Sony Music are proud to announce the release of “War Pigs – Charity Version” featuring Ozzy Osbourne in collaboration with globally revered rock icons Judas Priest. This historic rendition of the Black Sabbath classic was released today, with all profits donated to The Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation and Cure Parkinson’s. Get it HERE.
This emotionally charged release unites the titans of British heavy metal one last time in a project born from friendship, mutual respect and a shared mission to fight Parkinson’s disease – a cause close to the hearts of both bands. Initially conceived as a tribute video for Ozzy and Black Sabbath after Judas Priest were unable to join them at the Aston Villa show due to prior commitments with The Scorpions’ 60th Anniversary show in Hannover, the project quickly grew in purpose and power.
When Judas Priest suggested turning the tribute into a full-blown charity single, the idea struck a chord with Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. With Glenn Tipton contributing guitars despite his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s, and Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne trading alternate vocal lines, the result is a raw, soaring, and poignant version of the iconic “War Pigs.”
A collaboration between the icons @judaspriest and @ozzyosbourne. All profits of Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd and Epic Records in the UK from audio streams, downloads, and physical sales of the recording ‘War Pigs (Charity Version)’ will be donated to The Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation and Cure Parkinson’s.
Bangalore Choir have released the second single “Driver’s Seat” off the upcoming new BANGALORE CHOIR album to be released on BraveWords Records October 24th. The new album is titled RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION: On Target Part II.
The first single “Bullet Train” recently hit #1 on the 97Underground.com Playlist, so exciting things are expected for “Driver’s Seat.”
David Reece talking about “Driver’s Seat”, “Picture yourself with the top down, rolling down the highway, cranking the radio, the sun in your face. Everything’s fine, baby. Fasten your seatbelts!”
RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION: On Target Part II Tracklisting:
Act 1
01 How Does It Feel 02 Driver’s Seat 03 Love And War 04 I Never Meant To 05 I’m Headed For 06 Bullet Train 07 Swimming With The Shark 08 The Light
Act 2
09 Prisoner 10 The Beauty 11 Sail On 12 Trouble With The Truth 13 Still The Same 14 Blinded By Fire In The Sky 15 Rock Of Ages 16 Mending Fences
David Reece: Vocals Diego Pires: Lead and Rhythm Guitars Eric Juris: Lead and Rhythm Guitars Andy Susemihl: Lead, Rhythm Guitars & Backing Vocals Mario Percudani: Lead, Rhythm Guitars & Backing Vocals Riccardo Demarosi: Bass and Backing Vocals Nello Savinelli: Drums
Guest appearances: Jimmy Waldo: Keyboards Ferdy Doernberg: Keyboards
Engineered by Riccardo Demorossi Mixed and Mastered by Thomas Mergler @Tom’s Soundranch
David Reece will be hitting the road later this year supporting Girlschool and his BraveWords Records label mates Alcatrazz. David Reece’s Bangalore Choir will deliver a blistering set of hits from both Accept and Bangalore Choir, showcasing one of the most distinctive voices in heavy metal.
This tour is also the debut of his relaunched version of Bangalore Choir.
25/Nov Be – Kortrijk | DVG 26/Nov NL – Tilburg | Little Devil 27/Nov DE – Kassel | Goldgrube 28/Nov DE – Passau | Zauberberg 29/Nov AT – Steyr | Kulturverein Röda 30/Nov At – Vienna | Escape Metal Corner 02/Dec CZ – Olomouc | Bounty Rock Cafe 03/Dec DE – Leipzig | Hellraiser 04/Dec DE – Nürnberg | Hirsch 05/Dec DE – Selb | Rockclub Nordbayern 06/Dec DE – Mörlenbach | Live Music Hall 07/Dec DE – Dortmund | Musiktheater Piano
About DAVID REECE: American singer David Reece first came to international prominence in the hard rock community joining Accept in 1987, replacing the iconic Udo Dirkschneider. With Accept he released the “Eat The Heat” album in 1989, a record that while somewhat divisive within Accepts more die-hard European fanbase, has no shortage of acclaim in equal measure from the wider hard rock and AOR community. David’s voice was a perfect fit for both the more streamlined American heavy rock direction the band wanted to pursue at the time and the Heavy Metal stylings that are still found in great abundance on the record. Thus, songs like Generation Clash and XTC fast became staples of late 80’s rock radio and fan favorites to the present day.
After departing Accept in 1990 David wasted no time in forming Bangalore Choir, a band that would showcase his immense vocal talents combined with first rate songwriting. Released via Giant Records in 1992, the bands debut album “On Target” has become an album held dear to lovers of melodic heavy rock the world over. Timing being everything, sadly the change of radio programming toward the then emerging Grunge movement halted a very promising young band from making the global impact it very well might have had if the album had arrived some years earlier.
David has gone on since to front many bands such as Bonfire, Wicked Sensation, EZ Livin’ and more recently Iron Allies, but he has always felt there was unfinished business with Bangalore Choir, revisiting the project with the occasional release….which brings us right up to date, the latest Bangalore Choir album … Its title a guarded secret at this stage. Needless to say, if you wanted more of what you loved about “On Target” this one will truly hit the mark.
KORYPHEUS is a progressive metal/djent band hailing from Kyiv, Ukraine. The band has already got two albums under its belt – EP “Blessed” (2018) and LP “Over the Rainbow” (2020) released via M&O Music (France). The band has gained recognition for its powerful music and has been active in the metal scene with various projects. The band was nominated for the Best Ukrainian Metal Act Award in 2020.
Music for 3rd studio album “Gilgamesh” was mixed by Dmitri Kim (Khors, Mind Conflict, Ignea) and mastered by Jay Ruston at TRS West Studio (Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Avatar, Corey Taylor, Stone Sour). Cover artwork was done by Viktor Safonkin, a famous surrealist painter. On that album few guests were performed:
Yossi Sassi (Orphaned Land) on bouzouki,
Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches) as vocalist,
Dmitry Kim (ex-Jinjer) on drums
New album “Gilgamesh” is released today (September 26, 2025) in cooperation with Amercian label M-Theory Audio (Fractal Universe, Varmia, Sworn Enemy) in digital format, as jewelcase CD and limited coloured vinyl limited to 300 pcs.
This is how leader of the band comments their upcoming album: “This conceptual album tells stories of times bygone and present. Gilgamesh and Icarus, Odysseus and Avatar freed from its karma. The king sleeping under the hill. Holy war as continous as life under the sun. “Avatar” captured the spirit of the live performances by Andy Gushin and intricate neoclassical approach by Oleg Kokotun“.
Music on physical format and streaming platforms is available here.
TRACKLIST:
01. Gilgamesh (feat. Yossy Sassy) 02. Far Cry 03. Karma Free 04. Sleeper (feat. Laura Guldemond) 05. Holy War 06. Be My Ghost 07. Odysseus 08. Icarus 09. Avatar 10. Outro
Fast, aggressive, atmospheric, and heartfelt—these are the words that have come to define Johannesburg’s Lower Hollow. Since their formation in 2022, the band has released two full-length albums, toured extensively across South Africa, and carved out their own unique corner of the atmospheric metalcore landscape. With lyrics rooted in themes of anger, pain, death, loss, and alienation, Lower Hollow have consistently transformed raw emotion into cathartic soundscapes that defy genre boundaries.
Their latest release, Threnody: Songs of Perseverance, marks a new chapter. Originally conceived in the wake of transition, the record is both a reimagining and an evolution of their 2023 album Threnody: Songs of Fortitude.
Just eight months after Fortitude was released, the band faced a major turning point when their vocalist stepped down to focus on fatherhood. Midway through promoting and touring the record, Lower Hollow suddenly found themselves searching for a new voice—and found it in Kathryn Georgina.
The arrival of Kathryn brought a profound shift in dynamic, transforming the band’s sound and igniting a new creative energy. Inspired by the visceral intensity of their live performances with Georgina, Lower Hollow returned to the material from Fortitude and reshaped it through their newly discovered lens.
“Believing in our sound, the songs, and our vision, we decided to offer our audience a version of the album that ultimately reflected the live sound we’d since adopted,” the band explains. “We’ve always been a band that served the songs, and our melodic songwriting process allowed these tracks to take a different shape while still honouring the original sentiment.”
The result is Threnody: Songs of Perseverance—an album that soars with atmosphere, punishes with breakdowns, and carries an emotional weight that lingers long after the last note fades. More than just a reworked release, it is a powerful testament to Lower Hollow’s resilience, creativity, and refusal to be defined by circumstance.
With Songs of Perseverance, Lower Hollow transform challenge into catharsis—offering their audience not just music, but meaning, value, and purpose.
Austrian crossover unit KONTRUST return to the dance floor with “I Like To Move It”. Their rendition of the 1994 Reel 2 Real club hit calls upon heavy music’s explosive energy through grooving riffs and infectious shouts while retaining the original’s reggae-inspired charm. Bringing the 90s smash single to metal stages, KONTRUST continue to motivate metalheads to move by mixing their trademark sound with one of the most recognizable pop songs in modern music.
KONTRUSTabout “I Like To Move It”: “With ‘I Like To Move It,’ we deliberately chose a song that no one can stand anymore. We didn’t want a song that everyone loves—we wanted the perfect crappy song. One that sucks to everyone over the age of four. Everyone knows it; everyone has heard it far too often. And it always pops up when you least need it. It quickly became clear to us: either we give the song a new, dirty raison d’être in our own way—or we at least actively contribute to killing it off once and for all. In the end, the whole thing is a collective childhood trauma that we had to process for ourselves. After 25 years, it was just fun to cover a song for the first time. Ultimately, it was also a welcome change from the usual songwriting process. The song actually almost managed to grow on us… So yes: We like to move it!”
KONTRUST are one of the most extravagant and exciting acts on the scene and have enthralled fans and critics alike by fusing various genres like reggae, pop and dance with heavy hard rock riffs, spliced with their very own way of representing the roots of their home country. This synthesis of styles has brought them not only notable chart entries for several releases, but also high recognition in the form of the “Austrian Newcomer Award” for their debut album, as well as the “AMADEUS Austrian Music Award” – Austria’s biggest and most important prize for national bands and artists – for their second album Time To Tango. Throughout their career spanning more than two decades, the Austrian based outfit has gained millions and millions of views on their exciting music videos on YouTube, with over 15 million video views on the electrifying hits “Hey DJ!” and “Bomba” alone. With their new album, madworld, KONTRUST prove their standing as an unpredictable force in the scene – always hungry, wild and full of surprises, and ready to exceed everything they have achieved so far!
KONTRUST are: Julia Ivanova – Vocals Stefan Lichtenberger – Vocals Michael Wolff – Guitar / Programmings Gregor Kutschera – Bass Johannes Sebald – Drums Manuel Haglmüller – Percussions / Programmings
Finnish metal pioneers Ensiferum are proud to announce their upcoming European headline tour, set to kick off on January 7, 2026 in Heidelberg, Germany. The band will be joined by German power metal veterans Freedom Call as direct support, with Austrian symphonic power metallers Dragony opening each night of the run.
The tour comes in support of Ensiferum‘s most recent studio album, Winter Storm, which marked another milestone in the band’s celebrated career. Released to critical acclaim, Winter Storm charted strongly across Europe, further cementing Ensiferum‘s status as one of the leading forces in melodic Death/Power/Folk-inspired metal. The upcoming shows will bring the album’s powerful and anthemic tracks to life on stage, alongside fan favorites from the band’s extensive catalogue.
Much of the new material for Winter Storm emerged during the COVID lockdown, when ENSIFERUM‘s founding guitarist Markus Toivonen set himself the challenge of finding new ways to make music – eventually composing every song except the rousing and anthemic “Fatherland,” written by bassist Sami Hinkka. The addition of singer/organist Pekka Montin’s crystal-clear melodic high notes provided a tremendous boost on 2020’s Thalassic. But on Winter Storm – a fantasy concept narrative penned by Hinkka – Montin’s super-strong voice finds its optimal place in ENSIFERUM‘s sound. Bringing to life such grandiose, heroic material, the singer emerges as one of the greatest vocal discoveries of the decade.
Full list of tour dates: 07.01.2026 – DE, Heidelberg – Halle 02 08.01.2026 – IT, Treviso – New Age 09.01.2026 – CH, Zurich – Meh Suff! Winter Festival 10.01.2026 – FR, Paris – La Machine du Moulin Rouge 11.01.2026 – GB, London – O2 Academy Islington 13.01.2026 – LU, Esch / Alzette – Rockhal 14.01.2026 – NL, Haarlem – Patronaat 15.01.2026 – DE, Cologne – Live Music Hall 16.01.2026 – DE, Geiselwind – Music Hall 17.01.2026 – DE, Leipzig – Hellraiser 18.01.2026 – DE, Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn 19.01.2026 – DE, Hamburg – Markthalle 20.01.2026 – DE, Frankfurt – Batschkapp 21.01.2026 – DE, Berlin – Festsaal Kreuzberg 22.01.2026 – PL, Warsaw – Proxima 23.01.2026 – SK, Kosice – Colloseum 24.01.2026 – PL, Cracow – Hype Park 25.01.2026 – HU, Budapest – Barba Negra Red Stage 27.01.2026 – DE, Munich – Backstage Werk 28.01.2026 – CZ, Brno – Sono 29.01.2026 – AT, Salzburg – Rockhouse 30.01.2026 – DE, Memmingen – Kaminwerk 31.01.2026 – NL, Nijmegen – Doornroosje 01.02.2026 – BE, St. Niklaas – De Casino
With anthemic choruses, relentless energy, and their signature blend of folk melodies and metal fury, Ensiferum promise an unforgettable live experience for fans across Europe.
Coinciding with the tour announcement, Ensiferum are also unveiling a brand-new lyric video for their track “From Order to Chaos“, taken from Winter Storm. The video can be viewed here:
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
