MANILA HEMP, the renown Italian alternative rock band, release today “Oblivion”, their new EP available on all digital platforms through Volcano Records & Promotion. Featuring six intense and inspired tracks, Oblivion is a psychedelic journey through rock, alternative, electronic, and post-grunge sounds, exploring themes of loss, rebirth, and the discovery of new inner dimensions.
“Time loses its color. It becomes oblique light, the sound of a world that breaks down. And you see new stars, unknown maps, dimensions without borders. Every loss is a passage and every passage is an oblivion, and a new beginning.” – Manila Hemp
Alongside the release of Oblivion, the band unveils the official video for Bright Door, a song that symbolizes the passage towards new awareness and a transformative experience. The video, now available on YouTube, brings to life the powerful and evocative imagery of the song’s inner journey. Oblivion marks a new chapter in Manila Hemp’s musical evolution, offering a mature and deeply emotional work that captivates listeners and transports them into a soundscape suspended between dream and reality.
Listen to Oblivion now on Spotify, Apple Music and all major digital platforms, and watch the ‘Bright Door’ video on YouTube:
DEADGUY return after 30 years with their sophomore LP “Near-Death Travel Services“.
After Deadguy pulled a Lazarus, the infamous metalcore pioneers reunited on stage to prove that a few decades of dust couldn’t keep them from tearing into audiences like old times. But there’s a big difference between playing the classics for nostalgic fans and risking your legacy with a new album. The band innately understood how heavy and deranged a follow-up would need to be – and that’s exactly what they delivered with their new LP, Near-Death Travel Services.
‘Near-Death Travel Services’ is set to be released on June 27, 2025 on LP/CD/CS/Digital.
First, a brief history of Deadguy: the New Jersey quartet of Crispy Corvino, Dave Rosenberg, Tim “Pops” Naumann and Tim Singer released an odd, sardonic, absolutely singular 7” called White Meat in 1994. That same year they enlisted guitar player Keith Huckins of groundbreaking NJ band Rorschach and unleashed a refined, even more vicious sound with their 7” Work Ethic. With only these six songs the band was already understood to be a menacing force in the emerging metalcore scene, both live and recorded, but it couldn’t have prepared anyone for what came next.
Their 1995 debut LP Fixation on a Coworker inspired a generation of bands and was inducted into Decibel’s Hall of Fame all the way back in 2006. Of course, something this destructive can’t last long. After an ill-fated tour of the U.S. the band fractured in half with Singer and Huckins off to Seattle to form Kiss it Goodbye while Dave, Pops and Crispy enlisted Jim Baglino and Tom Yak, released one more EP and called it a day, making their entire storied existence only three years long.
A 2021 documentary, Killing Music, led to the reconciliation and live shows, but there was more that needed to be done. Geographical hurdles, families and adult life are enough to stifle anyone’s creative output, but over the next few years the band was able to create something, according to drummer Dave Rosenberg, “out of sheer force of will.” Rosenberg led the charge, learning guitar and writing a mountain of riffs in that time. While he cites influences that range from King Crimson to Testament, Rosenberg admits that there is something that happens when these riffs reach the rest of the band. “What Crispy (Chris Corvino, guitar) has always said is that this is just what it sounds like when we play together.”
Even though the band’s high standards led to a culling that left them with only the best tracks, they decided to get the opinion of a former co-conspirator. Enter Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Incantation, The Cure), the man behind the board during Fixation. Evetts knows what Deadguy should sound like, and by asking him to produce this new one they felt confident he’d keep the band from softening up or veering too far from what makes them so distinct.
Recorded in fits and starts over a matter of months, 11 songs made the cut to be mixed, mastered and aimed indiscriminately at an unsuspecting public under the banner of Near-Death Travel Services. Members, at once skeptical, were finally able to take in the whole thing and had the same opinion after digesting their creation: “We made a fucking Deadguy record.”
And you’re goddamn right they did. From the first enraged scream that ignites “Kill Fee,” this is the kind of merciless chaos that’s been gone far too long. The record is overflowing with angular riffs, clashing guitars, fractured rhythms and gutter bass that no one does better, but with even more red meat and gristle. Instead of moving away from their sound they’ve dug in deeper, expanding their songs and giving Tim Singer more room to again show why he’s been one of the best vocalists in extreme music since the first Bush administration.
A young Singer ranted about the greed and cruelty that affected him and his friends, but now as a father sees this bleaker modern day testing his children. “The sky is falling/It’s landing on us,” he warns on “The Alarmist.” In “The Forever People” he demands you “Pick your gods/Pick your side/We’re selling tickets for the end of time.” And yet all of this still retains his darkly comic humor, the sense that he is screaming along with us at the absurdity in front of our eyes.
Near-Death Travel Services is an inside joke, the band reflecting on touring and playing this music when they’re ostensibly past their prime. But there are no signs of this being a swansong; no winding down, no taking it easy or resting on their laurels. The band Deadguy was 30 years ago went into hibernation and came back as if no time had passed. How did it happen? How were they able to pull it off? Maybe some egghead professor of musicology can figure that out, but for the rest of us it’s best to just gratefully sit back and enjoy the massacre.
Acclaimed British hard rock band, Wytch Hazel, will release its new album, ‘Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations‘, on July 4 via Bad Omen Records (Pøltergeist, Satan’s Satyrs). Recorded with longtime producer Ed Turner (The Ettes, Heavy Trash, Purson), ‘Lamentations‘ delivers uplifting, powerful hard rock rife with a Maidenesque jubilance that builds on the momentum of the band’s lush catalog, including the LPs ‘Prelude‘, ‘II: Sojourn‘, ‘III: Pentecost‘ and 2023’s ‘IV: Sacrament‘, a record hailed as “gloriously bright heavy metal” which landed at #15 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Albums in its first week of release.
Pre-order/pre-save ‘Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations‘ at this location.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel is a singular source of hard rock/heavy metal dominion. The quartet have continually underscored and bolstered a signature sound rooted in heroic days of yore, finessed to an elegant apex. The fifth Wytch Hazel album is overflowing with indelible earworms the likes of which must be heard to be believed. And believe, you shall.
“I believe things have meanings and significance,” Hendra emphasizes. “Music isn’t just a self-indulgent, entertainment thing, for me it’s a huge part of my life, very special, very magical and very meaningful. I want Wytch Hazel to be a force for good, a healing power.“
The first track released from ‘Lamentations‘ is the galloping “Woven“, a shining example of Wytch Hazel‘s avant-garde songcraft. “Woven” radiates a wholesome rustic charm tempered with pensive melancholy, its scrupulous simplicity belying its ability to continue blossoming with every spin.
“On “Woven”, in particular, you can hear us locking in and playing off each other in the room” says Hendra of this crafty singalong. “I really wanted to write a heavy rock song about sensitivity and gentleness which you don’t hear too much of really. There’s this section where it goes quiet after the lyrics “be sensitive” then a big guitar solo comes in where I try my best to shred and let it all loose“. This heavenly lead, initially improvised, then had to be slowed down and meticulously relearnt.
‘V: Lamentations‘ track listing: 01. I Lament 02. Run the Race 03. The Citadel 04. Elements 05. The Demon Within 06. Racing Forwards 07. Elixir 08. Woven (stream visualizer) 09. Heavy Load 10. Healing Power
In celebration of the band’s new single drop, Wytch Hazel has announced very special live dates in support of iconic guitarist Michael Schenker as part of the shredder’s “My Years with UFO” UK tour. “Michael Schenker a childhood hero,” confesses Hendra. “I am incredibly privileged and do have to hold in equal measure the wonderful adventure that it is to be in this band. There’s so much to be grateful for, too many things to count.” The upcoming tour dates are as follows:
MICHAEL SCHENKER + WYTCH HAZEL 2025 Tour Dates: May 08 – Wolverhampton, KK’s Steel Mill May 11 – Manchester, O2 Ritz May 13 – Glasgow, The Garage May 14 – London, indigo at The O2 May 15 – Bristol, O2 Academy
Over time, Wytch Hazel‘s indelible sound has caught the ear of many of today’s tastemaker indie platforms, with the quartet being hailed as “the most badass Christian metal outfit out there today” by Invisible Oranges, while the band and its music lauded as “a hard-rocking, foot-stomping good time” by MetalSucks, “powerful and emotive” by Heavy Music HQ, “one of the hookiest bands around” by Angry Metal Guy, and “excellent rock” by Nine Circles, while Metal Injection pegged Wytch Hazel as a band to watch as part of its “Lesser-Known Modern Heavy Metal Bands You Need In Your Life” hot list.
It’s these deeply personal lyrics, coming from a place of faith and conviction, which make Wytch Hazel stand out further from the modern herd; although we’ve been bombarded with the hip diabolism of the ‘occult rock‘ revival for the past two decades, no other band has dared to offer the other side of the story. Lest any heathen headbanger start to fear any kind of evangelical conversion agenda, Hendra expands on his position: “Music is created for all, it’s a common grace for everyone,” he affirms, “which is why the music that shows the glory of God the most, in my opinion, is not music created by Christians. It’s Black Sabbath, you know!“
In addition to vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel features Alex Haslam (guitar), Andy Shackleton (bass) and Aaron Hay (drums). Follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.
Women-led, talented Brazilian Rock band MALVADA are excited to announce the release of their self-titled album, out on June 13th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
The band commented on the new album: “It is the result of two years of work, and we are very excited to show the world how much Malvada has grown. We believe it is the best work of our lives and everyone will like it, as it shows our real essence. You will have a real experience”.
About the new single, they added: “It is a song that reflects our reality, being in music means that sometimes we have to be away from people we love. It is a song we made for them. And it is very emotional for us”.
The rising star of the Brazilian rock scene has a name: Malvada, and they are ready to take over the world!
Malvada was initially formed in March 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic. With a rock n’ roll style full of personality, the band quickly attracted attention as one of the most promising acts in the Brazilian rock scene.
In January 2021, Malvada released their first single entitled “Mais Um Gole”, which gained greater prominence in the scene. Shortly afterwards, in May of the same year, it was time to release the second single “Cada Escolha uma Renúncia”, which preceded the launch of the band’s debut album, “A Noite Vai Ferver”.
In the years 2022 and 2023, Malvada solidified its presence on the national rock panorama, performing more than a hundred shows in several cities in Brazil. The band had the privilege of participating in huge festivals, such as Rock in Rio, Best of Blues and Rock, Angra Fest and Chama Rock, sharing the stage with renowned national and international rock names, like Pitty, Ira!, Angra, Viper, Edu Falaschi, Matanza, Golpe de Estado, Extreme and Tom Morello.
In November 2023, Malvada, composed of Indira Castillo, Bruna Tsuruda, Rafaela Reoli and Juliana Salgado surprised with a big announcement: the band has become the newest signee of the prestigious Italian label Frontiers Records, which has renowned bands in its catalog such as Mr. Big, Asia, Whitesnake, Jeff Scott Soto, among others, promising to take them to a new level, with opportunities to expand their reach and conquer the global market.
The new album, produced by the Brazilian Grammy awarded producer Giu Daga, promises a powerful and exciting musical experience and will be the band’s first work featuring tracks in English/Portuguese, aiming to conquer a global audience.
Malvada’s vibrant rock passion will take no prisoners!
“Malvada” Tracklist:
1. Down The Walls 2. Yesterday (My End, My Beginning) 3. Veneno 4. Fear 5. After 6. Como Se Fosse Hoje 7. Bulletproof 8. So Sweet 9. Aversão 10. I’m Sorry 11. Dead Like You
PASSENGERS IN PANIC are back in action one year after the release of their cover of the greek traditional song “Kaixis” and revealing the new chapter of their upcoming album “Amnesia”, which is expected to be released on June 6, 2025, via Sleaszy Rider Records.
This new track is titled “Echoes of Death” and is accompanied by a lyric video dedicated to the memory of the victims of the mass fires in Greece.
“Echoes of Death unlocks a new chapter, a story that has to be told. It was written about the deadly and devastating fires that Greece continues to suffer, which have changed our lives forever. It is about loss, about how the dreams and hopes for a life of so many people were reduced to ashes in an instant, about the unbearable pain of Mother Nature, who in turn mourns for all those innocent animal souls lost in the flames, about the land that is surrendered to chaos, about a place that instead of being full of life becomes a place that smells of death. It refers to neglect and abandonment. Tears cannot put out the fire, and the smell of burning will always bring back those nightmarish memories of fiery hell.” “We will never forget you.”
Mixed and mastered by Psychon (Septicflesh) at Sound Abuse Productions Studio. Lyric Video done by Ina Damianidou (The Ultimate Groupie).
Season of Mist proudly announces the return of American blackened death metal pioneers PESSIMIST to European stages this December. Following their recent East Coast tour and a blistering performance alongside Venom Inc. in San Diego, PESSIMIST is set to co-headline a European tour with death metal stalwarts Sinister and Graceless.
Emerging from Baltimore’s early ’90s death metal scene, PESSIMIST has carved a niche with their brutal yet technical sound, blending old-school thrash influences with a dark, evil atmosphere. Their upcoming album, Keys to the Underworld, marks their first full-length release in over two decades and promises to be their most extreme offering yet.
The current lineup features founder/guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (I Am Morbid), bassist Andrew Bowen (Carnal Necrosis), vocalist Ivan Alison aka “The Evil One” (Black Mass), and drummer Cooper Dustman (ex-Helsótt, Area 51). Fans can expect a setlist that spans their discography, including classics from Cult of the Initiated, Blood for the Gods, and Slaughtering the Faithful, alongside new material from the forthcoming album.
PESSIMIST w/ Sinister – 2025 EU Tour: 4 December: Erba, IT @ Centrale Rock 5 December: Rome, IT @ Defrag 6 December: Bologna, IT @ Alchemica 7 December: Ljubljana, SI @ Menza Pri Koritu 8 December: Vienna, AT @ Viper Room 9 December: Krakow, PL @ Klub Zascianek 10 December: Warsaw, PL @ Voodoo 12 December: Oberhausen, DE @ Helvete 13 December: Eindhoven, NL @ Eindhoven Metal Meeting *
*Note: Graceless will not be performing at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting.
Season of Mist has reissued all three Pessimist albums. These reissues include new layouts, rare, archival band photos and never-before-heard bonus tracks.
One of the premiere bands to emerge out of the early Baltimore, MD death metal scene, with their 1993 demo Dark Reality, PESSIMIST played their first shows opening for national acts Incantation, Deicide, and Malevolent Creation. In 1995, the band self-released the EP Absence of Light on cassette and landed gigs opening for Testament, Forbidden, Suffocation, and Napalm Death.
In 1997 PESSIMIST signed to Lost Disciple Records and released their debut CD Cult of the Initiated, which charted on CMJ Top 40 Loud Rock Charts, and received acclaim from around the world. The band continued to play shows in the Mid-Atlantic region, opening for Cryptopsy, Nile, Gorguts, Dying Fetus, Vader, Monstrosity, and festival appearances at Milwaukee Metalfest XII, New England Metal and Hardcore Fest – and the band’s first European tour with Fleshless (Cz) in 1999.
PESSIMIST released their second CD, Blood For the Gods, in 1999, which soared into the CMJ Top 30 and received the prestigious “Pick of the Issue.. 10 Fucking Skulls” in SOD Magazine. PESSIMIST became recognized for their unique brand of brutal and technical Black/Death Metal, with old-school thrash influences, an emphasis on quality songwriting, powerful live shows and a dark, evil sound.
In 2001, the band traveled to Tampa, FL to record with producer Erik Rutan, for their third CD, Slaughtering the Faithful, which featured a re-vamped lineup and a faster, more extreme musical direction. More shows followed with Morbid Angel, Hate Eternal, Krisiun, Immolation, Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral, festival appearances at March Metal Meltdown, New England Metal and Hardcore Fest, and November to Dismember.
PESSIMIST returned in 2008 with the Evolution Unto Evil CD, a compilation of rare/live demo recordings and tributes to Kreator, Megadeth, and Possessed, which was co-released on Pathos Prod and Deathgasm Recs. This was followed by appearances at New England Deathfest and Hostile City Deathfest. In 2009, the band returned to Europe for their second European tour with label-mates Pandemia (CZ).
In between downtime with the band, founder/guitarist Kelly McLauchlin had also been a member of bands such as UNHOLY GHOST, DIABOLIC, filled in live with ANGELCORPSE, and had later joined Death Metal legends POSSESSED, touring with the band from 2011-2013.
In 2018, PESSIMIST returned to the stage at Maryland Deathfest, headlining Las Vegas Deathfest, Rage of Armageddon Fest (NY), and Ruinfest (CA), and in 2019 released a new single, Keys to the Underworld, which featured studio drummer Kevin Talley (Dying Fetus, Suffocation) and bassist Kelly Conlon (Monstrosity, Death).
Now, in their latest incarnation, the current PESSIMIST lineup includes founder/guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (I Am Morbid, Possessed, etc.), bassist Andrew Bowen (Carnal Necrosis), drummer Cooper Dustman (Helsótt) and vocalist Ivan Alison aka “The Evil One” (Black Mass).
The band is finishing their fourth studio album.
Lineup: Kelly McLauchlin – Guitars Andrew Bowen – Bass Ivan Alison – Vocals Cooper Dustman – Drums
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 