Grammy-nominated doom pioneers CANDLEMASS have unveiled the title track of their upcoming EP, Black Star, out May 9, 2025 via Napalm Records! The EP impressively marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary band.
“Black Star” seamlessly merges haunting melodies with deeply introspective lyrics, brought to life by the inimitable voice of Johan Längqvist. Written by genre-defying mastermind Leif Edling, it delves into themes of existential struggle, temptation, and the allure of darkness – an intense atmosphere imbued with CANDLEMASS’ signature sound. The single arrives with a dark, atmospheric music video. Place your pre-orders on the new EP now and check out the video below!
CANDLEMASS comments: “‘Black Star‘ is the big heavy track. Contains a bit of everything, Melodic verse, monolithic riff, up-tempo Sabbathy mid part, grand ending a ‘la Rainbow!.”
Swedish godfathers of epic doom CANDLEMASS honor their 40th anniversary of pioneering the genre with a four-track EP, Black Star. Packed with canyon-deep riffs, the genre-defying band unveils two brand-new songs alongside two cover versions of timeless classics.
Following the title track, the second original song, “Corridors Of Chaos”, marks a true old school instrumental containing both classic metal riffing and stunning guitar playing by Lars Johansson, showcasing the band’s mastery of dynamics. Adding to this tribute, CANDLEMASS delivers a cover of Black Sabbath’s iconic “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, taking listeners back to 1973. This is followed by their rendition of Pentagram’s classic “Forever My Queen”, further cementing CANDLEMASS’ remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.
Black Star tracklist: 1. Black Star 2. Corridors Of Chaos 3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 4. Forever My Queen
CANDLEMASS Live 2025 20.-21.06.25 DE – Daun Rengen / Der Detze Rockt 25.06.25 NO – Oslo / Tons of Rock 04.07.25 TR – Istanbul / Headbangers Weekend 20.07.25 IT – Cremona / Luppolo In Rock Festival 30.07.-02.08.25 NO – Bergen / Beyond the Gates Festival 08.-09.08.25 FI – Helsinki / Helsinki Metal Festival 08.-10.08.25 BE – Kortrijk / Alcatraz 12.-13.09.25 GR – Athens / Rock Hard Festival 01.11.25 SE – Stockholm / Berns 06.12.25 UK – Wolverhampton / Bloodstock Winter Gathering
CANDLEMASS are: Johan Länquist – Vocals Lars Johansson – Lead Guitar Mappe Björkman – Rhythm Guitar Leif Edling – Bass Janne Lind – Drums
Fretless guitar visionary Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger is known for his work in Obscura’s Akróasis era, his live work with Defeated Sanity, Belphegor and many others. Now, he’s spearheading his very own project: Changeling.
Together with core band members Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress), Arran McSporran (Virvum, Vipassi) & Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy), Changeling stands at the forefront of a new era for progressive death metal. Following the release of their debut album’s first two singles – the impossibly heavy “Abyss” and the blistering psychadelic melodies of “Falling in Circles” – today, they’re releasing its reality-warping, seven-minute epic of a title track.
Changeling is out April 25th via Season of Mist.Pre-order & Pre-save here.
Can’t wait for Changeling? Listen to the debut album two weeks before it comes out. Join the Bandcamp Listening Party and chat with Tom Fountainhead while listening to all 10 transformative tracks.
Changeling Bandcamp Listening Party – RSVP Thursday, April 10 @ 1 pm Eastern Time
The title track serves as the turning point in Changeling‘s psychedelic narrative. Inspired by Lovecraftian horror, existential philosophy, and the bizarre hallucinations of a consciousness torn apart, its progressive structure mirrors the chaotic beauty of the lyrics, pulling you into an unsettling yet mesmerizing new dimension through the use of microtonal synthesizers, ritualistic vocals, oriental percussion and a full choir.
“Void and vengeance shall beget A child from below A changeling of clandestine soul Comes usurping the holiest of hearts And no one shall know”
Morean sings as an intricate-but-catchy fusion of progressive death metal, avant-garde jazz, and world music weave into a surreal and immersive tapestry. The dissonant harmonies distort reality, producing an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
“This song came from a few musical themes that I had written on the oud“, Geldschläger explains. “From those few humble notes, it turned into quite the monster – a monster where I think everybody in the core band shines equally. At that point in the album’s story, we’re beginning to take the frame-work of tech/prog death metal into uncharted territory, so it seemed appropriate to give this song a unique, winding structure where a shorter pumping mid-tempo banger is book-ended by intensely psychedelic blast-beat driven parts that are building towards a quasi-black metal frenzy at the end. It also has some of my favorite Morean lyrics of all time. Not only does he paint a vivid picture of a strange, unfamiliar dimension through his signature wordplay. He also quite literally takes us there in the song’s mid-section breakdown, were we envisioned a strange jungle ritual evoking some dark cosmic entity, somewhere between Lovecraft and Peter Jackson’s King Kong.
And, as usual, the man took it to another level by adding a multitude of eery, slithering voices, which make the song feel almost like it’s breathing. Oh, and this piece also has some of my favorite RIFFS (in capital letters) that I’ve ever written, as well as some quite extreme guitar shenanigans that I called ‘layers of cosmic horror’ during production. Get out your best headphones for this one!”
The visualizer for Changelingwas created by Martin Matiasovic aka Shaped in Dreams (@martinmatiasovic)
Changelingblends progressive metal, death metal, jazz-fusion, world music and complex orchestration into an hour-long submersion into the subconscious. Players from around the world can follow Tom Fountainhead’s lead with a new series of Changeling transcription books. Tom wrote the approx. 500 page guitar transcription book himself, while core bandmate Arran McSporran transcribed the 75 page edition for bass.
Both the guitar and bass transcription books will come out alongside the album on April 25th. The massive complete transcription book – which includes guitar, bass, drums (transcribed by Fenix Gayed), orchestral arrangements, vocals, lyrics and detailed liner notes from Tom – will come out on May 23rd, the same day as the Dolby Atmos mix of Changeling.
Each transcription book will be available both as a physical book and digitally through Guitar Pro or as a PDF. All physical copies will be personally signed and include a free download of the digital version.
Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.
Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.
In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project Changelingshowcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.
The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.
Core Lineup: Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements. Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums. Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) – Fretless bass. Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.
Guest Musicians: Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba Chris Rützel – Flutes Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello Shiho Murano – Tuba Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn Tillmann Schulz – Wagnerian tube & horn Ava Bonam – Female vocals Moran Magal – Piano Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer, Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones Kristian Petkov – Bassoon Stefan Prost – Church organ Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet Arnfried Falk – Oboe Rouven Haliti – Upright bass Dalai Cellai – Cello
Production Credits: Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead. Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ. Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.
Swedish power metal masters Insania are pleased to announce the release of their new studio album “The Great Apocalypse”, out on June 13th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
The first single and accompanying visualizer video, “Revolution”, are available now, giving the audience a taste of the upcoming record.
About the new album, the band commented: “The Great Apocalypse picks up just where Insania V left us, and many of the songs are touching the subject of mankind being destructive and never learning from our previous mistakes. In fact, every song on this album is a little bit darker than the songs on Insania V, so sit back, raise the volume on your device, and let yourself flow into the darkness of our world going under with an incredible and beautiful sound of The Great Apocalypse”.
Talking about the first single, they added: “Revolution is a story about a world that is becoming more and more like a mental institution. Imagine the world’s leaders embedding their desire to keep the power into fancy words about trying to make society equal and just for all people serving it. At the same time, they take away their rights, making it look like the people are voting for them to do it – wouldn’t that be just pure evil? Well – the people have had enough! So now it’s time for the world leaders to feel the fear and listen to the sound of Revolution!”
Four years after the successful “V”, the Swedes are back with their own recipe of power metal, full of speedy, double-bass drums, great hooks, and amazing solos. The band’s current line-up consists of Mikko Korsbäck (drums), Erik Arkö (bass), Niklas Dahlin (guitars), Ola Halén (vocals and guitars).
The first version of Insania was formed in 1992 by drum player Mikko Korsbäck and guitar player Henrik Juhano. Bass player Tomas Stolt was added to the line-up shortly after, and a few other musicians were also part of the band for short periods of time.
The band initially started off playing covers of their favorite bands such as Helloween and Iron Maiden, but eventually Mikko’s classmate Niklas Dahlin joined as a second guitar player and they started writing their own tunes. The band then added keyboard player Patrik Västilä and began to pursue a more melodic style. Mikko took it upon himself to sing, even if he was playing the drums at the same time, as the band had not found a vocalist to match their ambitions.
In 1997, the band approached singer David Henriksson to join the band. The union between the band’s ambitions and David’s vocals was a match made in heaven. The band felt complete and sought to find a way to reach a bigger crowd.
Later, the band was offered a deal with House Of Kicks (later known as MNW and then Sound Pollution) and their debut album “World Of Ice” was released in 1999. The band would go on to release three more albums over the course of the coming years, while enduring some line-up changes and eventually going on hiatus in 2007.
Following the signing with Frontiers to release “V”, Insania started to bring their power metal attack again back to the metalheads around the globe, revitalized with the addition of the singer extraordinaire Ola Halén.
“The Great Apocalypse” Tracklist:
1. The Trinity 2. Indestructible 3. No One’s Hero 4. Afterlife 5. Revolution 6. The Prophesier 7. Fire From Above 8. Underneath The Eye 9. The Great Apocalypse (When Hell Is All Around)
Line Up: Ola Halén – Vocals and Guitars Niklas Dahlin – Guitars Erik Arkö – Bass Mikko Korsbäck – Drums
Ghosts of Sunset are back with their latest single, ‘She’s Been Coming Around‘, set for release on April 11 via Golden Robot Records. Available to pre-save now, this electrifying track dives deep into the dangerous moment in a relationship when one partner is left without attention – vulnerable to the allure of an outsider. The internal struggle begins: “I don’t know how long I can hold out.”
With raw emotion and compelling storytelling, ‘She’s Been Coming Around‘ captures the essence of temptation and loneliness, tapping into the universal experience of being left in the shadows. The band’s signature blend of melody-driven rock and heartfelt lyricism makes this an anthem for anyone who’s ever faced the pull of something – or someone – new.
A special treat for keen-eared listeners: the guitar solo in ‘She’s Been Coming Around’ features a melody reminiscent of one of Ghosts of Sunset’s favorite songs by Butch Walker’s band Marvelous 3. A happy accident or a subtle nod to inspiration? Fans can decide for themselves.
Ghosts of Sunset continue to cement their place in the rock scene, combining classic influences with a fresh and modern edge. Don’t miss ‘She’s Been Coming Around‘ – pre-save it now and get ready for its official drop on April 11!
DERAPS release “Setting Sun”, the second single from the forthcoming studio album “Viva Rock N’Roll” out on May 23rd on Metalville Records.
“Setting Sun” is an epic song that brings back the style and sound of the 80s. With its dominant guitars and perfect vocal harmonies, ‘Setting Sun’ is a refreshing journey back to the days of real, handmade rock n’ roll. The lyrics are a reflection on grief and mortality and a promise to meet again in brighter days.
DERAPS’s sophomore album “Viva Rock N’ Roll” is a trip back to the greatest years of Classic Rock music.
The album features a nostalgic but unique sound & vibe, with dominant guitar riffs & solos, angelic vocal harmonies, deep & emotional, as well as fun lyrics, catchy musical hooks and choruses, and a variety of songs & styles that will keep you excited from beginning to end. With its raw feel & mix, DERAPS bring back authenticity, liveness & groove to Rock N’ Roll, topped with a fully hand drawn cover artwork that delivers a powerful message.
A breath of fresh air in the Rock genre, and in today’s music.
TRACK LISTING
Viva Rock N’ Roll
Animal Eyes
The Legend of Larrikin Laddie
Equinox
Last Fall
Solitaire
Setting Sun
Born to Die
Blindside
The Dawg Stomp
Black Sheep Boogie
LINE UP Jacob Deraps – vocals, guitars, bass Josh Gallagher – drums, vocals
W.A.S.P. announce the release of the lyric video for Paint It Black, taken from the digital release of Bonus Tracks & B-Sides from the W.A.S.P. The 7 Savage boxset.
BraveWords, Sleaze Roxx, Metal Insider and The Metal Voice all picked the W.A.S.P. Album ONE Alive tour as one of the best tours in 2024. W.A.S.P. are bringing the Album ONE Alive tour to South America, Europe and the UK in 2025. Dates and tickets are available at WASPnation.com/tour
Bonus Tracks and B-sides
Animal (F**k Like A Beast) [03:07]
Show No Mercy [03:48]
Paint It Black [03:28]
Savage [03:33]
Mississippi Queen [03:22]
Flesh And Fire [04:38]
D.B. Blues [03:25]
Locomotive Breath [03:00]
For Whom The Bell Tolls [03:48]
Lake Of Fools. [05:33]
War Cry [05:33]
When The Levee Breaks [07:06]
Phantoms In The Mirror [04:36]
The Eulogy [04:16]
The Story Of Jonathan (Prologue To The Crimson Idol) [16:35]
Headline Shows Performing Album ONE Alive
04/25 Lima, Peru – CC Festiva 04/27 Bogota, Colombia – Royal Center 04/29 Montevideo, Uruguay – Montevideo Music Box 04/30 Buenos Aire, Argentina – Teatro Flores – SOLD OUT 05/02 Santiago, Chile – Cúpula Multiespacio 05/04 São Paulo, Brazil – Bangers Open Air Festival – Performing Greatest Hits
06/07 Berlin, GERMANY – Astra – LOW TICKETS 06/10 Vaureal, FRANCE – Le Forum – SOLD OUT 06/11 Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS – Effenaar 06/12 Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG – Rockhal 06/13 Wiesbaden, GERMANY – Schlachthof 07/11 Belgrade, SERBIA – Hangar Luka Beograd – LOW TICKETS 07/16 Milan, ITALY – Live Club 07/20 Norwich, ENGLAND – UEA 07/22 Dublin, IRELAND – National Stadium 07/23 Belfast, N. IRELAND – Telegraph Building 07/25 Glasgow, SCOTLAND – Academy 07/27 Nottingham, ENGLAND – Rock City – LOW TICKETS 07/29 Riddes, SWITZERLAND – Salle de l’Abeille – SOLD OUT 07/30 Zurich, SWITZERLAND – Komplex 08/03 Munich, GERMANY – Backstage – SOLD OUT 08/04 Stuttgart, GERMANY – Longhorn – LOW TICKETS 09/26 Newcastle, ENGLAND – Newcastle O2 City Hall * 09/27 Manchester, ENGLAND – O2 Victoria Warehouse * 09/28 London, ENGLAND – Hammersmith * 10/01 Hamburg, GERMANY – Docks 10/03 Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC – Lucerna 10/06 Copenhagen, DENMARK – Amager Bio 10/07 Oslo, NORWAY – Rockefeller – SOLD OUT 10/08 Lund, SWEDEN – Mejeriet – LOW TICKETS 10/09 Oslo, NORWAY – Rockefeller 10/10 Gothenburg, SWEDEN – Filmstudion 10/11 Örebro, SWEDEN – Conventum Kongress 10/12 Stockholm, SWEDEN – Fållan 10/14 Falun, SWEDEN – Heymakers – SOLD OUT 10/15 Östersund, SWEDEN – Folkets Hus 10/17 Oulu, FINLAND – Tullisali 10/18 Helsinki, FINLAND – House Of Culture – SOLD OUT 10/19 Tampere, FINLAND – Tavara-asema – SOLD OUT 10/21 Tallinn, ESTONIA – Helitehas 10/25 Zilina, SLOVAKIA – Event House *Support Act – Armored Saint
Festival Shows Performing Greatest Hits 06/06 Mystic Festival – POLAND 06/08 Rock Hard Festival – GERMANY 06/14 Into The Grave – NETHERLANDS 07/10 Area 53 Festival – AUSTRIA 07/12 Midalidare Open Air – BULGARIA 07/14 Rockwave Festival – GREECE 07/18 Sun And Thunder Festival – SPAIN 07/26 Steelhouse Festival – WALES 08/01 Skogsröjet Festival – SWEDEN 08/02 Wacken Open Air – GERMANY – SOLD OUT 08/06 Leyendas del Rock Festival- SPAIN 08/08 Alcatraz Festival – BELGIUM
About W.A.S.P. Few Bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll have ever incited the love, the hate, the raw emotional effect this Band has had on the world. From the very beginning, in the small venues of Los Angeles California, and later to the numerous countries worldwide that banned these Winged Assassins from performing live, the Band’s unique style of Shock and Rock caused Religious organizations, Local City Councils, Parliaments, and the Washington D.C. Senate to hold hearings in an effort to bar this group from selling records and trashing stages everywhere they played.
The band’s founding member, frontman Blackie Lawless, has led the group as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold out shows across the globe for 4 decades.
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 )