Black River Delta, the blues rock quartet from Bollnäs, Sweden, have made a name for themselves since their inception with a raw and soulful sound deeply rooted in the Swedish forests of Hälsingland.
Raised among pine trees, gravel roads, and long winters, their music carries a unique blend of darkness, melancholy, and drive—where influences from blues legends meet modern rock. The band has previously released the acclaimed albums Devil on the Loose (2016), VOL II. (2018), and Shakin’ (2021), shaping their sound through everything from Robert Johnson and R.L. Burnside to contemporary acts like The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr., and BRMC.
Rather than looking toward American landscapes, Black River Delta draw inspiration from what’s closest to them—the surrounding forests, the roads along the E4 highway, and the constant tension between wanting to leave and wanting to stay.
“Shame on You is a little love letter to terrible decisions, questionable relationships and that brilliant human talent for ignoring every warning sign in plain sight. Broken hearts, bad timing and absolutely no interest in learning from mistakes. This one took the scenic route. Got lost, picked a few fights, disappeared for a while and somehow found its way back. Feels about damn time to let it loose.”
Next year, the band will release their new album via Despotz Records. On the upcoming record, they return to their roots and further deepen their sound—where modern rock meets classic blues, filtered through a Nordic melancholy in which silence, darkness, and solitude hold just as much weight as the music itself.
From the battle-scarred strongholds of Portland, OR rises a new force in epic heavy metal: UNCHAINED VENGEANCE. The newcomers are pleased to now make their debut with ‘Unbound and Unforgiving,’ an anthemic offering with epic soundscapes that conjure the feeling of valiantly riding into battle on horseback with sword and mace in hand. The band is now unleashing the second single from the forthcoming opus, “Warrior Heart,” which can now be heard at THIS LOCATION.
‘Unbound and Unforgiving’ is due on October 30, 2026 via Nameless Grave Records. It can be pre-ordered nowHERE.
UNCHAINED VENGEANCE’a Nick Wusz comments on the song, “Look deep inside yourself, into the depths of forgotten dreams, and battles past…that is where you will find your heart. From Birth, through Present Day, and into the Future, you will walk alone, unafraid, knowing that you hold the ultimate key to everlasting hope….your WARRIOR HEART will never dim!”
The cover artwork was created by Silvana Massa and can be found below along with the tracklist
Tracklist: 01. Realms of Wonder and Might (01:18) INSTRUMENTAL 02. Enslaved No More (06:15) 03. The Whisper of Sorrowsbane (07:31) [WATCH] 04. Crowned in Crimson Dawn (02:28) INSTRUMENTAL 05. False Knight (06:15) 06. Warrior Heart (05:36) [LISTEN] 07. Swords Against Sorcery (01:40) INSTRUMENTAL 08. Only Ruins Remain (07:14) 09. Unchained Vengeance (06:25) 10. The Price of Conquest (01:48) INSTRUMENTAL Full running time: 00:46:30
From the battle-scarred strongholds of Portland, Oregon rises a new force in Epic Heavy Metal: UNCHAINED VENGEANCE.
Forged by the union of powerhouse vocalist Nick Courtney (former member of Vicious Rumors and the acclaimed Iron Maiden tribute band Fear of the Dark) and multi-instrumentalist Nick Wusz (of Dolven and Travellers Rest), UNCHAINED VENGEANCE arrives with their debut full-length assault, Unbound and Unforgiving.
This is a journey into an age long forgotten—an time where honor outweighs gold, where warriors carve their legends in steel, and where the sword triumphs over sorcery. Across ten triumphant tracks, UNCHAINED VENGEANCE unleashes a relentless barrage of thunderous riffs, soaring vocals, galloping rhythms, and heroic melodies destined to echo across the battlefield.
From the bond between warrior and blade in “The Whisper of Sorrowsbane,” to the condemnation of false champions in “False Knight,” and the bittersweet return to a fallen homeland in “Only Ruins Remain,” Unbound and Unforgiving weaves tales of courage, loss, revenge, and redemption. Majestic acoustic passages and contemplative interludes, masterfully performed by dungeon synth maestro Fen Walker, provide moments of reflection before the next charge into glory.
Adorned with breathtaking cover art by Silvana Massa and a battle-ready logo crafted by Brendan Elliot, this debut stands as a banner for all who still believe in the warrior spirit.
Raise your steel. Break your chains. March into the fire.
The age of UNCHAINED VENGEANCE has begun.
Carved in blood…Forged in fire…Unbound and Unforgiving
Lineup: Nick Courtney – Vocals Nick Wusz – Guitars, bass, drums Interlude Tracks 1,4,7, and 10 by Fen Walker
Album credits: Music recorded at Cirrus Studios, in Portland, Oregon by Nick Wusz Vocals recorded at Perfect Audio, Vancouver, Washington Mixed and Mastered by Pooya Entezari at Perfect Audio Layout by Obscure Visions
Cover Artist: Silvana Massa Logo Artist: Brendan Elliott
For fans of: Hammerfall (‘Glory to the Brave’ era), Doomsword, Crescent Shield, and Iron Maiden.
The wait is over! Italian alternative rockers epoimóriròmiope release the studio live version of their latest album “ricordi di un tempo mai esistito”, today on October 16th via Epictronic Records.
Alongside the album, the band has shared the album stream as full studio live set video, watch it below.
Band shared on the studio live video: “Creating this live studio project has been an intense journey, shaped by dedication, collaboration, and passion. Every stage of the filming process was an opportunity to challenge ourselves, work together, and bring our artistic vision to life. Behind every shot and every note was the work of a team that turned ideas into something authentic, thanks to the sensitivity, creativity, and contribution of every person involved. We are proud of what we have achieved, not only because of what we managed to create, but above all because of the journey that brought us here. For us, this project represents much more than a simple recording: it is the reflection of a shared experience in which music, visuals, and people came together to tell a part of who we are.”
Directed & Edited by Matteo Giuliano Gatti (Digitclan) Filmed by Matteo Giuliano Gatti & Lorenzo Tavernari Lighting Design & Concept Matteo Tamburella Produced by epoimóriròmiope
The band stated on the studio live album: “With this studio live set, we wanted to bring the album “ricordi di un tempo mai esistito” into a different dimension — one that feels more direct and instinctive — capturing through the performance all the intensity with which these tracks were originally conceived. After the album’s release, we felt the need to rework these songs through a genuine live experience, stepping back into the studio and once again confronting their most authentic and visceral side. The live set is not meant to be simply a reproduction of the album, but rather a new interpretation of it. We wanted to bring out the dynamics, atmospheres, and nuances of the tracks, while leaving room for the impact of the performance and for that spontaneous element that often emerges only when music is played live. Recording this project in the studio allowed us to create a meeting point between the recorded and live dimensions, preserving the album’s original identity while revealing a different side of it — more physical and immediate. This represents a way of stepping back into these songs and experiencing them again from a new perspective, sharing them once more with everyone who chose to listen to and support this project.”
Stream the original version of the album (out 10 Ottobre 2025) here: https://orcd.co/rdtme
About epoimóriròmiope: Emerging in 2021 from Bologna, Italy, epoimóriròmiope fuses Metalcore, EDM, and Alternative Rock into a genre-defying sound. Originally a one-man project, it has evolved in both style and lineup—from the dark trap influences of Vincoli (2021) to the electronic experiments of kabukimono (2023). Singles from these albums remain on YouTube but have been withdrawn from streaming platforms to mark a fresh start with the definitive lineup and sound.
Lyrically, the project has shifted from social observations to exploring the darkest corners of the human soul. The latest album, “ricordi di un tempo mai esistito”, delves into separation, loss, regret, anger, anxiety, and reflections on death and life’s fleeting nature. Its first single, “vertigine”, captures the dizzying weight of absence and memory, offering atmospheric, raw alt-rock where love, identity, and time seem to unravel.
epoimóriròmiope is: Erik Storari – Vocals, Guitar, Composition, Production Sara Fioravanti – Bass Giulio Barranca – Drums Mattia Poletti – Guitar
MIDNIGHT is pleased to present a visualizer for “Violence On Violence” live. The track comes off the band’s Satanic Attack Live! recording set for release on November 6th via Metal Blade Records.
Reigning in hell, screaming like a storm, MIDNIGHT‘s obscenely intense aural display of lust, filth, and sleaze ripped the Los Angeles faithful a new one at two sold-out shows on May 28th-29th, 2026. As part of MIDNIGHT‘s Satanic Royalty 15th Anniversary World Tour, the incendiary gigs at Hollywood venue Knucklehead were recorded in all their sweaty, filthy glory, resulting in Satanic Attack Live!.
“No ‘unleashed in the studio’ or ‘unalive!’ here,” founding bass/vocalist Athenar proclaims. “All the popcorn tempos, forgotten lyrics, and shit notes are there for your taste buds to savor. I would love to hear what kind of live album Steely Dan would record while wearing masks, leather, spikes, bullets, and chains in a 1000degree smokey club full of rabid maniacs throwing beer on your wah-wah pedal, knocking microphones into your teeth, clawing at your crotch, headbanging into your headstock, and generally doing what they should be doing at a MIDNIGHT concert! I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Watch the band’s previously released “You Can’t Stop Steel” video HERE.
Recorded by Mark Borders with mixing/mastering done by Zach Rippy, Satanic Attack Live! captures ten tracks off 2011’s landmark Satanic Royalty LP – live and in the original album running order – plus five additional songs, including “Shock Til Blood,” “T.A.P.,” and “Fucking Speed And Darkness.”
Satanic Attack Live! Track Listing: 01. Unholy And Rotten 02. Evil Like A Knife 03. Satanic Royalty 04. You Can’t Stop Steel 05. Rip This Hell 06. Necromania 07. Black Damnation 08. Lust Filth And Sleaze 09. Violence On Violence 10. Savage Dominance 11. Holocausting Deafening 12. Shock Til Blood 13. T.A.P. 14. Fucking Speed And Darkness 15. F.O.A.L.
MIDNIGHT will support GWAR on their forthcoming North American tour. The journey runs from October 27th through December 12th. Additional support will be provided by Mac Sabbath as well as X-Cops and Atomic Rule on select dates. See all confirmed dates below.
MIDNIGHT Live w/ GWAR, Mac Sabbath, X-Cops: 10/27/2026 Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA 10/28/2026 The Masquerade (Heaven) – Atlanta, GA 10/29/2026 FIVE – Jacksonville, FL 10/30/2026 Bad Astronaut – Houston, TX ** 10/31/2026 The Lost Well – Austin, TX ** 11/03/2026 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL ** 11/04/2026 Revolution Ft. – Lauderdale, FL 11/05/2026 The Beacham – Orlando, FL 11/06/2026 House of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC 11/07/2026 The Ramkat – Winston-Salem, NC 11/08/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN 11/09/2026 The Hall – Little Rock, AR 11/10/2026 AM/FM – Dallas, TX w/ GWAR, Mac Sabbath, Atomic Rule: 11/12/2026 Ogden Theater – Denver, CO 11/13/2026 Complex – Salt Lake City, UT 11/14/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV 11/15/2026 Cargo Concert Hall – Reno, NV 11/17/2026 Marquee Theater – Tempe, AZ 11/18/2026 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA 11/19/2026 UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall – Berkeley, CA 11/20/2026 Senator – Chico, CA 11/21/2026 Midtown Ballroom – Bend, OR 11/23/2026 Showbox Sodo – Seattle, WA 11/24/2026 Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA 11/25/2026 The Vogue Theatre – Vancouver, BC 11/27/2026 Midway Music Hall – Edmonton, AB 11/28/2026 Macewan Hall – Calgary, AB 11/30/2026 Burton Cummings Theater – Winnipeg, MB 12/02/2026 Bourbon – Lincoln, NE w/ GWAR, Mac Sabbath, X-Cops: 12/03/2026 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI 12/04/2026 Crofoot – Pontiac, MI 12/05/2026 House of Blues – Cleveland, OH 12/06/2026 Roxian Theatre McKees – Rocks, PA 12/08/2026 9:30 Club – Washington, DC 12/09/2026 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 12/10/2026 Palladium Times Square – New York, NY 12/11/2026 The Fillmore Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA 12/12/2026 The NorVa – Norfolk, VA ** MIDNIGHT headlining date
Following hot on the heels of their previous singles “Fire Me Up” and “Best Things,” and their critically acclaimed debut album Hold On Tight, UK Southern-rock four-piece Wood Burnt Red are pleased to announce their new single “Count My Blessings” (radio edit) released on Wednesday October 14th.
The single is available on all streaming platforms HERE. Watch the lyric video HERE.
The album features eleven tracks written by the band and produced by Tyler Spicer. The CD and vinyl edition of the album is available HERE.
The digital edition of the album is available HERE.
Wood Burnt Red are busy touring the new album over the six months. They are special guests on Parker Barrow’s UK Tour(November 25 – December 4). The band play Planet Rock’sWinter’s End Festival on Thursday January 28. They ‘ve just been confirmed as special guests on Danielle Nicole’s UK Tour(February 17–21). Tickets for all shows are available from www.woodburntred.com/tour.
“Count My Blessings is about the battle with addiction,” says Wood Burnt Red’s lead singer and guitarist, Tom Frankin. “Addition is a constant battle even after the habit is kicked. The urges don’t just go away, hence the saying once an addict, always an addict. It’s a constant fight. It’s about the feeling of Right, I’ve stopped it now, so why don’t I feel better? why am I not fixed? Why don’t I feel normal” and trying to find that reason to feel whole again.”
“Addiction is often seen as the devil’s work, as though you have sold your soul. Getting clean can therefore feel like a second chance, and some people thank God for it. Whether the addiction involves alcohol, drugs or gambling, the urges do not simply disappear. You have to find healthier ways to cope.”
Hold On Tight is the debut album Wood Burnt Red were born to make — a thunderous, heartfelt statement from a band hitting full stride. Rooted in country, fuelled by rock and roll, and forged from real-life stories that hit hard because they are true, it delivers eleven tracks of unfiltered emotion, huge hooks, and raw Southern-rock fire from one of the UK’s most exciting new bands.
They did not set out to make something safe or polished; they set out to make something honest, loud, and alive — and that honesty is what makes Hold On Tight hit with such force. From roof-raising anthems built for crowds to roar back every word, to bruised, intimate moments that stop you in your tracks, the album charges through love, loss, resilience, survival, and the turning points that define us. It is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders: explosive when it needs to be, vulnerable when it has to be, and unmistakably Wood Burnt Red from the first ringing guitar chord to the final note.
ALBUM TRACK LISTING 1. Best Things (3:11) 2. Fire Me Up (3:30) 3. Count My Blessings (4:24) 4. Bartender (3:09) 5. Drifting (3:17) 6. One Chance (3:07) 7. Every Road (3:13) 8. Time’s A Healer (2:49) 9. Simple Place (3:52) 10. To The Moon (3:33) 11. Where You Are Now (3:39)
PRODUCTION CREDITS Writers: Wood Burnt Red & Tyler Spicer Producer: Tyler Spicer Mixed By: Todd Peterson Mastered By: Sam Moses
BAND LINE-UP Tom Franklin – Lead Vocals & Guitar Rob Graney – Lead Guitar Russ Staples – Bass Guitar Ed Baldwin – Drums
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3 THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER 2026 Tickets:thegigcartel.com Manchester University Students Union, Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9PR www.manchesteracademy.net
Wood Burnt Red are a UK-based four-piece blazing a trail with an electrifying fusion of southern rock grit, country soul, and arena-ready swagger. Lifelong friends turned bandmates, they channel decades of brotherhood into songs packed with raw emotion, big-hearted hooks, and real-life stories of love, loss, resilience, and the defining moments that shape us.
Fusing rock swagger with country storytelling, their sound is bold and unmistakable: searing guitar riffs, powerful harmonies, and lyrics that cut straight to the core. Their on-stage chemistry is undeniable, forged through decades of friendship and shared history, creating performances that feel as authentic as they are explosive.
With more than half a million Apple Music streams and a coveted spot on Apple’s “Today’s Country” playlist, Wood Burnt Red is building serious momentum. With their debut album Hold On Tight set for release in September 2026, they are ready to deliver everything from whiskey-soaked ballads to foot-stomping anthems made for roaring crowds — songs that resonate as deeply as they energise and uplift your spirits.
Praised by Planet Rock’s Elles Bailey as “the UK’s answer to Brothers Osborne,” Wood Burnt Red are carving out a distinctive place in the Southern Rock and Modern Country Rock music scene — and they are only just getting started.
[Photo Credit: Tim Tronckoe / Collage: Nina Mathijsen]
Dutch artist CHARLOTTE WESSELS and her band, now dubbed The Obsession, will release their second full-length, full-band studio album, Mute Swan Empire, on February 5, 2027, via Napalm Records. It’s a character-driven concept album in which each of its 15 tracks inhabits an archetype that emerges at the end of the Anthropocene, exploring how different people respond to climate breakdown, social injustice, and the collapse of familiar futures.
Through these different characters, the former DELAIN vocalist forms a fractured portrait of humanity, revealing the many ways we confront collapse – with denial, rage, faith, withdrawal, hope, vengeance, and everything in between – all woven into a sonic multiverse that defies genre-categorization.
The album arrives just in time for CHARLOTTE WESSELS’ first-ever headlining tour across Europe and the UK, kicking off on February 4, 2027, in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, one day prior to the album release.
CHARLOTTE WESSELS about the album: “I didn’t set out to write a concept record from the start, but somewhere along the way, I began to realise that all the latest songs I’d written were connected. Each of them seemed to embody a different response to the world we’re living in: denial, complicity, withdrawal, blind obedience, selective empathy, but also hope and connection, and so on. I started to recognise these recurring themes and archetypes, and eventually realised they were all part of a much bigger story. I found myself wanting to follow this thread as far as it would take me, exploring the concept through the music first, and eventually through the artwork and imagery too. That discovery became the foundation for Mute Swan Empire. What fascinates me is how easy it is to recognise these responses in others, and how much harder it can be to recognise them in ourselves. I didn’t want an album that simply points fingers or offers easy answers. I wanted to explore the contradictions, the uncomfortable grey areas, and the possibility that we can change. Musically, the same freedom to follow wherever a song leads has resulted in a record that moves between some of the heaviest music we’ve made and moments of vulnerability. Despite how varied the record is, I think we’ve never sounded more together like a band. Everyone brings something distinct to the music, and I’m really proud of what happens when all those elements come together.“
The title Mute Swan Empire draws on the myth of the swan song: the belief that a swan sings its most beautiful song just before death. Throughout history, individuals, cultures, and civilizations have had their own swan songs – final moments of beauty, meaning, or grandeur before fading away. On Mute Swan Empire, CHARLOTTE WESSELS asks: What if we don’t get one? What if we’ve pushed ourselves so close to ecological and social collapse that we’ve lost, or no longer deserve, that final act of grace? Will the swan remain silent?
Musically, the album continues the exploration of the space between heavy music and alternative influences, bringing together intricate arrangements, expansive atmospheres, powerful vocal performances and the band at its strongest. The musicians she first brought together for The Obsession have since taken on its name, growing into a close-knit live band through the past years of touring. That shared experience, combined with a more intensive production process with Joost van den Broek, and Timo Somers on top of his game joining in on the arrangements, has helped the band’s collective identity takes centre stage, giving the album a more cohesive sound, without sacrificing its dynamic range, moving between powerful, hard-hitting passages and moments of striking intimacy.
Mute Swan Empiretracklisting:
Incubus
In Leta Via
Tempest
After Us The Flood
Good Girl (If You’re Ready To Die)
The Hermit Song
Emergency Kit
One Day They Will Come For You
Weeping Madonna
This Is Not An Opinion
The Villain
Let The Music Decide
Incantations
Starling
Bells Of Lynn
Mute Swan Empire is driven not only by the current state of the world but also by human responses to it and by how deeply entrenched some people can become in those. In addition, Charlotte drew inspiration from books, poetry, film, and literature, and the record incorporates words by two medieval mystics, Hildegard von Bingen (“In Leta Via”) and Julian of Norwich (“The Hermit Song”), as well as text from the Dutch “Denk Vooruit” campaign on “Emergency Kit.”“One Day They Will Come For You” is inspired by Martin Niemöller’s post-war confessional prose piece “First They Came For The Communists,” while “Bells Of Lynn” was inspired by and incorporates fragments of the poem of the same name by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Charlotte’s work on Mute Swan Empire had already begun before she finished her previous record, The Obsession (2024). Since 2020, she has released a new song every month through her Patreon page, and her favorite tracks eventually make it onto her public albums. The earliest song to appear on Mute Swan Empire in a rearranged form is “Incantations,” which was originally released on Patreon in March 2024. Compared to CHARLOTTE WESSELS’ previous release, Mute Swan Empire features a more band-focused sound. The album was produced by Charlotte and Joost van den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities, where it was also mixed. In addition to Charlotte and The Obsession, the album also features Elianne Anemaat on cello on several tracks, as well as orchestral and additional keyboard arrangements by Vikram Shankar.
Mute Swan Empire is a work of art that serves as both a wake-up call and a dreamlike experience. With her truly unique artistic vision, CHARLOTTE WESSELS has created the most remarkable music of her career to date, proving why she deserves to be recognized as one of the most outstanding artists in today’s heavier music scene!
CHARLOTTE WESSELS’ The Obsession Live 2026/27
In February 2027, CHARLOTTE WESSELS will take The Obsession on their very first headline tour, spanning major cities across Europe and the United Kingdom, with Melissa Bonny, vocalist of modern metal outfit AD INFINITUM, joining as support. The tour will kick off on February 4, 2027, in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, and conclude on February 27, 2027, in CHARLOTTE WESSELS’ hometown of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Before that, CHARLOTTE WESSELS and The Obsession will head to Brazil and Argentina in December.
The full list of dates can be found below. Be sure to grab your tickets and VIP upgrades quickly at https://charlottewessels.nl/tour/
12.12.26 BR – Sao Paulo / Liberation Festival 15.12.26 AR – Buenos Aires / El Teatrito
Mute Swan Empire Tour 2027 Support: Melissa Bonny (except Essen) 04.02.27 BE – Sint-Niklaas / Casino 05.02.27 UK – London / Islington Assembly Hall 06.02.27 UK – Glasgow / Slay 07.02.27 UK – Manchester / Club Academy 09.02.27 FR – Paris / La Machine Du Moulin Rouge 10.02.27 CH – Zurich / Papiersaal 12.02.27 IT – Milan / Legend Club 13.02.27 DE – Munich / Backstage Halle 14.02.27 CZ – Zlín / Masters of Rock Cafe 15.02.27 AT – Vienna / Szene Wien 17.02.27 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra 18.02.27 PL – Krakow / Hype Park 19.02.27 DE – Leipzig / Werk 2 20.02.27 DE – Hamburg / Gruenspan 21.02.27 DK – Copenhagen / Pumpehuset 23.02.27 DE – Berlin / Lido 25.02.27 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal 26.02.27 DE – Essen / Weststadthalle 27.02.27 NL – Utrecht / TivoliVredenburg Ronda
CHARLOTTE WESSELS’ The Obsession is: Charlotte Wessels – Vocals, Keys Timo Somers – Guitars, backing vocals* Joey Marin de Boer – Drums Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije – Bass guitar* Nina Van Beelen – Keys, backing vocals *Note: on Mute Swan Empire, Bass guitar was performed by Timo Somers
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
