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RAM Present New Video/Single ‘Abattoir’ from Forthcoming Full-Length Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: RAM. Leave a comment

“Abattoir” is the latest single from Swedish heavy metal stalwarts RAM. The track comes by way of the band’s impending new full-length (and first in nearly seven years), Against, set for release on October 9th through Metal Blade Records.

Comments vocalist Oscar Carlquist, “‘Abattoir’ is pure speed metal. To me it sounds like a mixture of Bonded By Blood-era Exodus and Accept. A super aggressive song. The lyrics deal with the fact that when push comes to shove the guillotines will be built again.”

Watch RAM‘s previously released video for “Ghost Emperor” HERE and “Night Blade” HERE

While RAM‘s previously released The Throne Within full-length was defined by its spiritual and metaphysical themes, Against takes a more grounded approach, focusing on the experience of being pushed beyond reasonable limits and refusing to comply. The album captures that moment of resistance, “that fire of defiance, which ultimately defines its title and message,” as the band collectively states.

Musically, guitarists Harry Granroth and Martin Jonsson continue to favor bridge pickups, maintaining a sharp and aggressive tone. The equipment used on Against reflects a classic approach, contributing to a sound that feels both timeless and direct. Sonically, Against was conceived as a return to classic recording philosophies. Drawing inspiration from the early works of Dio, MSG, and Sweet, the goal was to create an honest and unpolished sound. In a music landscape increasingly divided into countless subgenres, the band positions itself deliberately outside of categorization.

Writes Metal Hammer in part in an advance review of the record, “The Gothenburg-based outfit continues to craft stunningly beautiful, traditional anthems… It is a mystery why RAM aren’t already playing on bigger stages. Anyone with a heart for honestly forged heavy metal who hasn’t yet checked out this band really ought to do so immediately. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

Rock Hard echoes the sentiment, “It offers everything one could want from classic heavy metal: catchy, high-energy hooks, driving twin-guitar harmonies, defiant lyrics, and-of course-riffs, riffs, riffs. What’s more, Against is anything but monotonous: there are songs for an adventurous highway drive, tracks for rocking out and letting loose, and-in the ballad-like ‘Leavin'”-something that speaks to the heart. Held together by Johan Reiven’s organic production, this is heavy metal through and through.”

In a 9/10 review, Powermetal.de lauds what is “arguably the best RAM album since Svbversvm,” adding, “Anyone into real heavy metal won’t want to miss this record.”

Ultimately, Against stands as a statement of intent, a reaffirmation of identity and purpose. Or, as they put it themselves: “Fear the return of the Heavy Metal Tyranny!“

Find pre-orders at: metalblade.com/ram

Against Track Listing:
01. Obsession
02. Ghost Emperor
03. One Vs. All
04. Abattoir
05. Out of Control
06. Leaving
07. Against
08. Night Blade
09. Rising Again
10. 1984
11. The Final Hour

In related news, after 17 years as the bassist for RAM, Tobias “Tobbe” Petterson has decided to step down from the band. Petterson has been a pivotal part of both RAM‘s recordings and live shows and his steadfast bass playing and ferocious stage presence will be missed. The band comments, “Petterson will always remain a part of the RAM family and we part as brothers, still united by the power of heavy metal. But the heavy metal tyranny must proceed, new horizons await and these will be shared with our new bass player Desekrator of Voodus and Stormdeath fame. Desekrator has been close to the band for decades and through being a die hard fan he is already well versed with the true spirit of RAM. This combined with his bass skills makes him the perfect replacement for Tobbe. Onward Upon The Black Path!“

Petterson will perform his final show with RAM on October 9th in Gothenburg, the band’s record release show.

RAM Live:
9/12/09/2026 Candelabrum Metalfest – León, MX
10/09/2026 Skjulet – Gothenburg, SE *Record Release Show w/ Portrait
12/04/2026 Spectrum – Murcia, ES
12/05/2026 Peter Rock – Valencia, ES
12/06/2026 Upload – Barcelona, ES
12/07/2026 Urban – Vitoria, ES
3/12-13/2027 Heavy Metal Thunder Fest – Pisek, CZ
4/08/2027 Don’t Panic – Essen, DE
5/20-22/2027 Iron Fest – Ohmbachsee, DE

“After all these years, RAM still perfectly embodies what real metal must be; passionate, Luciferian, antagonistic, and musically overpowering. Oscar’s vocals are some of the best in the genre; fearless and full of intent. A heavy metal soundtrack for the twilight of the world.” – Erik Danielsson, Watain

“Just when you thought it was safe to be dead, RAM resurrects you only to kill you again. I have loved this band since the very start, and Against contains some of their strongest material to date, in terms of both lyrics and music. This is thinking man’s metal of the highest order!” – Christian Lindell, Portrait

“There’s only one band in Sweden making classic heavy metal without it sounding like a pastiche or tribute act to the old days. Oscar is Sweden’s best and most charismatic singer and frontman. Why isn’t this one of the leading bands in the genre? Probably because they are completely uncompromising and refuse to bend the knee or kiss the asses required to reach the biggest stages. Against is every bit as good as everything else they’ve done. Elite!” – Sebastian Ramstedt, Necrophobic/Nifelheim

“After seven years, RAM are finally back with another anthem-fueled album. While remaining true to their roots, they are opening their sound and manage to show a few new angles to their classic heavy metal. Can’t wait to bang my head to ‘Night Blade’ at a show of one of the best live bands of our times!” – S. Castevet, Vulture

“Pure heavy metal, raw and unfiltered. Just my cup of tea!” – Niklas Stålvind, Wolf

RAM:
Oscar Carlquist – vocals
Morgan Pettersson – drums
Harry Granroth – guitar
Martin Jonsson – guitar
Tobias Petterson – bass

https://ram-metal.com
https://www.facebook.com/RAMheavymetal
https://www.instagram.com/RAMheavymetal

ANCIENT SETTLERS Announce New Singer Mylena Monaco + Release Video for ‘Throught The Ruins’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: ANCIENT SETTLERS. Leave a comment

Ancient Settlers has released a video for the new stand alone single “Through The Ruins”.

“Through The Ruins” is the first Ancient Settlers song featuring the new singer Mylena Monaco, which joined the band earlier this year and already made her live debut at Female Fronted Violence Fest in Diest (Belgium).

Mylena Monaco is a Brazilian-Italian extreme metal vocalist based in Germany, active since 2010, with extensive international touring and studio experience across Europe and South America. She is best known as the founder and frontwoman of Sinaya, with whom she toured internationally and shared stages with major metal acts. Her work is marked by strong stage presence, vocal consistency, and adaptability across extreme metal subgenres.

Mylena has performed alongside and shared stages with bands such as Suffocation, Exodus, Amon Amarth, Abbath, Krisiun, Cavalera and Primal Fear, among others. She also performed at the first Brazilian edition of Summer Breeze Festival, and in 2024 appeared as a special guest at Angra’s concert in Lisbon, Portugal.

Ancient Settlers is currently working on the new studio album to be released in 2027 by Scarlet Records.

Ancient Settlers live 2026:
03.10 Figueira da Foz (PT), DRAC Associação Cultural
04.10 Faro (PT), Faro Alternativo Festival
09.10 Bilbao (ES), Groove
12.11 Barberaz (FR), Brinc de Linc
13.11 Frejus (FR), Monster’s Art

“Through The Ruins” captures Ancient Settlers at their most honest, human, and defiant. Rooted in the realities of underground music – the endless miles, cold nights in vans, borrowed equipment, empty rooms, fading promises, and uncertain roads –, the song transforms years of struggle into a powerful statement of resilience.

Musically, the track combines the intensity of modern melodic death metal with dark guitar melodies, relentless rhythmic weight, dynamic vocals, and an anthemic chorus built to be shared with a live audience. Rather than romanticising life on the road, “Through The Ruins” exposes its sacrifices while celebrating the friendships, stages, and listeners that gave every difficult mile a purpose.

The song also marks the beginning of a new cycle for Ancient Settlers. It carries the scars of everything the band has endured, but channels them into something heavier, more direct, and emotionally exposed. Every setback becomes part of the structure they continue to build; every stage becomes a temporary home; and every night of silence is answered with something louder.

“Through The Ruins” is dedicated to everyone who has continued creating when success was uncertain to the musicians, promoters, venues, friends, and fans who keep the underground alive. It is not simply a song about surviving the collapse. It is about building again from what remains.

Ancient Settlers:
Mylena Monaco – vocals
Carlos Chiesa-Estomba – guitar
Agustín Martínez – guitar
Enric Juan – bass
Herman Riera – drums

WHIPLASH Unleash New Single ‘Bullet Train’ from Upcoming LP

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: WHIPLASH. Leave a comment

New Jersey thrash metal institution WHIPLASH have released “Bullet Train”, the first single taken from their forthcoming album “ROAR”, due out worldwide on November 27, 2026 via Time To Kill Records.

Driven by Tony Portaro’s unmistakable guitar work and vocals, the track offers a first taste of a record built around the direct, riff-heavy attack that has defined WHIPLASH throughout their four-decade career.

Streaming: https://ffm.to/whiplash-bullet-train

Tony Portaro comments:

“‘Bullet Train’ is our high-octane anthem for the speed freaks. It’s about that headlong rush of living life at 200 MPH; the addiction to speed, chaos and the constant chase that has always been part of the heavy metal lifestyle. ‘Time is racing like a speed machine, motor speedway in your brain’ really sums up what the song is about. It’s all horsepower and adrenaline: breakneck speed, faster than a jet stream. This is metal with no brakes.”

Recorded at Studio Mozart and Concrete Island Studio, produced by Tony Portaro and mixed by Jamie King Audio, the album delivers ten explosive tracks that capture the raw energy of the band’s live performances while reflecting Portaro‘s continued evolution as a songwriter and musician.

Songs such as “Sonic Asylum”, “Bullet Train” and “Who Stole My Whiskey” hit with full-force precision: this is thrash crafted for the mosh pit, not the algorithm. “ROAR” offers exactly what one should expect from WHIPLASH: real metal built around riffs, songs and attitude, with no interest in unnecessary embellishment or whatever fashionable nonsense happens to be circulating outside the pit.

The album was initially made available in a strictly limited form during WHIPLASH‘s European “Campaign for Musical Destruction Tour” with Napalm Death. A small number of CD promos were distributed independently during the tour under the original title “THRASHQUAKE”.

The album now receives its official worldwide release through Time To Kill Records, with a new title, brand-new artwork by legendary illustrator Ed Repka, and a global campaign befitting its status.

Tony Portaro comments:

“THRASHQUAKE was the original title, and we made a limited number of copies available independently while we were touring earlier this year. As things developed and we started looking at the bigger picture for the worldwide release, ROAR just felt like a stronger title and a better representation of the album as a whole.

Partnering with Time To Kill Records gives us the opportunity to take this record far beyond that initial tour release and give it the international campaign and worldwide distribution it deserves. With the new title, the new Ed Repka artwork and TTK behind the official release, ROAR represents the definitive version of this album and the beginning of its real worldwide campaign.”

For Time To Kill Records, bringing WHIPLASH into the fold is a genuine pleasure: few bands embody the idea of uncompromising underground metal quite like Portaro‘s long-running institution.

Tracklist:

1. Thrashquake
2. Bullet Train
3. Can’t Take Back a Bullet
4. Sword Meet Skull
5. Who Stole My Whiskey
6. When the Deadman Calls
7. Red Tape Riot
8. Mother’s Kill Club
9. Sonic Asylum
10. Graveyard of Good and Evil

Current touring lineup:
Tony Portaro | vocals, guitar
William Winton | bass
Mitch Hull | drums

Preorders:
https://timetokillrecords.com/collections/whiplash
https://officialwhiplash.bandcamp.com/album/roar

Formed in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1984, WHIPLASH quickly established themselves as one of the defining forces of the 1980s East Coast thrash metal scene. Led by guitarist and vocalist Tony Portaro, their combination of melodic speed metal, vicious riffs and raw energy produced the cult classic “Power and Pain” (1985), released through Roadrunner’s Road Racer imprint.

Followed by “Ticket to Mayhem” (1987) and “Insult to Injury” (1989), the band’s early records helped establish a distinctive identity within a New York scene dominated by punk and hardcore. After further releases, lineup changes and a period of inactivity, WHIPLASH returned with “Thrashback” (1998) before a long hiatus.

The band re-emerged with “Unborn Again” in 2009, reconnecting with both old-school devotees and a new generation of thrash fans. Through every incarnation, Tony Portaro has remained the band’s constant driving force, preserving the power-trio spirit at the heart of WHIPLASH.

In 2026, that uncompromising approach continues with “ROAR”, the band’s eighth studio album and their new worldwide release through Time To Kill Records.

Thrash ’til death.

https://www.instagram.com/whiplash_thrash/
https://www.facebook.com/WhiplashThrash/
https://www.officialwhiplash.com/

STEFANIA SISTU Releases New Single & Lyric Video ‘Illusion’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: STEFANIA SISTU. Leave a comment

STEFANIA SISTU releases her new single “Illusion” via Volcano Records, accompanied by the official lyric video.

Intense and deeply personal, the song explores the emotional aftermath of injustice, betrayal and disappointment — the kind of wounds that can shake our trust in others and, in moments of greater vulnerability, profoundly affect the way we experience relationships. “Illusion” comes from the need to move through that pain and turn it into a new awareness. Rather than shutting the world out, the song ultimately points toward the importance of putting your own well-being first, learning to rely on your own strength and gradually freeing yourself from the weight of other people’s judgment. Musically, the single moves between rock and metal, creating a powerful and emotionally charged atmosphere that mirrors the introspective nature of the lyrics. The music was written by Daniele Pireddu, musician and composer whose artistic partnership with Stefania Sistu has played a central role in shaping this new project.

A professional singer, songwriter and vocal coach with years of experience in the music industry, Stefania Sistu opens a new chapter in her artistic journey with a project in which rock and metal become a vehicle for exploring emotion, vulnerability and the search for renewed inner strength. The official lyric video for “Illusion” accompanies the release by bringing the song’s words to the forefront and offering a direct way into the emotional core of its story.

Watch the official lyric video for “Illusion”:

Also watch the earlier singles:
“Surbile”: https://youtu.be/bBpDx-RmbxU
“Passengers of a Timeless Place”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hF1H6uSYQE

Further info at
www.volcanopromotion.com
www.facebook.com/stefania.sistu

KING BUFFALO Announce New Album “Doomsayer” for December 4th, First Single ‘The Slick and the Dead’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: KING BUFFALO. Leave a comment

Rochester, New York-based trio King Buffalo will issue their seventh full-length, Doomsayer, on December 4th, 2026, as a self-release in North America and through Stickman Records in Europe. Preorders will be available on September 25th via http://kingbuffalo.bigcartel.com and https://www.stickman-records.com. King Buffalo will be touring in support of Doomsayer this fall and winter across North America and in Europe in March of 2027. Find all upcoming dates listed below!

It’s been an unusually quiet few years for King Buffalo as far as records go, but the heavy psychedelic band have been anything but still. After releasing what has become known as their “pandemic trilogy” of records concluding with 2022’s landmark Regenerator, the trio toured heavily internationally in between building their own recording studio. With that work finished last year, the group set to jamming and recording, collecting a group of ideas that would culminate in their much-awaited new album, the upcoming Doomsayer.

King Buffalo have long since created their own standout sound in the psychedelic rock scene, which they have been honing since their inception. Now with the creation of their own recording studio, the band’s exploration and development is evident both on a creative as well as production level.

A first single, “The Slick and the Dead”, is now premiering below:

Doomsayer finds King Buffalo self-recording at a crossroads, reveling in the process with poise and clarity in defiance of turbulent times in songs like “The Slick and the Dead”, and a defined sense of who they are that bleeds through the entirety. They’re still reaching into the unknown sound-wise, still growing, still evolving, but where they’re coming from has changed, and the experience they’ve had on the road is relevant across the album, both in the poise of the material and the confidence of their delivery. They continue to explore, and to find new ground as a result, but they do so in a place they’ve made for themselves, with a maturity they’ve earned one stage at a time. Their own sound.

“Doomsayer originated in early 2026,” says guitarist and vocalist Sean Roa, “out of many hours of jam sessions in our new studio space, playing around and seeing where it took us. We didn’t really have an end goal in mind of what we were going for. We were simply exploring ideas and seeing what ended up speaking to us the most. So much has happened, both as a band and in our personal lives since our last record, that ended up becoming the inspiration to many of the lyrics on Doomsayer. I think as a result, this is some of our most upfront, direct and riff-driven work to date. We are incredibly proud of it, and can’t wait for it to get out into the world.”

“Doomsayer finds that which is most essential in King Buffalo’s sound and pushes it to the forefront, whether that’s Roa’s expansive tone, vocal melodies and growing role as producer/engineer, Reynolds’ warm low end groove or the character in Donaldson’s fills and flows, in songs that capture the dynamic chemistry between the three of them at its most vibrant, breathtaking and viscerally heavy.” – JJ Koczan

Doomsayer Tracklist:
1. Battling The Mystagogues
2. The Slick and the Dead
3. Vagabond
4. Hell or High Water
5. Into the Foundry
6. Ether on the Dark Side
7. Doomsayer

North American Tour 2026
29.10.26 Boulder (US), Fox Theatre
30.10.26 Denver (US), Bluebird Theatre
31.10.26 Salt Lake City (US), Urban Lounge
02.11.26 Portland (US), Aladdin Theatre
03.11.26 Vancouver (CA), The Pearl
04.11.26 Seattle (US), Neumos
06.11.26 San Francisco (US), The Independent
07.11.26 Los Angeles (US), Lodge Room
09.11.26 Solana Beach (US), Belly Up
10.11.26 Phoenix (US), Crescent Ballroom
11.11.26 Albuquerque (US), Sister
13.11.26 Dallas (US), AM/FM
14.11.26 Austin (US), Mohawk
17.11.26 Houston (US), Bad Astronaut
19.11.26 Nashville (US), Basement East
20.11.26 Asheville (US), The Grey Eagle
21.11.26 Cincinnati (US), Woodward Theatre
03.12.26 Detroit (US), El Club
04.12.26 Chicago (US), Thalia Hall
05.12.26 Cleveland (US), The Roxy
08.12.26 Toronto (CA), The Mod Club
09.12.26 Montreal (CA), Theatre Fairmount
10.12.26 Boston (US), Brighton Music Hall
11.12.26 New York (US), Le Poisson Rouge
12.12.26 Philadelphia (US), Underground Arts
15.12.26 Richmond (US), The Broadberry
16.12.26 Durham (US), Motorco
17.12.26 Washington (US), Black Cat
18.12.26 Columbus (US), Skully’s

European Tour 2027
with special guests SPIRIT MOTHER
02.03.27 Hamburg (DE), Grunspan
03.03.27 Antwerp (BE), Trix
04.03.27 Haarlem (NL), Patronaat
06.03.27 London (UK), Scala
07.03.27 Manchester (UK), Gorilla
09.03.27 Bristol (UK), Electric Bristol
11.03.27 Paris (FR), Petit Bain
12.03.27 Essen (DE), Zeche Carl
13.03.27 Cologne (DE), Kantine
14.03.27 Stuttgart (DE), Wizeman
15.03.27 Munich (DE), Backstage Halle
17.03.27 Berlin (DE), Festsaal
19.03.27 Copenhagen (DK), Pumpehuset
20.03.27 Gothenburg (SE), Monument
21.03.27 Oslo (NO), John Dee
21.03.27 Stockholm (SE), Debaser Nova
22.03 – Stockholm, SE Debaser Nova

Tickets:https://kingbuffalo.com/tour

King Buffalo is:
Sean Roa – Guitar, Synth & Vocals
Dan Reynolds – Bass & Synth
Scott Donaldson – Drums & Percussion

Connect with King Buffalo:
http://kingbuffalo.com
http://kingbuffalo.bigcartel.com
For Socials: @kingbuffaloband

Brazilian OPHIOLATRY Return with New Live Video for ‘Jesus Complex’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: OPHIOLATRY. Leave a comment

Brazilian extreme metal force Ophiolatry returns with a new live video for “Jesus Complex,” bringing the disturbing visual world of their 2025 album Serpent’s Verdict from the screen to the stage. Filmed at the Franco do Rock Festival in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo, the performance captures the band’s intense live presence while incorporating the masks and theatrical imagery created for the song’s original music video. Combining aggressive extreme metal with dark, cinematic storytelling, Ophiolatry transforms “Jesus Complex” into a fully immersive live experience, one that blurs the line between performance, narrative, and ritual.

Band shared: “We wanted to take the concept we created for the original video and bring it into the live environment. The masks were specially made for the video, so bringing them onto the stage felt like taking that world and making it real in front of the audience. For us, Ophiolatry has always been about more than just the music. We want to create an experience where the sound, the visuals and the atmosphere become one. ‘Jesus Complex’ gave us the opportunity to turn something that started as a story on a screen into something physical, disturbing and alive.”

More than a conventional live recording, the new clip transforms the visual universe created for the original “Jesus Complex” music video into a fully immersive stage experience. The performance brings together Ophiolatry’s aggressive sound, theatrical elements, dark imagery, and carefully designed stage atmosphere to recreate the unsettling world surrounding the song.

Originally released as the opening track of Ophiolatry’s 2025 album Serpent’s Verdict, “Jesus Complex” explores themes of imposed identity, conformity, manipulation, and the loss of individuality. The original music video developed these ideas through a disturbing visual narrative in which characters exist in a world where everyone wears the same sad Jesus mask, until the protagonist discovers that he, too, has become part of that reality.

The masks were specially created for the original production, and their return to the stage became a natural continuation of the story.

The original “Jesus Complex” music video was also recognized with a Badge of Honor by the Berlin Music Video Awards 2026, marking an important achievement for the band’s visual work and its commitment to combining extreme metal with cinematic storytelling.