VENUS 5 Unveil New Video for Title Track of Upcoming Album “March Of The Venus 5”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 17, 2026
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Photo by Arianna Ceccarelli – Kinorama Studio

International metal group Venus 5 – comprised of Karmen Klinc, Jelena Milovanovic, Tezzi Persson (Hell in the Club), Herma (Sick N’ Beautiful), and Erina Seitllari – are pleased to unveil the new single and official video, “March Of The Venus 5” , title track of their upcoming album, set for release on March 20, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.

Pre-Order “March Of The Venus 5” HERE

Venus 5, the all-female European pop-metal sensation – return with a stronger, heavier, and more focused second album. 

Uniting five distinctive voices from across the continent – Karmen Klinc (Slovenia), Jelena Milovanovic (Serbia), Tezzi Persson (Sweden, singer of Hell in the Club), Herma (Italy, singer of Sick N’ Beautiful), and Erina Seitllari (Albania) – the band pushes its sound to new heights, embracing a more traditional metal direction while retaining the massive hooks and glossy production that defined their debut. 

Once again produced by Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere), with songwriting contributions from Jake E. (ex-Amaranthe, Cyhra), the album showcases a more mature, riff-driven approach, rich with symphonic and electronic elements, layered vocal harmonies, and explosive choruses tailor-made for fans of Within Temptation, Amaranthe, and modern European metal.

Erina Seitllari stated: “This album feels like a storm made of fire and velvet! Wild, electric, and impossible to hold. Every track carries that spellbinding feminine force, the kind that rises, glows, and refuses to be tamed”.

“The new Venus 5 album is crafted with all the qualities needed for every listener to discover something that resonates. Within it lie unexpected sonic delights, powerful and surprising, that we cannot wait to unveil and let reach the ears of our audience”, continued Karmen Klinc.

With performances at several major festivals already under their belt, Venus 5 are now gearing up to return to the stage in support of the new album – ready to prove that their power is just as undeniable live as it is in the studio.

“March Of The Venus 5” Tracklist:

1.    March Of The Venus 5    
2.    Like A Witch    
3.    Far Away    
4.    Set Me Free
5.    Stereotypes        
6.    Surrender
7.    Satelite    
8.    Invincible
9.    Winter On My Skin
10.    Take It From The Start
11.    The Other Shore

Line Up:
Karmen Klinc – Vocals
Herma – Vocals
Jelena Milovanovic – Vocals
Tezzi Persson – Vocals
Erina Seitllari – Vocals

Andrea Buratto – Bass
Gabriele Robotti – Guitars
Antonio Agate – Keys
Marco Lazzarini – Drums

Aldo Lonobile – Additional guitars
Serena Torti – Additional Vocals

Follow VENUS 5:
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JON ANDERSON AND THE BAND GEEKS Announce UK/Sweden Tour Dates

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 17, 2026
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JON ANDERSON AND THE BAND GEEKS announce their first ex-U.S tour, consisting of 7 UK shows and 2 shows in Sweden. The UK shows will be JON’s first performances in his home country since a one-show appearance with the Rock Academy in 2023. The tour is billed as “YES Epics, Classics, and More” and will feature songs recorded during JON’s 40 years as the lead vocalist of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees YES. The show will also include songs from his album with THE BAND GEEKS entitled ‘TRUE.’

JON ANDERSON says:

“To be back home in the UK performing YES music with the BAND GEEKS, who are dedicated YES fans, is a dream come true for me. So come and enjoy a great event, never to be forgotten! 
Blessings, Jon”

The New York-based BAND GEEKS came to JON’s attention in 2023 and has led to a partnership that has already completed 3 highly successful U.S. tours with a 4th starting this April.  JON AND THE BAND GEEKS are currently in production for their 2nd album to be released by Frontiers Music Srl.

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, February 20th.  All dates are below:

Dates for the UK/Sweden Tour:

Sep 15- Birmingham – Symphony Hall
Sep 17- Bath- Forum
Sep 20- London- Palladium
Sep 22- Liverpool- Philharmonic
Sep 26- Manchester- Opera House
Sep 28- Glasgow- Royal Concert Hall
Oct 1- Gateshead- Glasshouse

Oct 3- Stockholm- Cirkus
Oct 5- Malmö- Slagthuset

For more information:
Jon Anderson’s official website HERE
Band Geek official website HERE
Jon Anderson YES Epics and Classics:
Website HERE
Facebook HERE
Twitter – @JonYesEpic
Instagram – @jonandersonyesepicsandclassics
TikTok – @JonAndersonYESEpic
YouTube HERE

THE HELLACOPTERS’ Rarities Compilation “Cream Of The Crap! Volume 3” Out Now & Streaming

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 16, 2026
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Today marks the release of Cream Of The Crap! Collected Non-Album Works • Volume 3,  the newest, long-overdue entry in a series of rarities collections by Swedish high energy rockers THE HELLACOPTERS, combining rare and lesser-known material from a myriad of singles, EPs, and compilation songs. The 24 tracks featured in this set have originally been released between 1998 and 2005, most of them only on vinyl and out-of-print CDs, and include originals like ‘Disappointment Blues’, ‘Freeway To Hell’, ‘Doggone Your Bad-Luck Soul’, ‘Ferrytale‘ and ‘Long Gone Losers’ as well as cover versions of songs by Motörhead, Wilson Pickett, MC5, Smokey Robinson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper, The Ramones, The Nomads, Adam West – whose singer Jake Starr penned liner notes for this release – and many, many more. Furthermore, a lot of these songs have never been released digitally. Meticulously compiled by Robert Eriksson, transferred from master tapes and vinyl by Henke Jonsson, and remastered for maximum audio fidelity by Magnus Lindberg, with Cream Of The Crap! Collected Non-Album Works • Volume 3 THE HELLACOPTERS present a stunning collection of incredible, high-octane rock’n’roll on this more than 75 minutes long double vinyl, CD and digital release. Scroll down for the full track list and release formats.

Purchase or stream Cream Of The Crap! Collected Non-Album Works • Volume 3:
https://hellacopters.bfan.link/cotc

A full album stream via Youtube is available here:

CREAM OF THE CRAP! VOLUME 3 – TRACKLIST
RELEASE DATE: 13 February 2026

  1. Long Gone Losers
  2. Pack Of Lies (The Nomads cover)
  3. Her Strut (Bob Seger cover)
  4. Little Miss Sweetness (The Temptations cover)
  5. Oh Yeah Allright!
  6. I Get A Sensation (Adam West cover)
  7. Disappointment Blues
  8. American Ruse (MC5 cover)
  9. Ferrytale (1998 version)
  10. Whole Lot Of Shakin´ In My Heart (Since I Met You) (Smokey Robinson cover)
  11. I’m Eighteen (Alice Cooper cover)
  12. Sent En Lördagkväll (Nationalteatern cover) *
  13. Working For MCA (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
  14. Boney Maronie (Larry Williams cover)
  15. A Man And A Half (Wilson Pickett cover)
  16. 455 SD (Radio Birdman cover)
  17. Freeway To Hell
  18. Get Ready (Smokey Robinson cover)
  19. Doggone Your Badluck Soul
  20. Stab Your Back (Damned cover)
  21. Heaven (Scott Morgan cover)
  22. What´d Ya Do? (Ramones cover)
  23. Speedfreak (Motörhead cover)
  24. Ungrounded Confusion (The Flaming Sideburns cover)

* only available on physical editions

Polish MASS INSANITY Covered Cannibal Corpse’s ‘Butchered by Death’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 16, 2026
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MASS INSANITY is a Polish death metal band working on the Polish metal scene since 2003. They released three studio albums: “The Hypochrist” (2011), “Antihuman” (2015) and “Maveth” (2019). Music group from Chojnice created their version of Cannibal Corpse song which is part of a special compiation.

This cover was recorded for the “Butchered By Death” compilation, a tribute to Cannibal Corpse. The compilation, conceived by Tortured Corpse and scheduled for release at the turn of spring and summer, will feature eighteen covers recorded by eighteen bands.

Song was recorded at Antihuman Studio, and the mix and mastering was done by Michał Grabowski from BlackTeamMedia (Christ Agony, Feto In Fetus, Vader).

COMPILATION TRACKLIST:

01. Avulsed – “Staring Through The Eyes Of The Dead”
02. Vephar – “Hammer Smashed Face”
03. Mastectomy – “Pulverised”
04. Mass Insanity – “An Experiment In Homicide”
05. Uborn Suffer – “Put Them To Death
06. Chainsword – “Death Walking Terror”
07. Kontagion – “Sentenced To Burn”/”Evisceration Plague”
08. Cemetery Rotteness – “Necropedophile”
09. Tortured Corpse – “Butchered By Death”
10. Corpse Throne – “I Cum Blood”
11. Mortis Dei – “A Skull Full Of Maggots”
12. Trauma – “Stripped,Raped and Strangled”
13. Bestial Disgogerment – “Innards Decay”
14. 10 Plagues – “Devoured By Vermin”
15. MorLord – “Gutted”
16. Łukasz “Shadock” Radecki – “Scalding Hails”
17. Funus – “Bloodlands”
18. Putrid Evil – “Fucked With A Knife”

MASS INSANITY LINE-UP:

Wiesław “Viehu” Gruna – guitars
Waldemar “Hektor” Połom – drums
Maciej “Metal” Matejuk – bas
Marcin “Mały” Brzeźnicki – vocal

More info: Facebook | Instagram | LinkTree

BELLE MORTE Release Live Acoustic Cover of Burn the Ballroom’s ‘Kiss Me You Animal’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 16, 2026
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On Valentine’s Day, symphonic noir project Belle Morte invited listeners into a world of obsessive devotion with the release of their live acoustic cover of “Kiss Me You Animal,” originally performed by Burn the Ballroom.
The acoustic version offers a playful, intimate, and deeply romantic interpretation of the original track.

The band chose the track out of genuine love and admiration for the Burn the Ballroom band. The song echoes the narrative world of Belle Morte’s “Willow”, but seen from the opposite side of the story.

The cover embraces love in its most gothic form: obsessive, intoxicating, and eternal.

Previous videos from “Crime of Passion”:
“Lace” Acoustic version: Watch
Stream “Crime of Passion”: orcd.co/crimeofpassion

BELLE MORTE’s Latest Releases:
Stream “Pearl Hunting”: orcd.co/pearlhunting
CD: tinyurl.com/PearlHuntingCD

Previous videos from Pearl Hunting:
“Jorōgumo” Ft. Hisashi, Reigen Fujii, Souzan Kato: Watch
“Willow” Ft. Ruben Monteiro, Emma Spinelli: Watch
“Exorcism” Acoustic Version: Watch
Pearl Hunting: Watch
“Exorcism” Ft. Ulziisaikhan Khoroldamba: Watch
“September” Ft. Ruben Monteiro: Watch
“Black Waters” Ft. Maulana Malik Ibrahim: Watch
“Blame me” Ft. Lernik Khachatrian: Watch

About Belle Morte

Formed in Minsk, BELLE MORTE combines dark symphonic metal with gothic, progressive, and melancholic elements. After their 2018 EP Game On, the band signed with Wormholedeath in 2021 to release Crime of Passion, a conceptual album inspired by John Fowles’s The Collector. Their second album continues this global approach, delivering unique symphonic metal experiences for fans seeking something different.

Stay connected with the band’s latest updates and releases:
www.facebook.com/bellemortemusic
twitter.com/bellemortemusic
www.instagram.com/bellemorteofficial
www.youtube.com/@bellemortemusic
bellemorte.bandcamp.com
bellemortemusic.com

CONTORTED Sign with Dark Essence Records, Debut Full-Length Album Coming

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 16, 2026
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Over the past few years, the name CONTORTED has been seen on many concert posters around the city of Bergen, both supporting bigger bands or doing their own gigs. With the quality of the digital EPs they’ve done, it was now time to welcome them to the Dark Essence Records roster.
 
Contorted is a death metal band from Bergen. The band draws from the old school of the genre, delivering riffs that are equally intense and brutal, raw self-production, grotesque melodies, and a violent soundscape. The band aims to explore multiple branches of music, marked by a dynamic sonic palette shaped by black metal’s dark mysticism and atmosphere, death metal’s uncompromising brutality, and the experimental nature of prog rock. This has led Contorted to become an interesting addition to the extreme metal underground.

Formed in 2022, Contorted quickly became a new favourite in the Bergen metal scene. The current lineup consists of Johannes Andreassen (guitars), Kristian Brynjulfsen (vocals, guitar), Mats Hovden (drums) and Vegard Kanestrøm (bass).
 
Contorted has this to say about signing to Dark Essence Records:
We are thrilled to be a part of the roster of Dark Essence Records, and we can’t wait to release our first full length album under their banner. We are very excited to see what this collaboration has in store.
 
The band is currently working on their debut album, and more info will follow.

For more information about Contorted: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090561643158