Rockhopper Music is proud to introduce Themata, abrasive, terminal and vile sludge band from the most outmost corners of Finland. Originally formed in 2018. Activated in 2025. Including current and past members from bands like Atlases, Dö, Grave With A View, I, Cursed, Oceanwake and Omnium Gatherum. Dark, heavy and desolate debut EP ”Riven” out in 2025.
First single ”Loathe” is out now via Meara Music & Rockhopper Music.
Themata are:
Ville-Veikko Laaksonen – Guitar & Bass (on EP) Juuso Onerva – Vocals Jerkka Perälä – Bass Ville Ristolainen – Drums
Skid Row have released the reissue edition of ‘Revolutions Per Minute’ through earMUSIC.
American rock band Skid Row exploded onto the music scene in the late 80s, becoming a predominant force in the hard rock and heavy metal genre. Known for their raw energy, melodic hooks, and a relentless edge, Skid Row earned global success with hits such as ‘18 and Life’, ‘Youth Gone Wild’, or ‘I Remember You’. The band became synonymous with the rebellious spirit of the late 80s and early 90s, selling millions of albums worldwide and solidifying their place in rock history.
Following the success of their last studio album, ’The Gang’s All Here’, it’s easy to recognize the consistent quality that Snake Sabo, Scotti Hill, and Rachel Bolan have brought to every chapter of their discography.
The band’s fifth studio album ‘Revolutions Per Minute’represents a pivotal moment in the band’s career, with Skid Row stepping outside of their comfort zone and bringing new ideas and influences into the fold. The album showcases the band’s evolving style, combining their signature grit with a more modern, aggressive tone.
Newly mastered in 2025, this reissue edition of ‘Revolutions Per Minute’ offers fans the opportunity to rediscover this classic album and appreciate its enduring impact.
Guitarist Tuomas Heikkinen said: “Moon Of Madness was the first song written for what became Gravity, built around that fun, galloping guitar riff. It carries echoes of our earlier work but also marks new ground – like co-writing lyrics and melodies with Paolo, which was a first for me in Leverage. I also handed the solos to Lotta and Marko this time. The result has all the essentials: great energy, a few surprises, and a super catchy chorus”.
Leverage’s future seemed uncertain after the untimely passing of singer’s Kimmo Blom in the summer of 2022. However, founding member and main songwriter Tuomas Heikkinen decided the final hour for the band was not in sight yet. Outstanding singer Paolo Ribaldini (Delain, ex-Skiltron) and violinist Lotta-Maria Heiskanen joined with the precise task to renew and refresh the sound of the band.
The resulting album “Gravity”, the band’s sixth full-length in slightly less than twenty years, aptly showcases contemporary heavy rock sound, combining multiple influence from the genre’s golden era with the band’s own unique flair and personality. Plenty of ear-catching melodies delivered skilfully with a pristine top-of-the-line production.
Leverage is neither a power metal band, nor an AOR band, nor a nostalgic tribute to the ’80s. Instead of falling into one category, they have bent and redefined genre frontiers, thus developing their own style of heavy rock. The sonic stamp says “Leverage”, and it speaks louder than words.
Leverage’s history is carved deep into the DNA of the new album “Gravity”: the grand melodic traditions of the debut “Tides” (2007) and the sophomore “Blind Fire” (2008), the symphonic flair of “Circus Colossus” (2009), and the darker, more mature tones of “Determinus” (2019) and “Above The Beyond” (2021) all find new life here. But “Gravity” doesn’t simply revisit the past—it elevates it.
The band’s Mark 3 line-up now includes Tuomas Heikkinen (guitars), Marko Niskala (keyboards), Elias Ojutkangas (drums), Sami Norrbacka (bass), Paolo Ribaldini (vocals) and Lotta-Maria Heiskanen (violin). Watch out for Leverage playing in a town near you!
“Gravity” Tracklist:
1. Shooting Star 2. Tales Of The Night 3. Hellbound Train 4. Moon Of Madness 5. Eliza 6. All Seeing Eye 7. King Ghidorah 8. Gravity
Album Line Up: Paolo Ribaldini – all vocals Tuomas Heikkinen – guitars Marko Niskala – keyboards Valtteri Revonkorpi – drums Sami Norrbacka – bass Lotta-Maria Heiskanen – violin
Rising Irish hard rockers Vendetta Love have today released their brand-new single “Wine”, across all major streaming platforms.
A sultry, swaggering slab of sleaze-drenched riff-rock, “Wine” arrives just in time for summer and serves as the latest instalment of the band’s string of blistering releases – and a taste of what’s still to come.
“Wine” was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Michael Richards at Dublin’s renowned Trackmix Studios, capturing the band’s signature blend of 90s grunge grit, Sunset Strip attitude, and arena-sized hooks. The track came together during the same productive weekend that birthed fan-favourite “Traced Out”, beginning with a hypnotic riff by guitarist Neil McEvoy, which quickly became the bedrock for the track’s brooding, blues-soaked atmosphere.
Frontman Shawn Mullen admits the song’s lyrical inspiration took a little longer to ferment: “I was totally stumped on what to say for ages… just stressing out over the simplest of melodies and lines. Then one evening I played the rough demo to my fiancée and she just goes, ‘Wine… the riff sounds like wine. Do that.’ Two hours later the lyrics were done! So yeah, the song’s about wine… and nothing more… I swear.”
With lyrics by Mullen and music written collaboratively by bassist McEvoy, Mullen, guitarist Chris Craig, and drummer Darren Flynn, “Wine” is a potent reminder of Vendetta Love’s knack for writing raw, honest, and addictively gritty rock songs.
To celebrate the single’s release, the band will be performing a headline show at Dublin’s legendary Whelan’s on Friday, July 5th. Earlier that day, Vendetta Love will also be playing a special in-store set at HMV on Henry Street, giving fans an up-close taste of “Wine” and more.
With previous singles clocking up praise from the likes of Hot Press, Overdrive.ie, and Kerrang! Radio, Vendetta Love are fast becoming one of Ireland’s most exciting new rock exports.
Manchester’s alt-rock outfit The Perps return with their most emotionally charged release to date, ‘Rocket in My Head‘, landing June 27 via Golden Robot Records and available to pre-save now, HERE.
A departure from their more raucous tones, ‘Rocket in My Head‘ is a moody, melancholic anthem, wrapped in shimmering guitar lines and aching vocal melodies. At its core, the track is a poetic and mournful exploration of unbreakable, dysfunctional love and the grief of losing it. “This song is almost a reflective sonnet,” the band says. “It is undoubtedly our proudest work to date.”
Marking a pivotal moment in The Perps’ evolution, ‘Rocket in My Head’ combines heartfelt storytelling with a cinematic, slow-burn arrangement, cementing the band as one of the most compelling voices in modern indie rock.
The Perps are: Seb Smith, Tom Burns, Arik Ross, Alex Visinoni.
UK Hard Rock Band Lost Asylum have announcend the release of their new single and music video for the song ‘Dark Passenger‘, to be out on July 18th, 2025. The song is taken from their forthcoming EP ‘Shock Treatment‘, which will be released on November 21th, 2025.
Lost Asylum bring high energy performance’s with soaring vocals, Hard hitting powerful guitars, Solid pounding rhythm’s and hypnotic song writing.
A promo video teaser can be viewed here:
Lost Asylum is:
Steve Clark – Guitars Grog – Bass Danny Wilder – Drums Ryan O’Donovan – Vocals Darren Potts – Guitars
In early 2015 guitarist Darren Potts was looking to put together a heavy rock band. After bringing in drummer Danny Wilder from a previous project, Darren was actually looking for a vocalist when he was introduced to Steve Clark, a fellow guitarist. After hitting it off with Steve, the band members decided to make this new project a two guitar setup.
Darren’s original idea had been to reform a previous project but with a couple of new members and fresh ideas it was decided that this would be something entirely new. Band names were thrown around until Steve had an idea and so Sussex based rock band Lost Asylum was born! After gigging with a variety of vocalists the search for a regular frontman that could truly fit with the Asylum’s image, continued until Steve met and recruited frontman/screamer Ryan O’Donovan at an open mic in Brighton in early 2019.
Ryan O’Donovan had been affiliated with Brighton’s learning disabled community due to his being on the autistic spectrum, playing in various acts under the umbrella of the charity ‘carousel’ Late 2024 Daz brought in bass player ‘Grog’ who had been in a band with Danny Wilder previously’Texas Flood’and later ‘Flood’.
With the line up now complete, a heavy hitting rhythm section, powerful guitars, Ryan’s soaring vocals and showmanship, Lost Asylum are ready to hit the stage. Hard!
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 ) 