Brazilian extreme metal force Ophiolatry is proud to announce their new official endorsement with cutting-edge gear brand Valeton. Known for their unrelenting aggression and primal soundscapes, Ophiolatry has found a perfect tonal ally in Valeton—whose innovative, performance-ready products have become essential tools in the band’s auditory arsenal.
“Valeton not just amplifies our sound, but unleashes the beast within. Every riff hits harder, every solo screams louder. This is the tone of modern war!!!” — OPHIOLATRY
Valeton is rapidly becoming a go-to name among discerning musicians who demand both quality and affordability. With a team boasting over a decade of experience in musical instrument design and manufacturing, Valeton combines sleek simplicity with sonic excellence. Their gear is built to last, delivering high-caliber sound while remaining accessible for artists across all genres and stages.
To mark the beginning of this powerful partnership, Ophiolatry’s guitarist Joubert Thaumiel received a specially selected Valeton GP-200—a unit chosen specifically to aid in spreading the serpent’s venom with razor-sharp clarity and crushing force.
This collaboration also aligns with a pivotal moment in the band’s journey. Ophiolatry’s latest release, Serpent Verdict, is a punishing and immersive dive into spiritual warfare and ancestral reckoning—a brutal fusion of death metal intensity and tribal rhythm that tears open the gates between past and future.
CONSEQUENCE OF ENERGY is a politically-charged hard rock act from Chile, whose lead-off single, “Freedom,” marks their thunderous debut into the international arena. Released on July 18, 2025, “Freedom” features explosive riffs, relentless grooves, and an urgent vocal performance – which hits like a protest anthem born in the heat of global unrest.
Comprised of Michael Bianchi “Sirius” (vocals), Diego Sagredo “Caminantecosmico” (guitar / synths / others), Roli Cortes (guitar / synths), Pedro Javier (bass / backing vocals), and Amaru López Campbell (drums), Consequence of Energy has also issued a music video for the tune via YouTube, which features a performance in front of a festival-sized crowd:
“Freedom” captures the desperation and defiance of a generation pushed to the brink — a song tailor-made for mosh pits and gym playlists. The production is raw but laser-focused, with modern metal sheen and South American fire. Produced by legendary rock producer Garth Richardson (Rage Against the Machine, Biffy Clyro), mixed by Dave Schiffman (System of a Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers), and mastered by the iconic Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Soundgarden), the sonic pedigree speaks for itself.
The song is a preview of what is to come in the near future, when the band drops their full-length debut, We Are One – which will be released sometime in late 2025/early 2026. With distribution via AWAL and support from the underground powerhouse Los Lobos Records, the band is set to make a global mark. “Freedom” is the first strike from a full campaign aimed at tearing down borders — sonically and socially.
“‘Freedom’ captures everything I love about a great rock song — raw energy, emotional weight, and total honesty,” Richardson said. “Consequence of Energy came into the studio with something urgent to say, and you feel it in every riff and every beat. I’m proud to have worked with them on this track — it’s a modern hard rock anthem that hits with purpose.”
“The song questions the very concept of freedom in a world where structure, ego, and belief systems often masquerade as liberation,” the band adds. “It mocks the idea that louder voices or purer ideologies can set us free, when in truth, we’re often trapped by the very tools we use to define ourselves. Freedom is not a protest song—it’s a mirror. A bold, biting, and brutally honest reflection of a society addicted to control while crying out for release. Consequence of Energy doesn’t offer easy answers—just a challenge: What does freedom really mean? And are you ready to face what’s in the way?”
Fueled by the rhythms of Latin America and shaped by the influence of genre giants like Audioslave, Gojira, and System of a Down, Consequence of Energy delivers music that is equal parts catharsis and confrontation. And soon, rock fans worldwide will get a chance to experience this exciting up and coming band.
Khrognar was formed in 2019 in Rzeszów by Marcin Neszew (lead vocals and guitar) and Oskar Głowiński (rhythm guitar). These two members have been a part of the band to this day. Kacper Bąk is responsible for the drums. The band’s session members include: experienced bassist Dawid Warchoł and incredibly talented guitarist Bartek Bazan.
The band plays broadly understood core music, but due to the specificity of the songs it describes as melodic deathcore. The greatest influence on shaping the band’s genre is Marcin Neszew and his passion for bands such as: Lorna Shore, Parkway Drive, Bleed From Within, Whitechapel and Suicide Silence. The band has released a 4-track EP and two singles recorded and mixed at Lunar Sound Studio in Rzeszów (Dargor, Blind God). In 2023, the group took part in the national Road To Mystic competition and out of 190 entries played in the final, gaining recognition from the audience and jury, ultimately performing at Mystic Festival 2023. In the newest song, the band shows their compositional possibilities and the change in sound after using 7-string guitars.
On July 18, 2025, the new song of the band entitled “Forbidden Sky” premiered, which is their sound revolution. The music was recorded at the Lunar Sound Studio, while the American producer Aaron Pace (Ov sulfur, Left to Suffer, Lorna Shore) is responsible for the mix and mastering. The cover photo was taken in the abandoned Zofiówka Institution for Nervous and Mentally Ill Jews.
Band comments their new single: “Blackcore or Melodic Deathcore – it doesn’t matter to Khrognar. In their latest single Forbidden Sky we challenge the boundaries of metal. This song is a descent, not into hell, but into the depths of ourselves. Khrognar exist in the liminal space between genres, drawing in the brutal violence of deathcore, the nihilistic mood of black metal and heavy breakdowns, all wrapped in catchy riffs. The orchestral layer adds a subtle sense of elevation, creating a space just before the breakdown and the cursed vocals that break through with inexorable force. The result is more than just a single – it is a monument, built from the human suffering that usually remains buried deep, stewed in silence. Khrognar invites you on a unique journey of unspoken, unnameable feelings. It is a collection of experiences and the fruit of the crew’s hard work in striving for the best possible form“.
As The Light Leftis an album forged in both chaos and catharsis. With an unrelenting blend of nu-metal grit, cinematic darkness, and raw vulnerability, Daedric pushes their sound further than ever before—channeling pain, nostalgia, and primal fury.
The album opens with “The Other Terror,” fueled by a mental breakdown and relentless guitar riffs keeping the chaos sharp and direct. With unnerving screams and a tempo that mirrors the energy of fan-favorite “Nirn,” it sets the tone for an album that refuses to hold back. “Sand Tiger” stomps onto the scene like a nu-metal time capsule from the early 2000s, gritty, groovy, and scratched to hell. Inspired by the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin and built from a Linkin Park-esque synth loop, the track fuses live and electronic drums with existential lyrical weight.
Then there’s “Callous”, a song that almost didn’t survive. The track was set to be delivered to the mixing engineer when the band collectively decided to tear it apart and rebuild it from the ground up. What emerged was a modern, emotionally devastating anthem about betrayal and self-inflicted retribution. It’s Daedric at their most emotionally and sonically unpredictable. “Night Mother”, is the song that truly marks the start of the album’s creation and all the turbulence that came with it to become a cornerstone of the album’s tone: brooding, cinematic, and deeply human.
Throughout As The Light Left, Daedric strips away polish in favor of pain, letting raw emotion bleed through genre-bending production and ferocious vocals. It’s not an album of easy answers or tidy resolutions. It’s the sound of collapse and creation, of dancing on the edge of the fire, torn between fury and fragility. Born from breakdowns, creative tension, and fearless reinvention, As The Light Left is both a cathartic purge and a statement of artistic intent: Daedric refined, but still untamed
Daedric is an alternative rock and metal project led by vocalist and artist, Kristyn Hope, alongside producers, Clay Schroeder and Geoff Rockwell.
Daedric draws inspiration from an eclectic array of sources including the open world role-playing game series, The Elder Scrolls, from which the Daedric name is derived. The musical soundscape can best be described as “all killer, no filler” (according to Metal Epidemic) with a dance of hypnotic synths, elaborate grooves, and intensely dynamic vocals.
Kristyn launched the Daedric project in 2021 through a partnership with electronic rock label FiXT. With the debut full-length album, Mortal, and a May 2025 tour supporting TesseracT under Daedric’s belt, the project has solidified its hold on the line between rock and metal, with promises to tighten its grip on listeners’ ears. The band continues forward with a new album slated for release in late 2025.
Daedric has collaborated with labelmates Celldweller, Fight The Fade, Andromida, Void Chapter, and Highsociety for a gamut of well received singles that have also pulled in more fans from across the world. After dropping a variety of singles, music videos, and collaborations Daedric has amassed nearly 500K followers across all platforms, scored interviews in Outburn’s issue #112, mentions on Louder Sound, Punk Rocker, Metal Hammer, Metal Injection Spotify’s official “Women Of Metal” playlist, and recognition from Cristina of Lacuna Coil in a Spotify Women of Metal roundtable discussion between Lacuna Coil, Spiritbox, and Halestorm. They’ve also gained notoriety as Daedric’s track “Abandon,” a collaborative effort with Andromida, found its way into the spotlight when Ubisoft chose it for inclusion in a promotional trailer for Rainbow Six Siege.
Daedric On Tour Prepare for a wave of sonic devastation. Daedric is officially joining forces with VOLA as special guests on the Friend of a Phantom North America 2025 Tour.
Catch Daedric tearing up the stage this September alongside one of the most dynamic forces in progressive metal. With new music on the horizon and a hunger to bring the chaos, this tour marks a pivotal moment as Daedric prepares to unveil tracks from their highly anticipated upcoming album, As The Light Left.
“VOLA is delighted to welcome Daedric as our special guests on the Friend of a Phantom North America 2025 tour. We are looking forward to the time together!” – VOLA
“DAEDRIC is honored to share the stage with VOLA this September. This is going to be an incredible tour and we’re excited to show up every night and make it an amazing experience while getting to showcase new songs from our upcoming album, As the Light Left.” – Daedric
Tickets are available here. Where are you catching them?
The fabulous and highly anticipated new California Irish album, ‘The Mountains Are My Friends’, is now released, out on both digital and CD with the Vinyl format following close on their heels.
Cormac comments on the release: “Recording this record was one of the most beautiful experiences of any of our lives. Since then California Irish has been our life blood and it’s been so exciting gradually letting the world in song by song, gig by gig. Now it’s time to show you who we really are with a debut album that means everything to us as musicians, artists, humans. Because we recorded it straight to tape it doesn’t sound like anybody else. It’s us. It’s who we are. We hope you love us. Enjoy. Peace agus love. Síochán agus grá xo”
Having already won 3 ‘tracks of the week’ features in Classic Rock Magazine for their singles, the California Irish album is garnering critical acclaim from everyone who hears it, being touted as the ‘best album you will hear all year’, ‘a ‘a wonderful record’ and ‘is a blazing beacon set against the harmony of wilful beauty’ amongst many other glowing comments!
This isn’t just the best album you will hear all year, it’s one that makes you realise that despite the state the music industry is in at the moment, despite the streaming, despite the AI generated garbage, the autotune and synthesized soulless noise, there is real music out there. Real music that can transcend the vicissitudes of everyday life, that makes you realise you can live forever in that moment. This is the album that reminded me that real music is timeless, fleeting, ethereal, beautiful, fragile, organic, and bursting with promise. It’s an album that makes you realise that this world can be a better place, a warmer place, a greater place and these days we need that more than ever. 10/10 – The Rock Pit, AUS
Nothing lingers here, most of the songs are between 2 and 4 minutes, the brevity in their favour as it gives an authenticity of when songs could only fit one side of wax, the longest song saved for last on the spectacular I Am Free. Two musical heritages combining to produce beautiful music that sings of its influences loudly and proudly, a wonderful record featuring one of the best singers in the game. 9/10 – Musipedia Of Metal
Sitting here in the middle of England, you always think of the western US as vast and cinematic. “I Am Free” taps into that wonderfully. A duet between Neeson and Coyle, its chorus rings out: “For the first time in a long time I am free” – but freedom doesn’t explain all of this. Rather, it’s the last line – “I will carry all that I have lived” – that surely brought us here. And it’s the communal laughter that breaks out at the song’s end that makes this so special. “The Mountains Are My Friends” is music made simply because everyone wanted to – and it’s a genuine gem. Rating: 9/10 – Maximum Volume Music
Across tracks such as the opener Live Fast Die Free, Julie Ann, Something Different, the enticing Sunday Morning, and the finale of I Am Free, California Irish rampage and stoke the fires of the mountain to a point where what is witness is more than a message of intent, it is a blazing beacon set against the harmony of wilful beauty. A generous and fantastically paced recording, each player doing their bit to combine a sound of majestic property and intellect. – Liverpool Sound & Vision
Summoning the beguiling spirit of Laurel Canyon, employing analogue recording techniques, and recording songs in one or two takes to achieve something with a real human touch, California Irish are a new seven piece group hailing from Belfast that working their own niche within the world of folk and Americana, and everything in between.
The brainchild of the group is lead singer and chief songwriter Cormac Neeson. The band were hand-picked by Neeson based on long standing friendships, as well as experiences with numerous musical projects within the thriving Belfast music scene.
Cormac states his reason for starting the band and wanting to harness this fabulous sound: “This album is the opposite of boring AI generated no soul perfection. We recorded this album in a room together over four days allowing the music to breathe when it needed to, looking at each other for our cues and feeding off each other’s energy. It felt like a dream…but it’s the most real thing I’ve ever done in music. That Laurel Canyon sound of the late 60s, epitomised by the early Crosby Stills Nash and Young stuff, and the first few Joni Mitchell records, has always felt otherworldly and magical. On our album we’ve tried to access some of that beauty and create our own magic by combining brand new music with an old school recording process.”
The Laurel Canyon influence also extends to the band’s recording technique, adhering rigidly to the analogue 16 track recording method circa 1969; namely recording live straight to tape at the world famous Middle Farm Studios under the watchful eyes and ears of producer Pete Miles. The resulting sound of California Irish flies in the face of modern techniques that often lose the warmth of the original compositions. Instead, the group opted for a one off and unique shared human experience with musicians who feed off each other’s energy, and create compelling four-part vocal blends around one single microphone in a warm alt-folk celebration. The creative process in turn led to an album’s worth of songs titled ‘The Mountains Are My Friends’.
Introducing the band: Cormac Neeson (vocals, acoustic guitar, psychedelic cowbell) Susy Coyle (vocals and percussion) Donal Scullion (acoustic, electric guitar, vocals) Chris Kelly (lap steel, mandolin, acoustic, electric guitar, vocals) James Doone (bass) Simon Templeton (piano, hammond, Wurlitzer) Conor McCauley (drums)
Just a few days ahead of the highly anticipated new album ‘The Revenge of Alice Cooper’, the reunited original Alice Cooper Group releases their latest single, ‘Up All Night’ — a defiant, riff-heavy anthem that captures the chaos, danger, and thrill of rock ’n’ roll after dark, through earMUSIC.
‘Up All Night’ is a full-throttle celebration of youthful mischief, the kind of trouble you don’t regret. With snarling guitars, pounding rhythms, and Alice’s unmistakable growl, the track feels like a direct transmission from 1971 – raw, loud, and unapologetically alive. It’s a fitting final teaser before the full album drops on July 25th.
With the album just around the corner, excitement builds for a once-in-a-lifetime pre-release event in London on July 24th, bringing the original band – Alice, Dennis, Neal, and Michael – together on stage for an unforgettable evening.
The event will be hosted by none other than Sir Tim Rice and will feature a very special appearance by producer and honorary sixth band member, Bob Ezrin, whose legendary partnership with the band helped define the sound of an era. The night will include a world-exclusive pre-listening session of the full album and in-depth conversation with the band about the making of ‘The Revenge of Alice Cooper’.
The event, which sold out within 24 hours, will be streamed live globally via the Alice Cooper and earMUSIC YouTube channels, as well as on TalksShopLive ensuring no fan misses out on this historic reunion and giving audiences everywhere a front-row seat.
LISTEN TO ‘UP ALL NIGHT’ ON ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS HERE
Recorded in an old-school Connecticut studio with Bob Ezrin at the helm, ‘The Revenge of Alice Cooper’ brings the spirit of classic Alice Cooper into the present with venomous riffs, theatrical storytelling, and vintage horror flair. The album even features a posthumous guitar appearance from Glen Buxton on ‘What Happened To You,’ preserving his legacy within the band’s rebirth.
From the primal swagger of ‘Black Mamba,’ to the rebel howl of ‘Wild Ones,’ and now the late-night roar of ‘Up All Night,’ the record is a loud, wild reminder that true rock never dies.
The Revenge of Alice Cooper will be released on July 25th, 2025 via earMUSIC, available in a wide range of physical formats, including limited edition vinyl colors, a deluxe box set, and the exclusive smart format art print, featuring access to two bonus tracks and a high-definition download of the full album on release day.
PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM ‘THE REVENGE OF ALICE COOPER’ HERE
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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
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
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 