Melodic death metal band Hagalas from Jyväskylä, Finland has released a new album titled “Mentes Reae”. The album’s tracks delve deeply into the darker aspects of mental health and human experiences. Themes explored include the hedonism fueled by social media, the struggles of life and the search for meaning, as well as violence and abuse. The songs address both the internal battles individuals face and the external pressures that affect a person’s mental state and behavior. The album as a whole is built around profound and often heavy topics that are particularly relevant in today’s world. Each track offers a unique perspective on the complexity of mental health and the vulnerability of the human mind.
In addition to the band, Samuli Raappana (Tuuliajo) contributed to the recording and mixing, while Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios) handled the mastering. The album is released through the Finnish label Inverse Records.
West Coast deathgrind practitioners CATTLE DECAPITATION have just announced their return to European shores for January of 2025! They will be joined by co-headliners SHADOW OF INTENT and special guests REVOCATION and VULVODYNIA. Full dates below.
THE TERRASITIC RECONQUEST TOUR 2025 CATTLE DECAPITATION & SHADOW OF INTENT With Special Guests: REVOCATION VULVODYNIA 23.01.25 Germany Nuremberg @ Löwensaal 24.01.25 Belgium Sint-Niklaas @ Casino 25.01.25 The Netherlands Amsterdam @ Melkweg 26.01.25 Germany Wiesbaden @ Schlachthof 28.01.25 UK Birmingham @ O2 Institute 29.01.25 UK Glasgow @ SWG3 30.01.25 UK London @ Electric Brixton 31.01.25 UK Bristol @ Marble Factory 01.02.25 UK Manchester @ New Century Hall 02.02.25 UK Southampton @ Engine Rooms 04.02.25 France Paris @ Elysée Montmartre 05.02.25 France Lyon @ La Rayonne 06.02.25 Switzerland Zürich @ Komplex 457 07.02.25 Austria Vienna @ Simm City 08.02.25 Germany Munich @ Backstage Werk 10.02.25 Czech Republic Prague @ Roxy 11.02.25 Germany Leipzig @ Felsenkeller 12.02.25 Poland Warsaw @ Proxima 14.02.25 Germany Hannover @ Faust 15.02.25 Germany Berlin @ Huxleys 16.02.25 Denmark Copenhagen @ Amager Bio 17.02.25 Sweden Stockholm @ Fryshuset 19.02.25 Norway Oslo @ Rockefeller 20.02.25 Sweden Gothenburg @ Trädgårn 21.02.25 Germany Hamburg @ Fabrik 22.02.25 Germany Cologne @ Essigfabrik 23.02.25 The Netherlands Tilburg @ Poppodium 013
Watch CATTLE DECAPITATION‘s’ “Solastalgia” video at THIS LOCATION. You can find the band’s previously released videos for “We Eat Our Young” HERE, “Scourge Of The Offspring” HERE, and “A Photic Doom” HERE.
Though many bands have tried, no one articulates the real apocalypse humanity is facing as vividly and succinctly as CATTLE DECAPITATION. With 2019’s Death Atlas, they reached the apex of this, perhaps leading some to believe they had no place left to go beyond such an achievement, but alas, the band returned with Terrasite, which is as bold a statement as they have ever made. Roaring to life with the savage yet hauntingly melodic “Terrasitic Adaptation” and advancing through the likes of the relentless “We Eat Our Young” and culminating with the ten-plus minutes of “Just Another Body,” Terrasite is an album that constantly shifts dynamics and demands a variety of emotional responses. The record crushed Billboard charts upon its first week of release, earning the #2 position on the Current Hard Music Albums chart, #3 on the Current Independent Albums chart, #4 on the Rock Albums chart and more!
Terrasite features the artwork by longtime collaborator Wes Benscoter (Vader, Kreator, Bloodbath, Hypocrisy), was produced by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Allegaeon) and includes Dis Pater of Midnight Odyssey handling piano and synths.
Danish death metal/metallic hardcore goliaths LIFESICK will unleash their crushing Loved By None, Hated By All full-length November 1st on Metal Blade Records.
LIFESICK manifests brutal and brutally honest songs with lyrics inspired by the turbulent nature of life. Musically influenced by Swedish death metal, the band’s authentic and explosive mixture of crushing tones and modern breakdowns create an uncompromising sound and vision.
Formed in Fredericia, Denmark in 2015, LIFESICK‘s hometown was founded in 1650 as a giant fortress, at a time when the country was being continually battered by war and defeated by empire after empire. Although the Danish Realm is now among the world’s most peaceful and prosperous places to live, LIFESICK iskeen to alert us to the bitter conflict still raging in their hearts and minds. After three full-lengths of increasing weight and intensity, 2023’s Life And Other Lies EP brought the band’s sobering death/metallic hardcore to Metal Blade Records, where they have come of age with the kaleidoscopic fury and ironclad gloom of Loved By None, Hated By All.
“Sometimes it feels like the more you give, the more they take,” comments the band on that pessimistic title. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve given our all, but we’ve been knocked down time after time. That’s what inspired this title and it resonates with most of the songs on the album. It fits perfectly with LIFESICK’s theme, which is and always will be about the roughness of living in today’s world. LIFESICK exists as it does because of the world as it is.“
As with previous platters, the LP was recorded by Jacob Bredahl at his Dead Rat facility. This time Bredahl’s role expanded beyond engineering, helping to shape and revise new material before twiddling a single knob. “He came down to our rehearsal room where we played all the songs for him live, so he could add his touch to each song or edit stuff that we might have been a little blind to from playing the songs too much. This was the first time we did this, and it was very effective. It is definitely not the last time we will do it.“
Even so, the responsibility for applying LIFESICK‘s monomaniacal momentum to a more sophisticated and immersive sound picture has been shared around more than usual. Mixing was farmed out to Taylor Young at The Pit, “to give it a different touch or nuance from our previous releases,” while the tracks were handed to noise collective John Cxnnor, “to enhance the album with sound design and samples throughout every song, to better unify the album. We provided them with all the songs, along with keywords about the lyrical themes and the album artwork. With this information, they created unique dark industrial samples that perfectly fit the songs and our vision for the album.”
The results ring loud and clear from this tumultuous masterwork of bleak aggro beauty. In advance of the record’s release, today LIFESICK unleashes first single, “Legacy Of Misery.” The band elaborates, “This is an anthem for all of you who have been beaten down by the system and let down by everyone around you, but have found solace in this brotherhood of outcasts. This song is the grooviest on the album, featuring a catchy sing-along chorus. Additionally, it features guest vocals from our good friend Andreas Bjulver from Cabal.”
Loved By None, Hated By All Track Listing: 01. Death Wish 02. Peace Through Superior Firepower 03. Double Cross 04. Hollow Treats 05. Legacy of Misery (feat. Andreas Bjulver of Cabal) 06. Poems for My Funeral 07. Liquid Courage 08. Loved by None 09. The Mourning March 10. Straight Jacket
LIFESICK has tours across Denmark and Southeast Asia booked through the new year with more shows to be announced in the weeks to come. See all confirmed dates below.
LIFESICK Live: 10/12/2024 Walthers Musikcafe – Skanderborg, DK 10/17/2024 Studenterhuset – Aalborg, DK 10/25/2024 Posten – Odense, DK 10/26/2024 Platform K – Horsens, DK 11/08/2024 Copenhagen Distillery – Copenhagen, DK * Record Release Show 12/06/2024 Blueprint Livehouse – Bangkok, TH 12/08/2024 Atlantis Bar – Siem Reap, KH 12/09/2024 Cloud Bar Phnom – Penh KH 12/10/2024 Saigon Kick World Music Bar – Ho Chi Min, VN 12/13/2024 The Rockin Jamz Hall – Johor Bahru, MY 12/14/2024 Cafe Lupe – Antipolo, PH 12/15/2024 Unknown 13 Pub – Quezon City, PH 12/18/2024 Tops Commercial Complex – Bacolod, PH 12/19/2024 South Republic Live House – Davao, PH 12/20/2024 Canto Bogchi Joint – Baguio, PH 12/21/2024 GH Building – Tarlag, PH 1/10/2025 Baltoppen – Ballerup, DK 1/17/2025 Sonderborghus – Sonderborg, DK 1/18/2025 Tojhuset – Fredericia, DK 2/07/2025 Headquarters – Aarhus, DK
Spanning more than 25 years of pure heavy and power metal, PRIMAL FEAR have face numerous challenges since their formation in 1997. Despite these obstacles, the band have repeatedly risen from their lowest points, like a phoenix from the ashes. After a recent line-up change, which saw Thalìa Bellezecca join on guitar and André Hilgers on drums, the group are now in the final stages of completing their upcoming 15th studio album, “Domination,” which is currently being recorded. “We’ve entered the studio and we can choose from a pool of about 25 songs! We’re absolutely happy!” smiles founding member Mat Sinner (bass, vocals).
Produced by Sinner and co-produced by Ralf Scheepers & Magnus Karlsson, the new offering will be mixed and mastered by the group’s confident partner Jacob Hansen at his Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark by the end of this year.
Long-time guitarist Magnus Karlsson, who has recently returned to the PRIMAL FEAR live touring crew, is once again a vital part of the creative process as well. He adds: “I can’t wait to hit the stage with PRIMAL FEAR again! It’s going to be an incredible ride! We’re going to create something truly special together, both live and in the studio, and I’m so grateful to share this journey with all you metalheads! Metal is forever!“
The metal titans are determined to outdo themselves once again and to surpass the success of their recent album “Code Red,” which achieved the highest chart notations in the band’s history. Their efforts are progressing exceptionally well. Vocalist Ralf Scheepers states about the current process: “I haven’t felt as great in a long time as I did singing some of the new songs!“
But that’s not all: behind the scenes, preparations are in full swing, and PRIMAL FEAR fans should mark September 5, 2025 on their calendars. This date not only marks the release of “Domination” but also the launch of a European tour, starting in Hamburg, Germany, and spanning eight countries to celebrate the album’s debut. The tour will be preceded by several festival appearances (more details to be announced soon, so stay tuned!), with their first performance featuring the highly energized new line-up set for Rock in Rautheim next May.
Something was missing in the metal festival calendar – the summer of 2024 was far too quiet in Graz. But turn it up to eleven as METAL ON THE HILL – the brainchild of Napalm Records/Events and Grazer Spielstädten returns after a one-year break in the most popular open-air venue in Graz, the Schlossberg Stage Kasematten.
METAL ON THE HILL has established itself as a permanent fixture on the international festival scene, renowned for its exclusive and boutique character, high-caliber acts, and the most beautiful festival location in Austria, all of which are unmistakably tied to the uniqueness of Styria!
On August 30, 2025 national and international genre greats will celebrate a memorable metal party together with the fans in the metal capital of Austria.
With today’s announcement, 150 strictly limited BLIND TICKETS are already available at a reduced price. As soon as these are sold out, a further 150 strictly limited EARLY BIRD tickets will be available in the next price category. After that, tickets will go on sale at the regular price. The first bands will be released in October 2024.
Once again, the festival will take place on Austria’s most stunning stage: the historic Kasematten. Back in the first third of the 20th century, a stage was built within the old walls of the former fortifications, complete with a spacious auditorium that is particularly characteristic of Graz.
The intimate and romantic atmosphere is particularly popular for open-air events during the warmer months of the year. A retractable roof provides protection in changeable weather conditions.
Japanese Visual Kei Group ABORT. have signed a deal with Sliptrick Records.
Abort. is an experimental and progressive metal-based visual kei band based in Nagoya, Japan. They started in the spring of 2018, and within a few years, they have released two EP’s and one album that combine heavy sound and other genre aesthetics poisonously.
Within the duo, Jin is a guitarist and composer who handles all musical approaches and Atsushi mainly focuses on all vocals and lyrics writing. Their music conception depicts various dark sides of social norms and human beings, especially the imperfection of nature. Abort. attempt to fuse heavy and soft musical components to manifest cohesive world-building.
With their album Past, Abort. has pushed the boundaries of the heavy music genre, delivering a relentless barrage of aggression and technicality that will captivate even the most discerning metal scene. Each track is meticulously crafted to showcase their deep story, while the relentless energy and intensity will leave you in awe.
Abort. are: Atsushi – Vocals/Lyrics writer | Jin – Guitar/Composer
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 