For more than four decades, NAPALM DEATH has challenged expectations and redefined the limits of extreme music. Now, the legendary UK grindcore pioneers have added another milestone to their storied career with an appearance on NPR Music‘s celebrated Tiny Desk concert series, bringing their uncompromising intensity to one of music’s most unexpected stages.
Widely regarded as one of the heaviest acts ever to perform behind the iconic Tiny Desk, the band’s set offers a rare glimpse of NAPALM DEATH in an intimate setting while proving that their relentless energy, razor-sharp musicianship, and socially conscious message resonate just as powerfully outside the walls of a packed club or festival stage.
NAPALM DEATH vocalist Barney Greenway comments:
“I’ve dipped in and out of Democracy Now! via NPR Radio for decades now to get my unvarnished yet thoughtful North American news. So when the NPR Tiny Desk thing came up, it kind of blew my tiny mind a little bit. We realised that we were going to reach far more people than usual with the TD performance, but as you might expect from Napalm Death, we were never going to temper the performance to any degree. We hope everybody at least gets something from it, even if it’s just an understanding of musical abrasion being pushed to the nth degree. Please always support public access broadcasting in view of the ongoing relentless attacks upon it.”
The performance was curated by NPR Music producer and writer Lars Gotrich, whose long-standing appreciation for heavy music helped make the appearance possible and further underscores the growing recognition of extreme music within the broader cultural landscape.
NPR Music‘s Lars Gotrich shares:
“The first grindcore band at the Tiny Desk had to be the founding fathers. I turned down or said ‘maybe later’ to so many others — that’s how important it was to me to get this right. There is only one NAPALM DEATH, not only exemplary of extreme music but also what it takes to be human in what feels like an inhumane time.”
Greek heavy rock torchbearers VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY have unveiled an official music video for their monumental new single, “Venceremos”, the powerful title track of their forthcoming studio album, set for release on September 18, 2026 via Napalm Records.
Standing at the emotional core of the record, “Venceremos” surges forward with dynamic shifts, crystal-clear vocal delivery and a commanding crescendo that masterfully balances tension and release. Blending crushing heaviness with soaring bagpipe melodies and an unrelenting forward momentum, the epic title track captures the band’s signature sound while delivering a powerful message of resilience, hope and perseverance.
The band comments: ““Venceremos” is a promise that even in the darkest moments, hope endures. Venceremos isn’t about winning, it’s about refusing to break. It’s about resilience and overcoming fear, choosing to stand your ground, and believing that freedom, no matter how distant, it will come in the end.”
Set in a dystopian future shaped by illusion, control and fear, Venceremosunfolds as a journey through exile, resistance and awakening. It follows those who rise against a broken world, rejecting gods and modern kings in order to reclaim freedom and meaning. Through struggles, hopes, fears and deep reflections on existence, one truth remains constant: the quest is one, and its name is freedom.
Rather than bending to trends, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY sharpen their identity. The upcoming album presents itself as heavy, direct and intense, driven by a raw and immediate energy. It leans decisively into heavy rock and metal, pushing into more aggressive territory while unfolding with a genuinely progressive spirit, where each composition evolves with purpose and depth.
Ritualistic rhythms, expansive arrangements and traditional instrumentation such as bagpipes and zourna are not mere embellishments, but essential elements of the band’s sonic language. Folk and Hellenic elements meet powerful riffs and dynamic structures in a sound that feels direct, distinctive and entirely their own.
Produced and recorded by Alex Karametis at Magnanimous X Studio in Greece, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios,Venceremos captures clarity and depth in equal measure. With this release, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY deliver a powerful statement and a journey through darkness, defiance and the unbreakable force of rebellion. As one of the key names in post-stoner and heavy prog rock, the band once again reinforces their place within the scene, with Venceremosstanding as a defining step in their ongoing evolution.
Venceremos Tracklist: 1. Alienation 2. Home 3. Ghosts in the sky 4. Venceremos 5. The Ruiner 6. No fear 7. Here and now 8. Epitaph 9. Requiem
In support of Venceremos,VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY will play an album release show in Athens taking place on September 20 at the Lycabettus Theatre, one of the city’s most legendary open-air venues, before the band embarks on a series of shows across Greece’s major cities and an extensive European Tour in March 2027 with dates to be announced soon.
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY is: Alex Karametis – Vocals, Guitars, Synths Akis Zois – Bass Aris Giannopoulos – Drums Dimitris Brentas – Winds
World renowned rock photographer Mark Weiss and ROCKED Magazine proudly present “Back to the Beginning: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne,” a landmark photography exhibition hosted by ART STOP celebrating the remarkable 44 year visual journey of one of rock music’s greatest icons.
From one of Ozzy Osbourne‘s earliest solo photo sessions atop Convention Hall in Asbury Park in 1981 to his emotional final performance with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, in 2025, the exhibition tells the story of a legendary career through the lens of the photographer who documented it from beginning to end.
As Ozzy Osbourne once said:
“Mark is like a member of our family… He must have more photographs of me than any other photographer I’ve ever worked with… All Access Pass. He’s part of the team.”
One of Mark Weiss’ first photo shoots with Ozzy Osbourne, photographed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park on August 15, 1981—just a short walk from The Art Spot gallery on the boardwalk where this exhibition is being held.
Weiss’ photograph of Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance at “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025. This is the last photograph of Ozzy on stage and also on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery as part of Ozzy’s “Working Class Hero” Exhibition.
Featured are Weiss‘s iconic August 15, 1981 rooftop portrait of Ozzy at Convention Hall, transformed into a one of a kind collaboration with New Jersey artist Pork Chop, and Ozzy‘s final onstage performance from “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025. Together these photographs anchor an exhibition of more than 50 images documenting Ozzy Osbourne‘s extraordinary career.
The exhibition also includes a wall inspired by the special “Back to the Beginning” edition of ROCKED Magazine, a wall dedicated to Ozzy‘s 1981Convention Hall appearance, a wall featuring Black Sabbath‘s historic “Live Aid” reunion performance on July 13, 1985, and a special display featuring New Jersey guitar legend Zakk Wylde. The photographs celebrate Wylde‘s early years with Ozzy Osbourne after Mark Weiss introduced the young guitarist to Ozzy in 1987, marking the beginning of one of heavy metal’s most enduring musical partnerships.
Throughout the two day event, Weiss will meet fans, share stories behind his photographs, and sign copies of his coffee table book “The Decade That Rocked.” Copies of ROCKED Magazine will also be available.
Photographer Mark Weiss and artist and gallery owner Pork Chop with their collaborative artwork, featuring Weiss’s photograph of Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance at “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025.
Mark Weiss and Ozzy Osbourne after their first photo shoot together in 1981. What began that day as a photographer and subject; the relationship quickly grew into a lasting friendship that spanned more than four decades.
Mark Weiss and Zakk Wylde in Los Angeles before Zakk’s audition for Ozzy Osbourne’s band in 1987. Weiss introduced the young guitarist to Ozzy, helping launch one of rock’s most enduring musical partnerships.
Event Information Art Spot 1100 Ocean Avenue North Asbury Park, NJ
Thursday and Friday, July 23 and 24 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The exhibition will be on display through August 17th. Throughout the run of the exhibition, Mark will make a special appearance. Please contact The Art Spot for appearance dates and additional information.
To learn more about Mark Weiss and view his gallery of fine art prints, visit www.markweiss.com.
Black Sabbath during “Live Aid” rehearsals on July 13, 1985, photographed by Mark Weiss before their landmark reunion performance at “Live Aid.”
The special 105-page, high-gloss edition of ROCKED Magazine, created and published by Mark Weiss, will be available for purchase at the gallery. Commemorating the historic “Back to the Beginning” concert, the collector’s edition features exclusive coverage with all photographs by Weiss.
The modern progressive metal landscape thrives on ambition, but few emerging acts command attention quite like KINETIC. Hailing from Kolding, Denmark, this forward-thinking quintet has delivered a monumental visual achievement with their brand new music video for “Evolution”. Directed by the band’s own synthesizer player, Marcus H. Levin, the video serves as a breathtaking, eleven-minute cinematic companion to a track that challenges conventional songwriting structures. By seamlessly weaving raw, aggressive performance footage of the band with spectacular global travel cinematography captured by Nick Levin in remote corners of the Earth, including Africa, Siberut Island, and the volatile volcanic landscapes of Dukono, KINETIC transforms a standard musical release into an immersive multi-sensory journey. The result is a striking introduction to the band’s refined musical identity, utilizing a heavy, spacey atmosphere to leave a lasting impression on listeners of technical rock and metal music alike.
“Evolution” is the first of three music videos from the band’s debut full-length album Liminal, which will be released on October 16, 2026 via rock and metal record label Eclipse Records.
Musically and conceptually, Evolution functions as a sprawling, long-form exploration of existence itself. The storyline serves as a visual journey that guides the viewer through the birth of the cosmos, the emergence of Mother Earth, and the eventual rise of human expression. Rather than relying on traditional storytelling, the video relies heavily on vivid environmental contrasts, shifting from deep space and vast oceans to icy landscapes and barren deserts. To heighten this emotional journey, the band utilizes a strict color motif. Blue visuals represent mystery, origin, and the peaceful side of creation, while contrasting red tones symbolize aggression, danger, and chaos. When these colors collide, they illustrate the inherent conflict and transformation required for life to persist.
“Evolution is just the second track on our album, so according to the album timeline of the Kardashev scale, it is reaching far beyond where the album actually is on the timeline” explains keyboardist Marcus. “Evolution represents the broader essence of what we want to communicate, giving us the opportunity to explore evolution not solely as a subject within the album, but as a universal idea connected to life, humanity, nature and ourselves as artists. At its core, we hope the song and video will remind people how extraordinary life on Earth is. The oceans, landscapes, animals, human connection and the simple fact that we exist at all. Evolution is our connection between humanity and nature, past and present, destruction and creation. We also want to show how fragile everything can be; life, nature, ecosystems and humanity itself. The video contrasts beauty with destruction and there is always a tension between harmony and chaos.”
Coverart by Görlitz & Levin
The modern progressive metal landscape thrives on ambition, yet few emerging acts possess the audacity to anchor a debut full-length album to the literal measurement of cosmic civilization. Arriving on October 16, 2026, via Eclipse Records, Liminal represents a massive sonic leap forward from their well-received 2025 debut EP, Sentience. KINETIC has crafted a 106 minute masterwork that balances technical precision with expansive, atmospheric depth, signaling the arrival of a major new force in the international metal community. Liminal functions as a classic conceptual album, bound together by a coherent, overarching storyline that connects the first note of the opening track to the final fading echoes of the grand finale. Musically and lyrically, the band draws inspiration from the Kardashev Scale, a theoretical framework proposed by astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev that measures the technological advancement of a civilization based on the amount of energy it can harness. Rather than conforming to predictable, verse-chorus modern song structures, KINETIC focuses heavily on cinematic arrangements and long-form compositions. This deliberate stylistic choice allows the music to evolve dynamically, ensuring that the sonic landscape mirrors the immense scientific and philosophical themes of the narrative. Liminal was produced, engineered, mixed & mastered by Frederik Uglebjerg (Galge, MØL, Trold, Isbjörg) and the album cover art was created by Lasse H. Görlitz & Marcus H. Levin. It is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.
Liminal track listing 01. Beginnings 02. Evolution 03. New Frontiers 04. Type 0.75 05. Fermi 06. Progress to One 07. Dyson 08. Journey to the Stars 09. Digital Mind 10. 2 to Five 11. Omega
About KINETIC: Emerging from Kolding, Denmark, KINETIC bridges the gap between technical progressive metal and cinematic storytelling. Their new album Liminal takes listeners on an existential journey through space and time, marking the band’s official debut on the Eclipse Records roster and solidifying their place as a must-watch modern metal act. Kinetic is René Hougaard (lead vocals), David Thing (guitar, backing vocal), Christian Filskov Heitmann (bass), Marcus H. Levin (synth), and Rune Görlitz (drums).
Silver Horses are back with a brand new video! “Keep On Running”, taken from their latest album Weird Tales (Elevate Records, 2026), is now available on YouTube.
A high-energy hard rock track that captures the raw power and drive at the heart of the band’s sound — fronted by Jacopo “Jack” Meille (Tygers of Pan Tang, Sainted Sinners) and driven by the guitar work of Gianluca Galli, with Andrea Castelli on bass and Matteo “Bona” Bonini on drums.
Weird Tales — thirteen tracks of dark, cinematic hard rock — is available now on CD and all digital platforms.
SEVEN SPIRES is proud to announce the Master Key Edition of their acclaimed recent album ‘A Fortress Called Home,’ set for release on September 4th via Frontiers Music Srl. To mark the occasion, the band also shares the new single “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Orchestral Version),” alongside a visualizer, available below.
Originally released in 2024 to widespread critical acclaim, ‘A Fortress Called Home’ further cemented SEVEN SPIRES’ reputation as one of the most ambitious, creative and emotionally compelling bands in modern metal. Seamlessly blending symphonic metal, power metal, progressive influences and extreme metal elements, the album showcased the band at the peak of its artistic vision, driven by Adrienne Cowan’s extraordinary vocal performance and the group’s fearless approach to songwriting.
Now available in the expansive Master Key Edition, this definitive 3 disc package offers fans the opportunity to experience the album from entirely new perspectives. Alongside the original album, the set includes a complete collection of instrumental versions, highlighting the remarkable arrangements, orchestration work and musicianship that underpin the record. The third disc further expands the listening experience with orchestral versions of selected songs as well as exclusive live recordings captured during the band’s recent touring cycle.
About the Master Key Edition, the band comments:
“We invite you to explore deeper into ‘A Fortress Called Home’ with this Master Key Edition! Who knows what secrets you may find hidden in the instrumentals and orchestral arrangements? What memories will you behold in the gallery of live souvenirs from the last two years?”
From the epic opener “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” to the cinematic closing moments of “The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind,” ‘A Fortress Called Home’represents SEVEN SPIRES at their most accomplished and mature. The additional material included in the upcoming Master Key Edition reveals new dimensions of these compositions, offering a deeper look into the creative process behind one of the band’s most celebrated releases.
For longtime followers and new listeners alike, ‘A Fortress Called Home (Master Key Edition)’ stands as the ultimate document of this important chapter in the band’s evolution and a testament to why SEVEN SPIRES continue to be regarded as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking names in contemporary metal.
Adrienne Cowan shares:
“This is also our first time releasing orchestral arrangements. I’m a little extra proud of that, and quite excited since it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.”
Pre-Order the Master Key Edition of ‘A Fortress Called Home’ HERE
‘A Fortress Called Home (Master Key Edition)’ Track List:
Disc 1 1. A Fortress Called Home 2. Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues 3. Almosttown 4. Impossible Tower 5. Love’s Souvenir 6. Architect Of Creation 7. Portrait Of Us 8. Emerald Necklace 9. Where Sorrows Bear My Name 10. No Place For Us 11. House Of Lies 12. The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind 13. House Of Lies (Acoustic) Bonus Track
Disc 2 1. A Fortress Called Home (Instrumental) 2. Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Instrumental) 3. Almosttown (Instrumental) 4. Impossible Tower (Instrumental) 5. Love’s Souvenir (Instrumental) 6. Architect Of Creation (Instrumental) 7. Portrait Of Us (Instrumental) 8. Emerald Necklace (Instrumental) 9. Where Sorrows Bear My Name (Instrumental) 10. No Place For Us (Instrumental) 11. House Of Lies (Instrumental) 12. The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind (Instrumental)
Disc 3 1. Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Orchestral Version) 2. Almosttown (Orchestral Version) 3. Love’s Souvenir (Orchestral Version) 4. Architect Of Creation (Orchestral Version) 5. Portrait Of Us (Orchestral Version) 6. The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind (Orchestral Version) 7. A Fortress Called Home (Live in Tilburg) 8. Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Live in Tilburg) 9. Architect Of Creation (Live in Montréal) 10. Succumb (Live in Tilburg) 11. Love’s Souvenir (Live in Montréal) 12. Wanderer’s Prayer (Live in Tilburg) 13. Gods Of Debauchery (Live in Tilburg)
Produced By: Jack Kosto
SEVEN SPIRES are: Adrienne Cowan – Vocals, Orchestrations, Keyboards, Sound Design Jack Kosto – Guitars Peter de Reyna – Bass Guitars, Additional Vocals, Upright Bass Drums performed by Chris Dovas
Special Guest Vocalists: Alessandro Conti (2, 12) Kristin Starkey (5) Ty Christian (5) David Åkesson (2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12) Angelica Åkesson (3, 9, 12)
Drums on “Live in Tilburg” and “Live in Montréal” by Dylan Gowan Guest Vocals on “Love’s Souvenir (Live in Montréal)” by Ashleigh Semkiw
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 ) 