Rising metal force Bloodstain has released their explosive new single “Banner of Supremacy”, out now on all major digital platforms via Threeman Recordings!
Marking a bold step forward in Bloodstain‘s sonic evolution, “Banner of Supremacy” delivers a punishing blend of aggression and melody, setting the tone for the band’s biggest summer yet.
“‘Banner of Supremacy’ is the war cry of a band finding its voice,” the band states. “It’s aggressive, melodic, and relentless — exactly what we want to bring to the stage this summer.”
With “Banner of Supremacy”,Bloodstain sharpen their edge and raise their flag. Listen to the track now on https://orcd.co/banner-of-supremacy
After the success of their breakout EP “I Am Death”, Bloodstain recently signed a management and production deal with Alex Hellid (Entombed) and Threeman Recordings. More new music and album details will be unleashed throughout in the weeks ahead — with live appearances to match. Follow Bloodstain on all platforms for updates and tour announcements!
A fresh voice from the sun-drenched shores of Sardinia, LERA arrives ready to leave their mark on the heavier music scene. Their highly anticipated debut full-length, “Rêverie”, is slated for release on June 6 through Subsound Records.
“Rêverie” showcases LERA‘s masterful ability to blend contrasting elements, forging a sound that is as compelling as it is unique. The album seamlessly fuses the raw power of post-metal and doom with the intricate, spacious beauty of post-rock. Prepare for a journey through hypnotic, almost obsessive cyclical riffs that dissolve into breathtakingly delicate, dreamlike ambient sections, defining a truly immersive listening experience. If your sonic palate leans towards the satisfying crunch of heavy riffs alongside slow burning arpeggios and powerful crescendos, then LERA‘s “Rêverie” warrants your attention.
With the release of the compelling track “Of Lights And Shades”, today, LERA has officially unleashed the first single from their upcoming debut. The song is accompanied by a brand new & captivating music video, which you can watch here:
About “Rêverie” the band says: “It’s incredible that a label such Subsound Records has decided to work with us for the release of our first album. Rêverie has taken more then two years to be done and we are thrilled to finally reveal it, we hope you enjoy!“
Tracklist:
Dead Flowers
78
Doppelgänger
217
Sonder
C-14
Of Lights and Shades
579
“Rêverie” was recorded at A.C.M.E. Studio – Cagliari, Sardinia by Corrado Cardia & Nicola Olla. Mixed by Nicola Olla. Mastered by Lorenzo Stecconi Artwork & Graphic Design by Nicola Olla.
The album will be available on limited edition vinyl variants and across all digital platforms and is now available for pre-order HERE and via BANDCAMP
LERA are: Aurora Atzeni – Vox/Guitar Valerio Marras – Guitar Nicola Olla – Bass Daniele Moi – Drums
Blending Nordic heritage, black metal and using the Hardanger Fiddle to create soundscapes, Afargang are now releasing a brand new song “Kom Ned”. The project, the brainchild of Olav L. Mjelva who is known as Norway’s most renowded fiddler, recently signed to By Norse.
The song is taken of the upcoming album ‘Andvake’, set for worldwide release on June 13. Pre-orders are available in the By Norse store here.
Olav L. Mjelva comments: “I see “Kom Ned” as a song about finding peace—whether in the face of something final, or simply in the midst of life’s noise and unrest. It can be interpreted in many ways: as a reflection on life and death, a transition toward something quieter, or a moment of calm. The lyrics aim to offer comfort by embracing stillness and acceptance.
In the music video, “my” journey conveys a sense of moving through life’s darker moments and narrow tunnels without light—before eventually finding rest and peace in the embrace of nature and the earth, as part of something larger.
The meaning of the lyrics is open to interpretation, and I hope the song gives space for reflection. That’s also why it’s placed as the final track on the album.”
If darkness is the canvas upon which the boldest visions are painted, then Andvake—meaning “Awakened Soul” in Old Norse—marks Afargang’s arrival with a vivid and unrelenting creation. An album born from the restless churn of Nordic heritage and modern extremity, it pulses with the tension of contrasts: light against dark, the ancient against the new, the ethereal against the unyielding weight of distortion. This is more than an album—it is an invocation, a soundscape ofmelancholy, resilience, and reckoning.
Olav explains, “As a folk musician, I feel that Norway’s ancient music and culture are a part of my heritage. I use the fiddle to create soundscapes, rather than as the leading melody. There are a lot of folk metal bands that really don’t really understand folk music. They write melodies that sound folkish, played with heavy guitars, but I don’t think that works very well. I wanted to use the Nordic elements as a soundscape to go along with the very heavy music.”
Olav and co-producer Stian Kårstad share guitar duties, their riffing spread across the stereo field, forging a dynamic interplay between them. Olav’s kaleidoscopic leads shine brightly throughout Stian’s sharp, atmospheric layering, adding both edge and depth to the compositions, while ensuring that the band’s sound is both unified and expansive. Beneath them, Sindre Bråthen Tjørswaag’s bass work anchors the sound with an earth-rumbling presence, while Jon Even Schärer’s percussive assault is both intricate and primal, forging rhythms that shift like tectonic plates.
“In my mind, this album is a journey that leads the listener through different worlds. I wanted to write some very dark music, but of course the whole album can’t be that dark, so the songs offersome variation in tone, with different signatures and tempos,” Olav explains. The result is a visceral blend of aggression and sadness. It is an exploration of melancholy, unrest, and the liminal spaces between struggle and surrender.
Each track on Andvake navigates this inner voyage, weaving together a sonic and thematic narrative. Mot Verda (“Against The World”) opens with the ghostly wail of the Hardanger fiddle before surging into a defiant black metal assault. Kvile (“Rest”) blends simmering mid-tempo intensity with luminous, folk-infused guitar work.
The title track, Andvake (“Awakened Soul”), moves with a slow-burning force, shifting between ethereal harmonies and raw, blackened aggression, capturing the torment of a soul in transition. Leika (“Play”) offers a rare moment of light, its folk-pop melodies juxtaposed with deeply melancholic lyrics. Vêrfolne serves as a brief interlude, featuring archival recordings of legendary Norwegian fiddler Olav Sataslåtten, providing a moment of respite before the twilight-inspired Sjå Det Blånar (“It’s Getting Blue”) hurtles into ablend of razorwire metal and spoken-word passages. Leva Og Døy (“Live and Die”) reaches a peak of raw intensity, incorporating Norse mythology into its brutal and beautiful structure, while I Di Eining (“In Your Circle”) is a weighty, harmony-driven lament, drenched in doom-laden atmospherics. Closing track Kom Ned (“Come Down”) is a solemn, transcendental piece that invites the listener to search for meaning and peace in a tumultuous world.
This is not folk metal as the world has known it, nor is it a simple modernization of ancient sounds. It is a force unto itself, reaching into the marrow of Nordic tradition and twisting it into something new, something untamed.
The recording process itself mirrored this dynamic tension. Captured in a setting that embraced both the organic and the otherworldly, the album breathes with the rawness of live instrumentation while maintaining an almost cinematic depth. The interplay between human hands and ancient instruments, between distortion and melody, between control and abandon, is what gives Andvake its undeniable presence. Every note, every layer of sound, is imbued with intention, demanding not just to be heard but to be felt.
Ultimately, these songs are meticulously calibrated to transmit a unique, consciousness-shifting experience to the listener. Experiences that, Olav hopes, are unique to each person. “The idea of the ‘Awakened Soul,’ is something that I’d prefer not to describe too explicitly—I’d like to leave that to the listener. And honestly, there are ideas in these lyrics that I’m still learning myself, which is a good thing.”
Afargang stands at the vanguard of something both deeply familiar and thrillingly unknown. With Andvake, they have not simply created an album—they have unearthed a force, a movement, a sound that bridges centuries and defies boundaries. This is music that refuses to fade into the background. It demands sleepless nights. It demands reckoning. It demands to be met head-on.
Credits: Olav L Mjelva – vocals, guitar, hardangerfiddle, mora harp Stian Kårstad – guitar (bass on two tracks) (Trelldom, Djerv) Jon Even Schärer – drums Sindre Bråthen Tjørswaag- bass Haldor Bromstad – guest growler
Producers: Olav L Mjelva, Stian Kårstad,Hans Andreas Horntveth Jahnsen Recording and mix: Hans Andreas Horntveth Jahnsen. Muchoniceness music, Sandefjord, Norway Master: Morgan Nicolaysen
Elevate Records is thrilled to announce that in the third quarter of this year, Serbian metallers NÚMENOR will unleash their new album, Runes of Power!
True to the band’s signature style, this powerhouse release promises a fierce blend of epic metal and melodic death metal, further solidifying their legacy. Adding to the grandeur, guest vocalist Alexandar Celtic will appear on three explosive tracks.
Númenor will join the band’s celebrated discography under Elevate Records, including:
Tales from the Edge of Time (their recent Blind Guardian tribute)
The acclaimed Draconian Time
The reissue of Colossal Darkness with two bonus tracks
Stay tuned for exclusive previews of the artwork and more updates soon!
Finnish rock’n’roll quartet’s “Less Ain’t More” is the 4th single from their upcoming debut album “Noises! Noises! Noises!”. The song is released on May 23rd.
Being the signature closing song on virtually every gig the band has played for the past 2 years, Less Ain’t More’s raw power and manic garage rock drive has made it one of their most infamous live tunes.
“The song was improvised in a jam, and the lyrics swerve ’round and ’round between passion, greed and madness. If The Cramps, The Stooges and early Arctic Monkeys had a baby, this song would be it”, the vocalist Atte Nordberg states.
The Halophones are going to the UK in September in celebration of their debut album bound to be released in August.
Alternative band Lefokolodi have officially dropped their highly anticipated debut EP, The Milk Was Finished Cos We Were Thirsty — a five-track sonic statement that celebrates the band’s roots, their musical heroes, and their defiant individuality.
Out today on all major platforms, the EP refuses to be boxed in. While often labelled “punk,” Lefokolodi’s sound spills far beyond the category, pulling from the raw intensity of Nirvana, the intricacy of Tool, the fire of Rage Against The Machine, and the fearless spirit of System of a Down — all filtered through the band’s unmistakable voice.
Recorded at Pariah Studios with acclaimed producer Evert Snyman, the EP captures Lefokolodi in their truest form: unfiltered, alive, and loud. “We didn’t use metronomes,” the band shares. “We wanted to keep that raw, human energy. We tracked the instrumentals live together as a band, then laid the vocals over the top. It was loud, messy, honest — exactly what we were going for.”
Built from countless jam sessions and late-night writing days, The Milk Was Finished Cos We Were Thirsty is more than a debut — it’s a declaration. A visceral reminder of why music matters. “We love music and want to make songs that hit people the way our heroes hit us,” says the band. “Stuff that shakes your bones, grabs your heart, and invites you to scream along.”
At its core, the EP explores themes of self-love, truth, and holistic health, delivered with unapologetic grit. “Be genuine, be yourself, love yourself, take care of your health — and say everything with your chest,” Lefokolodi urges.
Described by the band as a “thank you letter” to the community and scene that embraced them, this debut is more than just a release — it’s a rallying cry.
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
