Six long years since their latest offering, Swedish occult rock torchbearers YEAR OF THE GOAT return with their fourth studio album, entitled Trivia Goddess, slated for release on September 12, 2025 via Napalm Records!
Accompanied by a stunning music video, today, the band presents their first single “Alucarda”, captivating listeners with an irresistibly catchy 70s hard rock vibe.
The band states:“Alucarda came to us one late night and told us a story of how girls in particular have been accused of demonic possession, witchcraft and all sorts of evil throughout history. The spirit of Alucarda opened our eyes to the story of German girl Anneliese Michel, who went through 67 Catholic exorcism rites in the seventies and finally died from malnutrition and dehydration, due to neglect by her parents and priests. Anneliese was only one woman in a long row of women and girls mistreated by the misogynic and evil system of the Abrahamic religions.”
Following the opening installations of the band’s album trilogy, the award-winning “Angels Necropolis” (2012), and the much-acclaimed “Novis Orbis Terrarum Ordinis” (2019), Trivia Goddess ventures off on it’s own unique detour.
Inspired by the most harrowing moments in women’s history, Trivia Goddess sees the Norrköping, Sweden-based dark rock collective delve deep into the stories of real women, devalued as the lesser sex by churches and by men of a petty god, in true Satanic fashion, opposing the real structures of evil in the world.
Mixed by Tom Dalgety at Psalm Studios, Wiltshire, UK, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg / Magnus Lindberg Productions, YEAR OF THE GOAT returns to the scene more majestic, epic and melodic, while also sounding more evil than ever. The wait for a new studio album was worth it, as Trivia Goddess, driven by the dark sounds of the 60s and 70s, sees the band doubling down on all expectations, showcasing their many facets with grandeur. Bow down to the Trivia Goddess fromthe one and only YEAR OF THE GOAT!
YEAR OF THE GOAT is: Thomas Sabbathi – Vocals & Guitars Mikael “Pope” Popovic – Vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar Jonas Waldhuber Mattsson – Guitars & backing vocals David Olofsson – Guitars Daniel Melo Ortega – Drums Marko Kardum – Bass Elin Gårdfalk – Backing Vocals
MELANIE is back, aboard what has been described, by Goldmine magazine, as one of the most significant reissue campaigns of recent years.
And it’s hard to argue with that.
After years lost in the wilderness of deleted discs, budget compilations and bootleg downloads, Melanie’s entire post-1971catalog has at last returned to the shelves, in both its original form and across a slew of previously unissued archive releases. And a new digital publication, the 60 page, full color Deluxe Editions, tells the story.
In just two years, since the program launched in late 2023, Cleopatra Records in the US, and their UK licensee Easy Action/The Wintergarden, have remastered, repackaged and, in some cases, reinvented some 50 different albums.
Overflowing with studio rarities, live recordings, home demos and even a handful of song sketches, it’s a campaign that completely up-ends the industry norm of just two or three “archive” albums a year. “If we’d followed that,” Cleopatra head Brian Perera told Quillette in early 2025, “we’d still be releasing old Melanie albums in 2050.”
DeluxeEditions is a one stop catalog of this astonishing body of work, detailing not only the albums that have already been released, but also a clutch more scheduled for the future. These include a breathtaking collection of traditional songs recorded when Melanie was still in her mid-teens; a live recording of her epochal 1971 Broadway concert; and a deluxe remastering of her 1996 Christmas album Antlers, appropriately retitled Melanie’s Christmas Treasury.
Melanie left very firm instructions for how she wanted the series to proceed. Long before the reissues began, she began planning how her catalog ought to be presented, going through every album one by one, picking bonus tracks , discussing artwork and so on. The first reissue, 1984’s live One Night Only – The Eagle Mountain House, was released in early January 2024, just weeks before Melanie’s death.
In addition to the CDs and vinyl, Digital Editions also documents a wealth of digital singles, as a host of admirers stepped forward to record completely new versions of some of her best loved numbers – among then, Cactus, Ozric Tentacles, Terry Reid, Linda Gail Lewis, Charming Disaster, The Courettes and the Pink Fairies.
There’s a lot to digest, but Cleopatra are definitely making it easier for anyone who wants to dive in.
To coincide with the publication of Digital Editions, Cleopatra’s own Pirate Radio Cleopatra counts down Melanie’s Top 20 albums with guests including her children Leilah and Beau Jarred, and archive commentary from Melanie herself. Listen on Mixcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Cleorecs.com.
In addition, the label’s Cleorecs.com website this weekend launches a three day 30% off sale on all Melanie CDs and vinyl. It’s not quite Buy Two, Get One Free, but it’s close.
As the countdown to the release of the Fuzztones’ Buried Treasures album continues… July 18, in case it’s not already tattooed into your calendar… New York City’s favorite psycho-garage fuzzpunks unleash the third single from the set and it might well be the most aptly-titled of them all.
“Third Time’s The Charm” is an absolute swamp monster, a pile-driving melange of soupy organ, protesting guitars and panic attack percussion. A band composition, it has long ranked among the Fuzztones’s most deliciously realized time slips, a garage groove that simply bellows sixties suburban punk rock in your face. This take, however, screams louder than ever before, as Fuzztones frontman Rudi Protrudi explains.
“They say ‘Third Time’s the Charm,’ and we can’t help but agree.”
“Third Time’s A Charm” first appeared on the band’s 1990 release, Braindrops, before resurfacing on 2008’s Horny as Hell. Here, however, “is an updated version, recorded, but never released, by the Horny as Hell line-up, minus the horns, Hammond organ and female backing singers – along with newly recorded vocals and combo organ (provided by current Fuzztones organist Nico Secondini).”
The line-up is completed by head ‘Tone Rudi on lead vocals and wah wah guitar, along with Lenny Svilar on lead guitar, Surrealistic Pille on bass and Mad Mike Czeksj on drums.
And, looking ahead to the album, Rudi warns, “There’s plenty more where this came from!
“Most of the songs on the album will… be familiar to hardcore Fuzztones fans,” he acknowledges. But the performances most certainly won’t be. Buried Treasures is composed entirely of previously unreleased… kick ass studio versions, often recorded by line-ups differing from the ones who recorded them originally.”
It’s weird, sometimes, to think that The Fuzztones have now been with us for probably longer than all their primal influences put together… weird, but also gratifying. Because, no matter how long you’ve been a Fuzzmaniac, they never stop stunning you, and they never grow old. Some of the songs on Buried Treasures are positively ancient Fuzztone history. But they could have been recorded just now.
And two of them actually were. “69” is a reworking, and long -established re-wording of the Sonics‘ classic, “Strychnine,” while “One Night Stand” is the band’s take on the 60s garage classic by the Grotesque Mommies, with a few lyric changes thrown in to coincide with the Fuzztones’ philosophy. It was recorded on tour in Spain last year by the current Fuzztones line-up of Rudi and Nico, plus Marcello Salis (lead guitar), Pablo Rodas bass) and Marco Rivagli (drums).
The thrills don’t end there, either. The Fuzztones documentary, The Fuzztones Vs The World, directed by Danny Garcia, is already out and about, and if you’ve not caught a glimpse of it yet… where’ve you been?
While only a year removed from winning a JUNO Award, Cryptopsy are already outdoing themselves. The most vile band in death metal have graced the cover of Decibel and snatched Metal Injection’s Artist of the Month, leading metal maniacs to quickly devour their latest offering. An Insatiable Violence has amassed more than one million streams while vaulting to #9 on the Billboard Current Hard Music Album chart in Canada. So of course, they still have another shocking treat hidden up their longsleeves.
Over the past four months, Cryptopsy have been revealing their new album’s eerily prescient vision through a steady, albeit unsettling stream of cryptic video clips. “When we were thinking of a unique way to promote An Insatiable Violence, Flo came up with a killer concept of sharing one part from each song before the album came out”, says the band’s vocalist Matt McGachy. “We ended up expanding on that idea by using those pieces to create a short film”.
Today, in honor of their latest malicious mutation, the band are premiering the full short film for An Insatiable Violence with their fellow Canadian horror fiends at Rue Morgue.
“The concept of the film for An Insatiable Violence is about a person that desperately wants to be a popular social media influencer”, McGachy continues. “The scenes dance through the protagonist’s day-to-day relationship with content creation and how their audience reacts to it. It’s an insatiable violence and a truly saddening reality of humanity’s relationship with social media”.
The concept behind Cryptopsy’s ninth album appeared to vocalist Matt McGachy in a dream. But An Insatiable Violence mirrors our all-too-real addiction to social media. The short film documents the blistering rise and brutal downfall of an influencer. As the band tear through a medley composed from the many headbanging grooves that highlight all eight new tracks, our heroine stomachs the rising cost of fame, only to end up paying the ultimate price.
“The life of content creators can be far more detrimental compared to day-to-day social media users” McGachy says. “The short film weaves between the audience worshiping the protagonist, losing interest, turning against her and eventually just ignoring her efforts. In a last ditch effort for attention the protagonist takes her own life in the search of eternal fame”.
The short film for An Insatiable Violence was written and directed by Christopher Kells.
“Creating an 8-part mini series for Cryptopsy’s An Insatiable Violence was no easy task”, Kells says. “Matt and I cultivated stories based off of his lyrics and decided to give an awkward and uncomfortable view into a fictitious influencer’s mind.
“The videos explore the grotesque and isolating effects of digital culture, influencer obsession and the decay of self-worth in a hyper-connected world. Actress Lisa McCormack dove right into the character development and gave it her all as our influencer. The fast-paced imagery and visuals mirror the psychological descent of an online persona from idolized content creator to digital burnout and eventual madness.
“Everyone involved — from the crew to the cast — brought an incredible level of focus and professionalism to the shoot. There was a shared understanding that we were there and focused to create something truly strange, visceral and creatively unhinged. That energy was essential to me not only as a director but as a fan of the band and it mirrored the chaotic intensity and experimental spirit of Cryptopsy’s music”.
Additional video credits
Cryptopsy Matt McGachy Flo Mounier Christian Donaldson Oli Pinard
Actress Lisa McCormack
Steadycam Franz Stapelberg
Lighting Giuseppe Calvinisti
Makeup Ruby Pearls
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Christian Donaldson
Assistant Mixing Dominic Grimard
Extras Stéphane Dèls Philippe Langelier Odin Langelier Paul Zinay Jean-Francois Boivin Jeff Mott Naenia Lavoie Philippe Brousseau Liz Imperiale Mihaela Petrescu Christophe Gagné Jason Greenberg Martin Gendreau Nicolas Lauzon Philippe McGinnis Timothy Liam Gallaher-Maselli Tina Gallaher Caleb Purtell Maxime St-Pierre Guillaume N. Charly Pras Andrew Paré Pierre-François Bouchard
Tracklist 1. The Nimis Adoration (4:10) 2. Until There’s Nothing Left (3:59) [WATCH] 3. Dead Eyes Replete (3:57) [WATCH] 4. Fools Last Acclaim (3:26) 5. The Art of Emptiness (4:16) 6. Our Great Deception (4:21) 7. Embrace the Nihility (3:50) 8. Malicious Needs (5:52) [WATCH] Total runtime 32:04
“Martin did None So Live, but he never really got to do a proper album”, Cryptopsy says about the artwork for their new album. “His art is amazing. The two pieces of his that we used for An Insatiable Violence are incredible. His family was super excited about it, too. We are honored to have him be an even bigger part of Cryptopsy’s lore”.
In the wake of spreading bloodshed all over Europe with Decapitated, Cryptopsy are now fiending to feast on the new cuts from An Insatiable Violence with their ravenous fans across the U.S.
This fall, the band are joining brutal technical death metal pharaohs Nile on a 25-date tour of the East Coast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest. Joining them on this run are The Last Ten Seconds of Life and Cognitive.
“We are so excited to bring An Insatiable Violence to the United States. It’s a pleasure to tour amongst friends and this lineup is incredibly stacked!”, Cryptopsy says. “Our new album was written for a live setting. The songs are more brutal and grooving so that people can really latch on and bang their heads”.
Cryptopsy’s setlist for this tour will pull from the band’s latest albums while mixing in revered classics.
The Underworld Awaits Tour USA 2025 September 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones [TICKETS] September 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts [TICKETS] September 14 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho [TICKETS] September 16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch [TICKETS] September 17 – Hampton, NH @ Wally’s [TICKETS] September 18 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Hall [TICKETS] September 19 – Lititz, PA @ Mickey’s Black Box [TICKETS] September 20 – Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz [TICKETS] September 21 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall [TICKETS] September 22 – Cleveland, OH @ Mercury [TICKETS] September 24 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary [TICKETS] September 25 – Hobart, IN @ Hobart Art Theatre [TICKETS] September 26 – Madison, WI @ The Annex [TICKETS] September 27 – Minneapolis, MN @ Studio B Skyway [TICKETS] September 28 – Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theater [TICKETS] September 29 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Bigs Bar [TICKETS] October 1 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station [TICKETS] October 3 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS] October 4 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS] October 5 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS] October 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge [TICKETS] October 7 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater [TICKETS] October 9 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s* [TICKETS] October 10 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s* [TICKETS] October 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex* [TICKETS] *Nile, Cryptopsy and Cognitive only
Metalheads who are chomping at the bit for An Insatiable Violence can further their appetite by revisiting Cryptopsy’s hallowed catalogue. Since signing with Season of Mist in 2024, the band have reissued their 1993 demo Ungentle Exhumation, revered debut Blasphemy Made Flesh, the widely-worshiped None So Vile, their triumphant self-titled and The Book of Suffering Tome I + II, which is now available for the first time on one combined LP.
More than 30 years into their storied career, Montreal death metal innovators Cryptopsy return with their ninth studio album, An Insatiable Violence, set for release on June 20, 2025 on Season of Mist.
Revered in extreme metal circles for such groundbreaking classics as 1994’s Blasphemy Made Flesh and the 1996 magnum opus None So Vile, Cryptopsy find yet another gear on An Insatiable Violence, which further solidifies the band’s place in the upper echelon of death metal. Coming out of the pandemic, the band dedicated themselves to staying on top of their game more than ever before, with the intention of consistently putting out a new record every two years. That started with 2023’s acclaimed As Gomorrah Burns, and continues 21 months later with An Insatiable Violence.
“We had to write the majority of An Insatiable Violence while on the Death to All tour, which was something we’d never done before”, vocalist Matt McGachy says. “Flo [Mounier, drums] and Chris [Donaldson, guitar] really put their hats on. It was a feat”.
“Ever since COVID our focus is clearer, a lot of work gets done faster, and we push each other to get it done.”, Mounier says.
In addition to featuring some of the fastest passages Cryptopsy has ever recorded – keen listeners will even hear the odd gravity blast from Mounier, a rarity from the virtuoso drummer – the controlled chaos of their signature sound is offset by well-timed passages that ease off the gas pedal enough to allow listeners to come up for some air. That dynamic rage on An Insatiable Violence in turn makes the more aggressive moments hit even harder, which is immediately noticeable on the harrowing “Until There’s Nothing Left” and the chugging closing track “Malicious Needs”. Olivier Pinard anchors “Fools Last Acclaim” with stunning authority (keeping pace with Mounier is an unenviable task) while Donaldson offsets gnarly, atonal riffs with melodic passages throughout the record. “It’s a continuation of As Gomorrah Burns,” McGachy says, “We really wanted to make a groovy record, and we think we’ve done it.”
It seems as though nothing is scarier than real life right now, and An Insatiable Violence is a commentary on today’s society as though filtered through the transgressive, countercultural perspectives of J.G. Ballard and David Cronenberg.
“It all came to me in a dream in August 2023,” elaborates McGachy. “I woke up, I took my phone, and I wrote down the title of the record. It’s about a person that wakes up every day and fixes a machine. Tinkers with it, tries to make it better all day long, sweating in the sun, and then at night, they strap themself into this machine and the machine tortures them, and they love it. Then they wake up the next day and fix it again to make it more efficient, to keep harnessing it, and then just keep doing it over and over again.
While fantastically twisted, An Insatiable Violence mirrors our toxic relationship with social media. “We’re continuously trying to feed this algorithm of the machine while it’s totally tearing us apart socially and psychologically”, McGachy continues. “’The Nimis Adoration’ is about mukbang, these Korean people that eat too much food on the Internet. Piles and piles of food. A poor girl died on a live cam”.
At the center of the album is the mind-boggling percussion skill of Mounier, arguably the most imposing Canadian drummer not named Peart, who dominates such standout tracks as “Dead Eyes Replete”, “Fools Last Acclaim”, and “Embrace the Nihility”. “I look at Flo as an Olympic athlete,” says McGachy. “I want to push this guy to go a lot faster than Cryptopsy’s previous releases. We have so much more to give, and I wanted just drain it all out of him while he’s still at the top of his game, because he is. He’s crushing.”
“I mix up a lot of a physical activity, like resistance training into the drumming,” Mounier says. “I recently developed new techniques that make it easier to go even faster, so I tried to push that on this album. My focus is now more on dynamics and the touch of the snare, a certain snap of the snare, a rim shot on the snare, the toms, a light touch or a hard touch. Live, I can really let go, you know, give the sound guy a hard time,” he adds with a laugh.
For McGachy, who has always boasted a powerful, guttural death growl, the rigors of touring have enabled him to evolve as a vocalist, and he turns in a revelatory performance on An Insatiable Violence. In addition to ear-scraping screams that rival George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, McGachy unleashes the deepest, filthiest death growls of his career. “Gomorrah was the first album that I recorded with my full false chord scream, which is something that I’d only just touched on The Book of Suffering: Tome II in little sections,” he says. “We did at least 140 shows since Gomorrah. I exclusively did my false chords during all the songs that we performed on None So Vile and Blasphemy Made Flesh. And then, when we did go into the studio for An Insatiable Violence, Chris would be like, ‘Deeper, you must go deeper!’”
Another fearsome vocalist from Cryptopsy’s lore pops back into the booth on An Insatiable Violence. “When we were recording the vocals for ‘Embrace the Nihility’, Chris had the idea of ending the song with the same vocal pattern as the end of ‘…and Then It Passes’”, McGachy remembers. “We figured if we were going to rip ourselves off, then we may as well get the real thing. We were honored that Mike DiSalvo accepted. We are all huge fans of Cryptopsy’s DiSalvo era. His vocals on this album are an ultra Easter egg for our fans”.
In addition to the effusive praise As Gomorrah Burns received from within the metal scene, the 2023 album achieved a first for Cryptopsy: earning them their first ever JUNO Award in 2024 for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year. “We had little-to-no expectations of winning” says McGachy. ”We didn’t even go to the ceremonies because we were on tour in Europe with Atheist. On the day we found out that we won, we had a crazy 18-hour drive from Derby to Germany, plus a ferry ride. But we still partied for 48 hours. Flo bought an expensive bottle of champagne”.
Cryptopsy recognize that not every death metal band sticks around long enough to win a Canadian Grammy 30 years into their career. The cover art for An Insatiable Violence was created by the late, great vocalist Martin Lacroix. “The album artwork has got to be one of the most important things to us!”, the band says. “Martin Lacroix was one of our vocalists, one of our great friends and one of the nicest people that anyone could have the privilege to meet. We really wish he was here with us to share this moment. His perfect smile would say it all! Rest in peace brother”.
With Cryptopsy’s latest career renaissance showing no signs of slowing down, the recent accolades are only the beginning. An Insatiable Violence reaches a new peak in a career loaded with them.
Lineup Flo Mounier – Drums Matt McGachy – Vocals Christian Donaldson – Guitar Oli Pinard – Bass
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Studio Christian Donaldson’s Studio
Production, Sound & Mixing Engineer Christian Donaldson
Guest Musicians Mike DiSalvo performs vocals on “Embrace the Nihility”
Following their latest, much-acclaimed studio album “Resurrection” (released in March 2025 via ROAR here), darkened power metal torchbearers BLACK & DAMNED have premiered a music video for their brand new song “Heart Of Ashes”! Get the band’s new single now on: https://blackanddamned.rpm.link/heartPR
Guitarist Michael Vetter comments: “The song describes the emotional state of someone who has always lived on the dark side of his mind through his experiences. But he tries to bring light into his life by living according to his heart and not according to his head!”
In the four years since their much-acclaimed debut, BLACK & DAMNED have made a first-class name for themselves, sharing the stage with Vicious Rumors, Rage, Tankard, and many more. They have quickly established their trademark sound as a real enrichment of the heavy metal world, took no prisoners, and used the energy of past live shows and composed the ten new neckbreakers which are featured on their latest studio offering “Resurrection”, recorded in the fall of 2024 under the aegis of ex-Primal Fear guitarist Stefan Leibing.
The albumseen the band captivate with thunderous guitar riffs, intense rhythms and gripping vocals that whisk you away into a world full of myths and inner conflicts. BLACK & DAMNED have grown together as a unit and with “Resurrection” as well as the brand new track “Heart Of Ashes”, they create a profound, melodic and melancholic heavy metal sound: A storm of power and emotion, perfect for anyone who wants to experience the ultimate metal rush!
BLACK & DAMNED – Live: 12.07.2025 „RV Bang OpenAir“ at „Messegelände“ Balingen (GER)
BLACK & DAMNED is: Roland “Bobbes” Seidel – Vocals Michael Vetter – Guitar Aki Reissmann – Guitar Pappe Lee – Bass Axel Winkler – Drums
Internationally acclaimed Canadian cellist and composer Raphael Weinroth-Browne has unveiled ‘Possession’, the second single from his forthcoming solo album Lifeblood, due out 3rd October. An electrifying artistic statement, ‘Possession’ fuses Arabic-inspired melodies and heavy rhythmic grooves with the gothic melancholy of Opeth and the icy, otherworldly dissonance of Meshuggah.
As with the video for previous single ‘Lifeblood‘, ‘Possession’ was filmed in Poland, this time in a decaying yet grand old theatre. Directed by the acclaimed Grupa13 (Behemoth, Leprous), the video explores the psychological landscape of a performer on stage, turning an ordinary audience into a menacing, masked presence. Drawing visual inspiration from the masked ball in Eyes Wide Shut, the clip reflects themes of performance anxiety, self-doubt, and the disorienting distortion of perception.
Raphael comments on the new single: “With ‘Possession’ I wanted to combine Arabic-inspired melodies and heavy grooves with the haunting, gothic atmosphere of Opeth and the cold, almost alien atonality of Meshuggah. This track originated as an improvised jam in maqam Saba, a scale associated with sadness and lamentation that appears in both Turkish and Arabic music. This early incarnation of the piece became a viral reel on Instagram before I decided to turn it into a fully-fledged composition. I feel that ‘Possession’ encapsulates my diverse influences and remains one of my most succinct and direct musical statements.”
A deeply personal body of work, Lifeblood captures the raw duality at the core of Weinroth–Browne’s expression: the transcendence of creative flow alongside the consuming intensity of ambition. Blending the weight of progressive metal with Middle Eastern modalities, modern classical precision and immersive electronic textures, Lifeblood marks his most audacious and fully realised solo work to date.
Commenting on the album, he adds, “I consider this album to be my most autobiographical work to date. As a metalhead turned full-time professional cellist making original music outside the classical realm, I have taken the road less travelled, nurturing my artistic vision and trusting my intuition even on an unorthodox path. I have forged a unique career and identity around my musical voice and the way it manifests itself through the cello. The defiant, audacious energy of this music represents my inexorable drive to continue pursuing my dream in spite of all obstacles.”
Lifeblood was engineered and co-mixed by Darren McGill at Union Sound Company in Toronto, with a final mix by acclaimed producer Adam Noble (Leprous, Katatonia). The album was then mastered by Robin Schmidt (Placebo, Ben Howard). Adding a visual dimension to the album’s immersive sound, the captivating cover artwork was created by Maldivian artist Maahy, celebrated for her ethereal, nature-inspired aesthetic.
Known for his emotionally charged performances and boundary pushing vision, Raphael Weinroth-Browne has become one of the most innovative cellists of his generation. Merging his roots in progressive metal with a passion for Middle Eastern music, he has forged a singular artistic voice that defies traditional expectations. His cello work can be heard on over 200 studio albums, including Woods of Ypres’ Juno Award-winning W5: Grey Skies & Electric Light and in major film and TV soundtracks. Viral cello covers of Opeth, Katatonia and StevenWilson have earned praise from the artists themselves, while his genre-spanning studio and stage career continues to attract international attention.
Since joining Norwegian progressive rock icons Leprous in 2016, Weinroth-Browne has played over 200 shows worldwide with the band and helped shape the sound of three studio albums. He has shared stages with Evanescence, Apocalyptica, Devin Townsend and performed in front of 40,000 at Hellfest, as well as at prestigious venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall. As a solo artist, he has opened for artists ranging from Polish neoclassical pianist Hania Rani to Nordic folk ensemble SKÁLD and UK legends Soft Machine.
In recent years, Weinroth-Browne has pushed further into experimental performance and contemporary dance. His solo debut Worlds Within (2020), a 40-minute composition built entirely from layered cello, earned critical acclaim for its emotional depth and innovative form. In 2023, he performed the album live with Ottawa Dance Directive to a sold-out audience at Canada’s National Arts Centre. In 2024, he was commissioned by the UK’s James Wilton Dance to compose BACH Reimagined, an 80-minute score that toured leading venues across the UK and Germany in spring 2025. Following this, his recent single ‘Speed of Light‘ continued the forward momentum, merging baroque motifs with crushing distortion and polyrhythmic intensity, earning acclaim for its fearless fusion of past and future. As his creative output grows increasingly multidisciplinary, Weinroth-Browne continues to defy genre boundaries and redefine what the cello can be in the 21st century.
With more to come later this year, Lifeblood marks a major milestone in Weinroth-Browne’s uncompromising creative journey, an album that channels passion, pain, discipline and defiance into a work that feels at once ancient and immediate, cerebral and gut-wrenching.
Catch Raphael live on the following dates:
Jul 17 – Ottawa, Canada – Solo performance at Rainbow Bistro supporting PAKT Jul 25 – Suffolk, UK – Performing with James Wilton Dance at Latitude Festival Aug 28 – Ottawa, Canada – Solo performance at Speakeasy Tapas Lounge
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
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