MESHUGGAH Announce Exclusive Signing & Limited-Edition Transformers Collaboration at San Diego Comic-Con

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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MESHUGGAH members Tomas Haake and Mårten Hagström will make a special appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, signing for fans at the Reigning Phoenix Music/Stern Pinball booth, #4029, on Friday, July 24, at 3:30 p.m.

The appearance will coincide with the unveiling of a limited-edition MESHUGGAH x Hasbro’s Transformers T-shirt, created to celebrate four decades of The Transformers: The Movie and three decades of MESHUGGAH’s seminal album Destroy Erase Improve.

The collaboration draws inspiration from the transformation of Megatron in the 1986 animated film. After being destroyed in battle by Optimus Prime, Megatron is betrayed by Starscream and cast into space, before being rebuilt by Unicron as Galvatron, a narrative progression that mirrors the title Destroy Erase Improve.

“Big machinery. Massive destruction. Reconfiguration. A pretty accurate analogy to our sound, is it not?” says Mårten Hagström.

The limited-edition design brings together two influential forces in music and pop culture, connecting the mechanical destruction and transformation of the Transformers universe with the precision, power and constant evolution of MESHUGGAH’s sound. The artwork was done by renowned Transformers and G.I.JOE artist, Ken Christiansen. (@ken_christiansen_art ) Ken has spent over a decade shaping the Transformers franchise’s visual identity for Hasbro and Activision, from Generations toy packaging and Covenant of Primus lore art to Transformers video game concept art and IDW comic covers.

Ken comments, “Two of my favorite things are Transformers and metal music, when the chance came up to combine the two, how could I pass that up?  And to do it for a killer band like MESHUGGAH, can’t get much better.”

Reigning Phoenix Music will also celebrate the band’s anniversary remastered reissues of Destroy Erase Improve and Catch Thirtythree with San Diego Comic-Con-exclusive splatter vinyl variants of both releases.

Fans attending the signing will have the opportunity to meet Tomas Haake and Mårten Hagström and explore the exclusive merchandise and vinyl offerings available at the booth.

Event Details:

MESHUGGAH Signing
Friday, July 24
3:30 p.m.
Reigning Phoenix Music/Stern Pinball Booth
Booth #4029
San Diego Comic-Con

Quantities of the collaborative T-shirt and exclusive vinyl variants will be limited and available while supplies last.

About MESHUGGAH:

Formed in Umeå, Sweden in 1987, MESHUGGAH have spent more than three decades redefining the outer limits of heavy music. Known for their groundbreaking use of complex polyrhythms, down-tuned guitars, dissonant atmospheres, and surgically precise execution, the band has become one of the most influential forces in extreme and progressive metal.

Across their catalog, MESHUGGAH have continually pushed their sound forward, from the technical thrash foundations of their earliest work to the genre-altering breakthroughs of Destroy Erase Improve, Chaosphere, Nothing, Catch Thirtythree, obZen, and beyond. Their music has had a profound impact on modern metal, inspiring generations of artists and helping shape the rhythmic vocabulary later associated with the djent movement, while remaining unmistakably singular in vision and execution.

Rather than following trends, MESHUGGAH have built an entire language of their own: mechanical yet human, cerebral yet crushing, and as hypnotic as it is devastating. With a reputation for uncompromising innovation and formidable live performances, MESHUGGAH continue to stand as one of the most original, challenging, and revered bands in heavy music.

Connect with MESHUGGAH:

THE DAMN TRUTH Release Stunning Live Version of ‘Be Somebody’ from Upcoming Deluxe Edition Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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Photo Credit: Sergio Albert

Following the success of their critically acclaimed, JUNO Award-nominated self-titled album and ahead of the worldwide release of The Damn Truth (Deluxe Edition)on 11 September 2026, Canadian rock powerhouse The Damn Truth continue the exciting campaign with the release of “Be Somebody (Live at Hotel2Tango)” on Monday, 20 July 2026, accompanied by an intimate live performance video recorded at Montreal’s legendary Hotel2Tango studio.

The live track is included as a bonus track on The Damn Truth (Deluxe Edition). Originally opening the band’s acclaimed Bob Rock-produced self-titled album, “Be Somebody” has become one of the defining moments of The Damn Truth’s live show. After more than a year of performing the song night after night across Canada, the UK, Europe and the United States, the band returned to Montreal’s legendary Hotel2Tango studio to record a new live version that captures how the track has evolved on the road.

Rather than simply recreating the original recording, the band teamed up with Charlie Agadjanian, Jordan Forlini and Zach Manni-Mirolla to capture the raw energy, chemistry and emotion that have made “Be Somebody” such a standout moment in their live set.
Inspired by classic tarot card imagery, the accompanying artwork reflects the song’s themes of identity, self-belief and embracing individuality.

Says the band –

Be Somebody was written about the duality that comes with that teenage lust of wanting to fit in yet remain true to your individuality.

We’ve carried this song with us from stage to stage over the past year, letting it grow and transform a little more every night. There’s something beautiful about how a song keeps revealing itself when it’s shared with people night after night.

Teaming up with Charlie Agadjanian, Jordan Forlini and Zach Manni-Mirolla at the legendary Hotel2Tango to re-record “Be Somebody” felt incredibly special. Breathing new life into this song and celebrating how music continues to evolve long after it’s written.

Originally released in 2025 and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Bob Rock, The Damn Truth marked a defining moment in the band’s career, blending timeless rock and roll, blues-infused swagger and fearless songwriting.

The release of “Be Somebody (Live at Hotel2Tango)” offers fans a fresh perspective on one of the band’s most loved songs, celebrating the way music continues to grow and evolve through live performance.

As The Damn Truth prepares for another packed year of touring, the band will continue touring across the UK, Europe and Canada, including special guest appearances on Europe’s The Final Countdown – 40th Anniversary Tour, alongside festival appearances and headline shows.

THE DAMN TRUTH – 2026 TOUR DATES

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: WWW.THEDAMNTRUTH.COM

AUGUST 2026

07 Aug – Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant, QC, Canada
08 Aug – FESTIMUSIK, Stanstead, QC, Canada
22 Aug – Lost & Sound Festival, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, ON, Canada
28 Aug – The Live Rooms, Chester, UK
29 Aug – Stonedead Festival, Newark, UK
30 Aug – Nightrain, Bradford, UK

SEPTEMBER 2026

01 Sep – The Globe, Cardiff, UK
02 Sep – Cavern, Exeter, UK
03 Sep – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes, UK
04 Sep – Bear Cave, Bournemouth, UK
06 Sep – The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool, UK

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS: THE DAMN TRUTH

 30 September – Glasgow, SEC Armadillo, UK
2 October – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall, UK
3 October – London, Eventim Apollo, UK
5 October – Arnhem, Musis Sacrum, Netherlands
6 October – Paris, L’Olympia, France
8 October – Barcelona, Poble Espanyol, Spain
9 October – Bilbao, Arena Miribilla, Spain
10 October – Madrid, La Cubierta, Spain
12 October – Lausanne, Salle Métropole, Switzerland
13 October – Zurich, Volkshaus, Switzerland
14 October – Milan, Alcatraz, Italy
16 October – Stuttgart, Liederhalle, Germany
17 October – Vienna, Gasometer, Austria
19 October – Berlin, Admiralspalast, Germany
20 October – Warsaw, COS Torwar, Poland
22 October – Frederiksberg, Falconer Salen, Denmark
23 October – Gothenburg, Sweden
24 October – Stockholm, Sweden
26 October – Oslo, Sentrum Scene, Norway

More information: Website | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | X | TikTok | YouTube

ZEROKING Return with New Single ‘Falling To Pieces’, Ft. Chris ‘OJ’ Ojeda

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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The bane of West Virginia, ZEROKING, has pumped out the first single from upcoming album, Love, Hate & Other Drugs, in the form of a collaboration with Byzantine frontman, Chris “OJ” Ojeda as they tackle the Faith No More classic, “Falling to Pieces.”

ZEROKING singer, Andy Haught explains why they did their own take on the song with OJ in tow, “We have a history of recording covers both for fun and hopefully to put a little bit of our own spin on them. While I was doing some vocals in a studio here in Charleston, Byzantine were about to enter the same studio to begin recording their latest album ‘Harbingers’ for Metal Blade. One day OJ dropped by and I played him the covers we were working on. He seemed to really dig our version of “Falling to Pieces” and we discussed the idea. We really think he knocked it out of the park and it set a high bar for the rest of the song to match up to. To collaborate with a fellow WV artist who represents our state and scene globally and that we have a long history with and respect for, I think that’s something pretty special.”

Staying true to the original version of the song for the most part, Haught goes on to explain “ Obviously when FNM came out with “The Real Thing” back in ’89 , it was a gamechanger and we wanted to stay pretty true to the original vibe , however we did experiment it a bit to make it a little more “us”. For example we had several attempts at getting the keyboard line that is signature to the intro building into the verses, until our guitarist Shane Day discovered a way to play it on guitar that sounded right and felt like a fresh take. I think we struck a good balance in making it sound like a Zeroking song while maintaining reverence for the classic tune that it is.”

“Falling to Pieces” has been serviced to radio and came out of the box swinging, landing at #4 on both the NACC Top Heavy Adds and on the Metal Contraband Top Metal Adds Chart, sitting alongside luminaries such as Judas Priest.

“That was a really a surprise and we are so thankful to the DJ’s that connected with the track so early,” remarks Haught. “We’re excited for everyone to hear our collab cover and to be releasing new music again. I can’t wait to unleash Love, Hate and Other Drugs as it contains nine brand new and – we think – some of the best songs we’ve ever written.”

Love, Hate & Other Drugs will be released during the fourth quarter of 2026 through via Weapon Records.

Falling to Pieces can be streamed and purchased at this location

ZEROKING ONLINE:

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COLDRAIN Release Video for New Track ‘Ex-Humanity’ + Announce Upcoming Album “Optimize = Optdemise”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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Artwork by OLI

Alt-metal quintet coldrain (Nagoya, Japan) make their global return with their long awaited eighth full-length album “OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE”, set for release on September 25th, 2026, via Century Media Records. The album announcement is paired with the release of their new single “EX-HUMANITY,” which marks the sixth track unveiled from the upcoming album and the band’s first new song since the release of the “OPTIMIZE” EP on October 24th, 2025. The EP includes the band’s prior single releases “INCOMPLETE”, “CHASING SHADOWS”, and “FREE FALL”, all of which will also be featured on the forthcoming album.

PRE-SAVE/BUY THE NEW ALBUM HERE: https://coldrainband.lnk.to/OPTIMIZEOPTDEMISENE

Stream the single: https://coldrainband.lnk.to/EX-HUMANITY-SingleNE

Singer Masato shares about the upcoming album: ”EX-HUMANITY is a song built on contrast. Musically, it’s energetic, powerful and alive. Lyrically, it’s intentionally simple, static and full of despair. That contrast reflects the tension between what it means to be human and what we could become if we lose the things that make us who we are. Is this song a cry for hope or a requiem for humanity. My hope is it will not be the latter.”

coldrain LIVE

coldrain announced their “OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE JAPAN TOUR” last month, which will be happening from October to December 2026. Additionally, the band has been confirmed as one of the support acts for Electric Callboy’s “TANZNEID WORLD TOUR” tour in Australia for September 2026, alongside Ice Nine Kills. The band will also play at various festivals across Japan this summer.

All dates and further info here: https://coldrain.jp/blogs/live

“TANZNEID WORLD TOUR” w/ Electric Callboy & Ice Nine Killls –
04.09.2026 – Australia, Perth: RAC Arena
06.09.2026 – Australia, Adelaide: Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena
08.09.2026 – Australia, Melbourne: Rod Laver Arena
10.09.2026 – Australia, Sydney: Qudos Bank Arena
12.09.2026 – Australia, Brisbane: Riverstage

OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE JAPAN TOUR 2026 –
06.10.2026 – Japan, Kawasaki: CLUB CITTA’
10.10.2026 – Japan, Hiroshima: BLUE LIVE HIROSHIMA
17.10.2026 – Japan, Fukuoka: UNITED LAB
21.10.2026 – Japan, Sapporo: PENNY LANE24
22.10.2026 – Japan, Sapporo: PENNY LANE24
01.11.2026 – Japan, Kanazawa: EIGHT HALL
03.11.2026 – Japan, Niigata: NIIGATA LOTS
29.11.2026 – Japan, Sendai: SENDAI GIGS
01.12.2026 – Japan, Osaka: NAMBA HATCH
02.12.2026 – Japan, Nagoya: COMTEC PORTBASE
09.12.2026 – Japan, Tokyo: TOYOSU PIT

CABAL Announce Co-Headline Tour with EMPLOYED TO SERVE

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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Copenhagen’s darkest metal collective Cabal have announced a massive co-headline run across the UK and Europe with British bruisers Employed To Serve this winter.

Known for their crushing blend of colossal deathcore, blackened atmosphere, and uncompromisingly heavy riffs, Denmark’s most visceral metal export will tear up our stages across November and December.

Dates are listed below and tickets are on-sale now via: https://cabalcult.com/shows

Cabal stated:
“Everything rots, and so does Europe and UK when we hit road for our co-headline tour with Employed To Serve in November and December, with support from our Danish friends in Cold Culture.”

CABAL + EMPLOYED TO SERVE 2026
Support: Cold Culture

06.11 – Patterns, Brighton UK
07.11 – Damnation Fest, Manchester UK *
08.11 – University SU, Newcastle UK
09.11 – Classic Grand, Glasgow UK
10.11 – Beta, Nottingham UK
11.11 – Thekla, Bristol UK
12.11 – The Junction, Plymouth UK
13.11 – The Underworld, London UK
14.11 – Bibelot, Dordrecht NL
15.11 – Hall of Fame, Tilburg NL
17.11 – Ratinger Hof, Düsseldorf DE
18.11 – Bei Chez Heinz, Hannover DE
19.11 – Sputnik Café, Muenster DE
20.11 – Monkeys, Hamburg DE
21.11 – Loppen, Copenhagen DK
22.11 – Kollektivet Livet, Stockholm SE
24.11 – John Dee, Oslo NOR
25.11 – Monument, Gothenburg SE
27.11 – Badehaus Berlin, Berlin DE
28.11 – Groovestation, Dresden DE
29.11 – Viper Room, Vienna AT
30.11 – Feierwerk, Munich DE
01.12 – Sunset, Martigny CH
03.12 – Trix Club, Antwerp BE
04.12 – Backstage By The Mill, Paris FR
05.12 – O Totem, Lyon FR

*Cabal only

Cabal‘s latest studio album, Everything Rots, was released last year. A relentless 35-minute descent into decay, the record blends deathcore riffs with industrial textures, giving the album a unique sonic identity that is encapsulated perfectly by the focus track ‘Snake Tongues‘. 

ABOUT CABAL:

Cabal have proved themselves through the years as one of the heaviest and most uncompromising metal acts around. The band’s sound is visceral and destructive, and aims to bring forth absolute chaos by drawing inspiration from everything from crushing death metal, contemporary metallic hardcore and metalcore to unnerving soundscapes and dark electronic music.

Since the release of  their first album in 2018 the band have toured most of the planet, from Europe and North America, to Japan and Australia, as well as renowned festivals such as Roskilde Festival, Copenhell, Summer Slaughter, Brutal Assault and many more, and they have no intention of slowing down. All of the above combined with features from some of the modern metal scenes most prominent names like; Matt Heafy from Trivium, Jamie Hails from Polaris and Joe Bad from Fit For An Autopsy, the band has shown the world that Denmark has something to offer when it comes to bone crushing heaviness.

APOCÆLYPSE Announce Debut Album “Fænix” + Unleash Explosive New Video Single ‘Black Box’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 21, 2026
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Following the breakout success of their debut single “INTELL-I-GENTS,” metal powerhouse APOCÆLYPSE returns with “BLACK BOX,” an emotionally charged new single that arrives alongside the announcement of the band’s highly anticipated debut album, FÆNIX, due August 28.

Founded by acclaimed guitarist Ira Black (Vio-Lence, Lizzy Borden, Metal Church), APOCÆLYPSE made an immediate impact with “INTELL-I-GENTS.” The song’s cinematic music video has garnered more than 1.4 million views while the single debuted on Billboard’s Radio Chart, introducing the band’s unique blend of crushing modern metal, cinematic storytelling, and thought-provoking songwriting to audiences worldwide.

Accompanying the release of “BLACK BOX” is a gripping new music video directed by Black and co-directed by Vincente Cordero (Industrialism Films), bringing the song’s deeply personal themes to life through striking cinematic visuals.

If “INTELL-I-GENTS” looked outward at humanity’s increasingly uneasy relationship with artificial intelligence, “BLACK BOX” turns inward, offering APOCÆLYPSE’s most vulnerable and personal statement yet. Driven by soaring melodies, crushing riffs, and unflinching honesty, the song explores survival, healing, and the courage required to confront one’s past.

Regarding the new single, Black explains:

“‘Black Box’ is the most personal song I’ve ever written. It’s a journey into my own mind—the Black Box. Like the device recovered from a plane crash, it holds the evidence of everything that went wrong, but also the key to understanding how I survived. Inside are the scars of a broken upbringing, addiction, loss, and decades spent chasing a dream that often felt impossible. For most of my life, I kept that box sealed shut. This song is about opening it. It’s about confronting the pain, owning the wreckage, and finding strength in the truth. ‘Black Box’ is my story of survival—a testament to the fact that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can still rise, heal, and find your way home.”

“BLACK BOX” was produced by Black, executive produced by Andy Fetyko, mixed by Kane Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH) and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (SEPULTURA, FAITH NO MORE, LIMP BIZKIT). Along with founding frontman and guitarist Black, APOCÆLYPSE’s lineup includes his son Ira Black IV on guitar, Matt Snell on bass and Lonny Pasillas on drums.

Stream “BLACK BOX“: https://vyd.co/ApocaelypseBlackBox

Set for release on August 28, FÆNIX marks the arrival of a fearless new voice in modern metal. Blending veteran musicianship with a forward-thinking creative vision, the album explores both personal and societal struggles through a collection of songs that balance crushing heaviness with cinematic scope and emotional depth. True to its title, FÆNIX is ultimately a story of resilience, transformation, and rising from adversity.

With anticipation continuing to build following the breakout success of “INTELL-I-GENTS,” “BLACK BOX” offers another compelling glimpse into FÆNIX, setting the stage for one of modern metal’s most anticipated debut albums when it arrives on August 28.

“INTELL-I-GENTS” MUSIC VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmuct_tKPgg

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