodic metal releases of its era—timeless, powerful, and fully realized.
1 Fire In Your Skin 2 Programmed 3 Plan Of Peace 4 Another Day 5 The Arrival 6 What They’ve Done 7 Obscure The Sky 8 Immune 9 Pray For Me 10 Killing Machine
Legendary Dutch death metallers PESTILENCE have joined forces with Dario Rudić as the band’s new full-time bass player, following their split with Roel Käller in September.
“Hello, I’m Dario Rudić from Zadar, Croatia. I’m 44 years old and I’ve been playing music since I was 15,” the new PESTILENCE bassist comments. “I’ve been listening to metal my whole life and of course one of the first death metal bands was Pestilence, who were my role models then and now. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that one day I would get the chance to play with these greats. I’m looking forward to sharing the stage with the masters from Pestilence and opening new musical Portals with them.”
Rudić steps in as the band is about to embark on a string of tour dates that starts in late November with a one-off show in Italy, and continues through December with a three-date run in Spain (together with Cancer) and eight headlining shows in the UK — the “Echoes of Horror” tour — including stops in Manchester, Glasgow, and London.
PESTILENCE was established in the Netherlands in 1986 and is considered a genre-defying, progressive death metal phenom, who paved the way alongside Death, Cynic, and Atheist. The group is led by founder, guitarist, and mastermind Patrick Mameli, who has been the band’s guiding force through two breakups and reunions. Both a reinvention and a reaffirmation of everything the band has stood for since 1986, PESTILENCE is more than ever breaking new ground and exploring the further outposts of extreme metal on “Exitivm” (2021) — their latest album, which charted on several Billboard charts, most notably the Billboard 200. In recent years, the band has remastered and reissued its classic catalog (including “Mallevs Maleficarvm,”“Consvming Impvlse,”“Testimony of the Ancients,” oraz “Spheres”), released a best-of album titled “Levels of Perception,” and announced “Portals” as the title of its upcoming studio album. The latter is expected to be released in 2026.
Tour dates: 11/29 @ Alchemica Music Club, Bologna (IT) 5/12 @ Portugalete (ES) 6/12 @ Wolf, Barcelona (ES) 7/12 @ Revi Live, Madrid (ES) 8/12 @ The Fleece, Bristol (UK) 9/12 @ Rebellion, Manchester (UK) 10/12 @ Ivory Blacks, Glasgow (UK) 11/12 @ The Groove, Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) 12/12 @ Bannerman’s Bar, Edynburg (UK) 13/12 @ Corporation, Sheffield (UK) 14/12 @ Camden Underworld, London (UK)
Line-up: Patrick Mameli – vocals and lead guitars Michiel van der Plicht – drums Max Blok – lead guitars Dario Rudić – bass
True Norwegian black metal horde 1349 is now streaming the full performance of their ‘Winter Mass’ concert via Black Metal Promotion! The concert was captured on November 20, 2021 in the band’s hometown of Oslo (NO) at the venue Parkteatret. Fans can now watch the entire set at THIS LOCATION.
‘Winter Mass’ will be released on November 28, 2025 via Season of Mist on vinyl, CD, and audio downloads; pre-orders can be found HERE.
1349 has also recently been announced among the first wave of bands to take the stage at next year’s edition of Beyond the Gates Festival. The epic four-day metal event will take place once again in the heart of Bergen (NO) from July 29 – August 1, 2026. Tickets are available HERE.
The cover artwork and layouts for ‘Winter Mass’ were created by Kim Diaz Holm. The Norwegian artist has captured more than 2,000 concerts, often while standing to the side of the stage. Holm has worked with larger-than-life artists like Abbath but developed a special connection with 1349 after drawing them at both Inferno Festival and Hulen in 2012. Over the past 13 years, he has continued to document the band’s incendiary live shows and even designed their merch. What he’s created for Winter Mass draws fans even closer to fire. Sketched while he was headbanging in the pit, these drawings leap off the page with the same raw, dark spirit as their muse.
With their signature aural hellfire, 1349 embodies the original spirit of black metal.
Unhappy with the direction the genre took during the mid-90s, in 1997, vocalist Ravn formed the 1349 with like-minded bassist Seidemann. The band’s current lineup – which is bolstered by guitarist Archaon and Frost (who also drums for Satyricon) – has been in place since 2001. Over the past two decades, they have ignited major European festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Hellfest with their fiery performances and toured internationally with the likes of Cannibal Corpse and Carcass. Each of their eight studio albums have been inspired by the same guiding principal: to bring back the grimness, the eeriness and the primal emotions of Norwegian black metal.
Now, fresh from the ashes of their eighth album, The Wolf & The King, 1349 are releasing a new live album. Though recorded shortly after pandemic lockdown was lifted, ‘Winter Mass’ explodes out the gates with the band’s signature aural hellfire. This hour-plus set, recorded at Oslo’s Parkteatret, enraptured their home crowd with apocalyptic spells from across their discography’s massive cauldron of chaos. Early classics like “Sculptor of Flesh” thrash with unchained madness. Recent favorite “Striding the Chasm” whips by at a blistering pace that could only be captured by cover artist Kim Diaz Holm, who drew the album’s artwork while headbanging in the pit.
“I will always be here / In all ways in all times”, snarls Ravn on hellacious cut “I Am Abomination”. After three decades and counting, what was once a proclamation is now a testament to 1349’s enduring firepower.
Experience aural hellfire live in the flesh back where it all began with ‘Winter Mass.’
Production Credits Producer & Sound Engineer – Hugo Alvarstein Mixing Studio – Alvarstein Mix & Mastering Studio Oslo Norway Mixing Engineer – Hugo Alvarstein Mastering Studio – Alvarstein Mix & Mastering Studio Oslo Norway Mastering Engineer – Huge Alvarstein
British rocker Chez Kane is thrilled to unleash her new single and official music video, “Love Tornado”, the third taken from her new studio album, titled “Reckless”, out on March 27, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Chez said: “Hold on tight, rockers… A love tornado is about to hit! I’m thrilled to announce my third single “Love Tornado” from my upcoming album “Reckless”! It’s pure energy and totally swept me off my feet… Bet it’ll do the same for you. Play it loud!”
Talking about the record, Chez said: “Finally, I can tell you! The official announcement of my third album “Reckless” is here! My last album, “Powerzone” dropped in 2022, and I’ve grown a lot since then. This time around, I got hands-on and collaborated on some writing. I pushed myself hard to make something that’s bigger, bolder, and yeah… sexy as hell”.
“Massive thank you to Danny Rexon once again for being incredible to work with. Creating this with you was magic”, she added. “I can’t wait for you guys to hear what we’ve made!”
Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” – an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower.
Once again, written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production.
The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.
From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave – she’s leading it.
If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right – bold, catchy, and undeniably alive.
Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable!
“Reckless” Tracklist:
1. Reckless 2. Personal Rock N’ Roll 3. Night Of Passion 4. Strip Me Down 5. Tongue Of Love 6. Love Tornado 7. Bad Girl 8. Street Survivor 9. Too Dangerous 10. Bodyrock
From the northern wastelands of Sweden, SCYTHIKON strike again. Only weeks after their ferocious debut single “Survivalist”, the uncompromising sonic war machine led by Pär Hulkoff (Raubtier, HULKOFF) unveils its second assault: “Creed Of The Sniper”.
Built upon militant rhythms, razor-edged guitars, and a suffocating sense of imminent violence, “Creed Of The Sniper” pays tribute to discipline, focus, and sacrifice. A war hymn for the unseen — for those who operate in the shadows, sharpen their instincts, and march alone through the dark. Brutal, atmospheric, and driven by cold precision, the track embodies SCYTHIKON’s most lethal traits.
Hulkoff comments: “‘Creed Of The Sniper’ honors discipline, focus and sacrifice. A war hymn for the soldiers. A salute to the unseen, with a pretty dark and horrifying vibe.”
The release follows “Survivalist”, SCYTHIKON’s first devastating strike, a bone-crushing anthem of pure survival instinct that introduced the band’s apocalyptic riffs, venom-drenched vocals, and lyrical contempt for a collapsing world.
SCYTHIKON is the unfiltered vision of Pär Hulkoff, whose long career in extreme and industrial metal laid the foundations for this new sonic beast. The project took shape during the lockdown years, when Hulkoff joined forces with German drum berserker Wanja “Nechtan” Gröger and bassist J-son, forging material too raw and venomous to belong anywhere else.
Named after the ancient Scythian death poison SCYTHIKON channel the same lethal spirit into their sound. Merciless riffing, warborn imagery, and an apocalyptic atmosphere define the trio’s identity: extreme metal for the hopeless generation, crafted as a soundtrack to global decay.
Tracked through Hulkoff’s vintage 1993 Marshall stack and mixed by Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed), SCYTHIKON’s music stands as a testament to aggression, resilience, and survival instinct.
The collapse is coming. SCYTHIKON have written the soundtrack.
Few grindcore bands have enjoyed the shelf life of ROTTEN SOUND. After outrunning the apocalypse on their last long-player, the Finnish grindcore vets are back with another politically-charged EP. The latest single from Mass Extinction is slightly more optimistic about our future than its initial discharge, but “Idealist” gets its message across with such blunt force, that it’s impossible not to heed the band’s charge.
“‘Idealist’ is a cynical D-beat anthem about our fight for a better future”, says the band’s vocalist Keijo Niinimaa. “I do believe that better times are ahead, but it feels impossible to find a new level in humanity. The transition seems to take forever. That frustration led me to write the lyrics to this song. Mika’s riffs and Sami’s grooves open the circle into a mosh pit”.
Mass Extinction comes out December 12 on Season of Mist.
All of the songs on Mass Extinction mutated out of the same radioactive Petri dish that spawned Rotting Sound’s prior LP Apocalypse. But even though it clocks in at a freakishly fast nine minutes, the band’s new EP is no half-life mutation. As they recently demonstrated while touring Latin America with Crypta, Baixo Calao and Season of Mist labelmates DVRK, their time-tested blend of D-beat punk and Swedish death metal has only grown more dangerous after two decades. “Idealist” marches at a spirited pace toward a new state of light and glory before Niinimaa’s screaming commands launch the song into a downright hostile groove.
“Wake up!” At this earth-shaking volume, ignore Rotting Sound if you dare.
Tracklist:
Recycle (1:09)
Ride of the Future (0:45)
Gone (0:50)
Polarized (1:00)
Brave New World (1:21)
Empty Shells (1:05)
Idealist (1:35)
Mass Extinction (1:58) Total runtime: 09:44
Next year, Rotting Sound will return to the grind with a fresh set of European headline dates in support of Mass Extinction. Following this blistering ride with Repulsive Feast and Teething, the band will return to the U.S. for a special set at Maryland Death Fest celebrating their classic albums Murderworks and Exit.
Rotten Sound European Tour 2026: w/ Repulsive Feast & Teething
January 9 – Hamburg, Germany @ Bambi Galore+ January 10 – Göttingen, Germany @ Freihafen + January 11 – Maastricht, Germany @ Muziekgieterij+ January 12 – Herford, Germany @ Kulturwerk+ January 13 – Essen, Germany @ Don’t Panic Club & Pub+ January 15 – Portugalete, Spain @ Groove# January 16 – Madrid, Spain @ Barracudas# January 17 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Xapada Fest# January 19 – Murcia, Spain @ Garage Beat Club# January 20 – Perpignan, France @ Perpignan# January 21 – Saint-Jean-de-Védas, France @ Secret Place# January 24 – Barcelona, Spain @ Winds of Metal Festival# +with Repulsive Feast #with Teething
The state of the world has only fallen further into disrepair, but after three crust-ridden decades, Rotten Sound are still grinding. Despite production slowing to a halt during the pandemic, the Finnish vets outran the coming apocalypse on their last album. Now, two years later, they’re back with another brief but no less devastating burst. Take cover, metalheads. Rotten Sound are laying waste to social plagues with Mass Extinction.
“We like to make concise statements”, Keijo Niinimaa says about their whopping 11th EP. While the band’s longtime raging vocalist still has hope for the future, when it comes to our current state of affairs, his outlook on Mass Extinction is more dire than ever. “Bringing about real meaningful change seems to take forever. Misinformation, polarization, conspiracy theories and censorship have made everyone more distrustful”.
Few extreme bands have enjoyed the shelf life of Rotten Sound. Since emerging from underground Vaasa with their debut album Under Pressure, the Finnish exports have cultivated a reputation as one of the larger scene’s most pungent yet stabilizing presences. Niinimaa first grabbed the mic not long after guitarist Mika Aalto started the band back in 1993, while drummer Sami Lava has held the throne since 2004, when original stickman Kai Hahto left to found Wintersun. Early albums Murderworks and Exitare still widely cited road maps for grindcore, though their high-speed blend of classic D-beat punk and Swedish death metal has only sharpened with each successive stab in the studio.
“…an absolutely essential listen from a legendary band”, Invisible Oranges wrote upon the arrival of Apocalypse, Rotten Sound’s eighth and latest LP. “This is the sound of a band who have mastered the genre’s machinations and are now immortalized in its cannon”.
Each Rotten Sound release spews uncontrollable chaos, but there’s a method to their madness. Since signing with Season of Mist in 2012, the band has followed each full-length with a short statement. Like a mushroom cloud, Mass Extinction arose from the immediate aftermath of Apocalypse. All six off-the-rails tracks were laid down during the same recording sessions before getting mixed at Rain City Recorders and later mastered by Brad Boatright. But their new EP is no half-life mutation. “Recycle” whirs and churns with the all-consuming power of a supply chain.
“Napalm Death and Nasum have both done longer albums, but that’s their thing”, explains Niinimaa. “Our thing is we want to be straight to the point. After all the recording was done, we decided which songs would go on Apocalypse and which ones made sense together for Mass Extinction”.
Rotten Sound know how to get their message across. In just under 10 minutes, Mass Extinction chews through toxic consumerism, labor exploitation and other plagues on society. Lead single “Brave New World” pushes for unity over divisive politicking behind a barrage of blast beats. But while our leaders certainly need to clean up their act, there’s nothing stale about this band’s filthy brand of grindcore. Even the slightly optimistic “Idealist” gives way to a downright hostile groove upon Niinimaa’s screaming command.
“Wake up!” With so much atomic force, it’s impossible not to heed Rotten Sound’s warning on Mass Extinction.
Recording Lineup: Keijo Niinimaa — Vocals Mika Aalto — Guitars Sami Latva — Drums Matti Raappana — Bass, Backing Vocals
All music written by Mika Aalto. All lyrics written by Keijo Niinimaa.
Recording & Sound Engineer: Janne Saksa
Recording Studio: Sound Supreme for drums and vocals, Nordic Audio Labs for guitar and bass
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
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! 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
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 