ORTHODOX have unleashed their latest single “Keep Your Blessings”, a gripping preview of their new album A Door Left Open, arriving June 6 via Century Media. Directed by Errick Easterday, the video brings drummer Mike White’s haunting vision to life, expanding on a concept of loss, memory, and the fear of what time takes from us.
The track showcases ORTHODOX at their most refined and punishing, with guitarist Austin Evans, new member Ben Touchberry, bassist Shiloh Krebs, and White delivering chaotic power beneath Adam Easterling’s fierce, emotionally raw vocals. With guests like Brann Dailor (Mastodon), Matt McDougal (Boundaries), and Andrew Neufeld (Comeback Kid), the band’s fourth record elevates their blend of hardcore and metal to a new level of devastation.
ORTHODOX will kick off their headlining U.S. tour June 21 in Nashville, joined by Year of the Knife, Inclination, Mugshot, Omerta, and fromjoy.
Today Sweden’s Orbit Culture is commencing a new beginning with “The Tales of War.” The band comments:
“’The Tales Of War’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for Orbit Culture. It captures everything that defines Orbit Culture — the cinematic elements, the build-up, the verses, and the chorus. From the beginning, we knew this had to be the first song to introduce this new era.”
After supporting Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine earlier this year, the band is gearing up for European summer festivals and supporting In Flames on selected shows:
6 June 25 (SE) Norje – Sweden Rock Festival 15 June 25 (UK) Donington – Download Festival 17 June 25 (FR) Toulouse – w/ In Flames 18 June 25 (FR) Lyon – w/ In Flames 19 June 25 (BE) Dessel – Graspop Metal Meeting 20 June 25 (DE) Leipzig – w/ In Flames 26 June 25 (NO) Oslo – Tons Of Rock 28 June 25 (FIN) Helsinki – Tuska 13 October 25 (J) Loud Park Japan
Of Mice & Men have returned with a new single, “Another Miracle,” their first since 2023’s Tether and signing to Century Media Records. The self-produced anthem explores themes of desperation, hope, and the pursuit of peace amidst chaos.
Aaron Pauley says, “Life is hard. Everyone knows what it’s like to wish for a miracle during hopeless times. That’s what ‘Another Miracle’ is about.”
The video for “Another Miracle” was shot by Mike Matsui. Alan Ashby says, “Working with Mike was awesome. We got to do a bit of acting and play our instruments. It felt like a big budget Hollywood movie!”
Of Mice & Men are touring the U.S. and will tour Europe and the UK from November 27 to December 14. Tickets go on sale May 14 at 10 AM CET / 9 AM UK.
About Of Mice & Men Since 2010, Of Mice & Men have built a global fanbase through powerful live shows and acclaimed albums. The band’s lineup includes Aaron Pauley, Phil Manansala, Alan Ashby, and Tino Arteaga.
The fearlessly hypnotic third album from MÜTTERLEIN – the vehement and shadowed project of Marion Leclercq (ex-OVERMARS) – is now officially released. The seven compositions form a compelling reconstruction: a cry, a lament, and a promise of resilience against collective suffering.
Listen to the album on DMP’s YT channel, via Bandcamp and all relevant streaming platforms!
Taking the layered electronics, cavernous sound-design and magnetic rhythms of 2021’s “Bring Down the Flags” to a logical conclusion, “Amidst the Flames…” is anchored by an abrasive and darkly cinematic Industrial aesthetic – contrasting brutality and catharsis in a flickering, spellbinding and unsettling trip into hyper-conscious rage.
Artist Marion said this about the new album and its relation to predecessor “Bring Down The Flags“:
“Amidst the Flames…” is connected to “Bring Down the Flags“, but not as a direct continuation – rather, as the next phase of the journey. If “Bring Down the Flags” was about grief and transformation, this album confronts what remains: the rawness of survival, the weight of memory, and the search for meaning amidst destruction. Fire is central to this record, both as a force of devastation and renewal. Where the last album was a descent into mourning, this one stands within the fire, facing its heat, questioning whether to be consumed or to forge something from the ashes. Both albums deal with transformation, but from different angles. If “Bring Down the Flags” was about letting go, “Amidst the Flames…” is about what we do with what’s left – how we endure, and whether anything can truly rise from ruin.“
The album has received high praise from fans and press alike:
“This is a new masterpiece – radical, dark, cathartic, and monumental.” (Verdammnis)
“Hallucinatory and harrowing throughout, the music crests and subsides, and crests again, within a frightening and freezing other-realm.” (No Clean Singing)
“If you’re looking to be consumed by raw and unfiltered emotions like rage and fear, then MÜTTERLEIN is the right place for you… although this Mother surely won’t lend you a shoulder to cry on!” (Rock Tribune)
“Amidst the Flames, May Our Organs Resound” is released on CD, vinyl (including an exclusive DMP vinyl variant) and digital. A special t-shirt design accompanies the launch. Orders are possible via DMP’s EU, US, and Bandcamp shops.
MÜTTERLEIN is the solo project of Marion Leclercq (ex-OVERMARS), composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist.
Adopted in 2014, this pseudonym is a nod to the nightmarish yet fragile work of NICO, who in many ways deconstructed the unbearable myth of ‘femininity’ imposed on us.
Musically, MÜTTERLEIN mixes Post-Punk savagery, Doom, Noise, Industrial and Black Metal to create a vast universe of Post-Metal experimentation.
First album, “Orphans Of The Black Sun” – released in 2016 on Sundust Records, a label co-run by Vindsval from BLUT AUS NORD – leaned towards the Post-Punk and Doom registers using minimalist, cold instrumentation to create a record organic and ritualistic as a witch-dance around a fire.
In 2020, MÜTTERLEIN responded to an invitation by the artist LIMBES (ex-BLURR THROWER) to create a mirror piece to his epic 25 minute track entitled “Vérité” (French for Truth) for a split release issued in 2021 by LADLO. The free format allowed MÜTTERLEIN to experiment even further, constructing a slow, desolate dreamscape of doom-laden Dark Ambient.
“Bring Down The Flags“, MÜTTERLEIN‘s second album, was released in late 2021 by Debemur Morti Productions. Dark, haunting and immediate, the album incorporated more electronic sounds and blackened Industrial atmospheres to serve a more direct subject and voice.
After a couple of years performing both solo and alongside TREHA SEKTORI following the release of “Bring Down The Flags“, Marion helped forge a new entity, EITRIN, in collaboration with Dehn Sora (THROANE, TREHA SEKTORI) and Vindsval (BLUT AUS NORD). The alliance was conceived to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Debemur Morti Productions, with an instinctive and impassioned self-titled debut album released in December 2023. As a crowning moment, both MÜTTERLEIN and EITRIN graced the stage at the label’s own Servants of Chaos festival in October 2024.
In early 2025, MÜTTERLEIN unveiled plans for a third album, “Amidst the Flames, May Our Organs Resound“, a work that delves into the profound scars left by oppression throughout history. Anchored by an abrasive and darkly cinematic industrial soundscape, “Amidst the Flames…” was released on May 9th.
In 1980, the East Coast of the United States was immersed in the cultural vortex of punk, disco, stoner, new wave and heavy metal. Frustrated by an identity crisis in the suburbs and fueled by the new wave of British heavy metal, a small group of young people unknowingly created a more extreme and aggressive music, thrash metal. One of these pioneers was Lee Kundrat, aka Rat Skates
As new addition to its expanded list of programs, THE PIT VOD platform presents ‘Rat Skates – Born in the Basement’ : a documentary, told by Overkill’s founding drummer Rat Skates, and exploring the birth of the band and the thrash scene. Fueled by frustration and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a group of energetic youths unknowingly created one of the most extreme sounds in music history.
Rat Skates: The Visionary Behind Overkill and the Rise of Thrash Metal
Rat Skates, drummer and founding member of Overkill, launched the band in 1980. With relentless drive and a bold DIY ethic, he helped propel the New Jersey group from garage rehearsals to international stages.
A one-man creative force, Skates designed the band’s logo, merch, stage setup, and even edited their demo tapes—all by hand. When resources were scarce, he used sheer ingenuity to fill the gaps.
Despite Overkill’s rising success, Skates left after just two albums, frustrated by an industry that didn’t seem to reward his effort. In hindsight, with the band still thriving and releasing their 20th album in 2023, his exit seems premature.
In his documentary Born in the Basement, Skates revisits Overkill’s origins and the birth of Thrash Metal through his own eyes.
The film avoids typical rock-doc drama and instead celebrates the camaraderie and passion that fueled their rise.
It’s a raw, inspiring look at the 1980s underground scene—and a must-watch for any musician or metal fan. Just like Skates himself, it’s all heart, hustle, and DIY spirit..
Italian melancholic dark metal band Shores Of Null is proud to unveil their first live album, “Beauty Over Europe,” now available as of May 9th, 2025, via Sulphur Music / Masked Dead Records.
To celebrate its release day, Shores of Null are sharing their new live video, “A Nature in Disguise”. The audio track was recorded live at Backstage in Munich, Germany. Footage is taken from the 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium, mainly at Barba Negra in Budapest by Péter Lerch.
“Beauty Over Europe” features 10 tracks recorded during the monumental 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium. Throughout that tour, Shores of Null performed 35 shows across 18 countries, including Norway, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Hungary, bringing their critically acclaimed album “The Loss Of Beauty” to the stage.
The live recordings, captured in Leipzig, Munich, Aschaffenburg, Budapest, and Belfast, preserve the raw and emotive energy of their performances. Each track reflects the band’s ability to blend melancholic melodies with crushing heaviness, offering fans a visceral live experience.
“Beauty Over Europe” is both a celebration of the tour and a gift to all fans of the band. Exactly two years after that unforgettable journey, this live albumoffers a chance to relive the emotional intensity and true essence of Shores Of Null’s live performances.
Reflecting on the experience, vocalist Davide Straccione and guitarist Gabriele Giacarri share their thoughts:
“This tour was an incredible journey, the longest in our career, and a true milestone for Shores Of Null. As the promotional tour for The Loss Of Beauty, our latest and most acclaimed album to date, it was an honor to bring these songs to life across 35 shows in 18 countries. Sharing the stage with monumental bands like Swallow The Sun and Draconian—huge inspirations for our music—was unforgettable. Despite the melancholy of their sound, they’re some of the most fun and genuine people we’ve met, and by the end of this epic journey, we were proud to call them friends.
We owe special thanks to our incredible crew—Petri, Matti, Mikko, and Tero—who ensured everything ran seamlessly and made this experience unforgettable. To pay homage to this extraordinary chapter, we decided to produce a live album. Recorded during key moments of the tour, it captures the essence of these unforgettable performances and is dedicated to all the people who supported us live and shared these magical moments with us.” – Gabriele Giaccari Davide Straccione adds:
“Our 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium was one of the most beautiful and intense experiences of my life. Night after night, we poured everything we had into our performances, connecting deeply with audiences across 18 countries. It was a journey that marked a pivotal moment in our career as a band as well, and one we’ll carry with us forever. This live album is our way of preserving and sharing that beauty, not only as a gift to those who joined us in the crowd, but also for those who couldn’t be there to witness it.”
Recommended for fans of Swallow The Sun, Borknagar, and Paradise Lost, “Beauty Over Europe” is available at the following links:
Setlist: 1. Transitory (Live intro) 2. Destination Woe (Live in Leipzig) 3. Nothing Left To Burn (Live in Leipzig) 4. Quiescent (Live in Munich) 5. The Last Flower (Live in Aschaffenburg) 6. Black Drapes For Tomorrow (Live in Budapest) 7. A Nature in Disguise (Live in Munich) 8. Darkness Won’t Take Me (Live in Belfast) 9. My Darkest Years (Live in Aschaffenburg) 10. Blazing Sunlight (Live Outro)
Live Recording: Matti Kynsijärvi Mixing and Mastering: Marco Mastrobuono at Bloom Recording Studios
Shores of Null will also perform upcoming tour dates, featuring a mix of festival appearances and indoor shows across Italy and the UK.
Shores of Null 2025 Tour Dates: 11.05 – IT Verona – Isola Rock (w/ Dark Lunacy) 15.06 – IT Lignano Sabbiadoro – Arena Alpe Adria (w/ In Flames, Lacuna Coil) 28.08 – UK London – The Black Heart (w/ The Crawling) 29.08 – UK Leeds – The Fenton (w/ The Crawling) 30.08 – UK Plymouth – One For Sorrow festival (w/ The Crawling and more) 31.08 – UK Bristol – The Gryphon (w/ The Crawling)
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 )