With “Det Sidste Nådeskys”, VANSIND deliver a dark and cinematic folk metal song and video steeped in loss, sacrifice, and inevitable reckoning, kicking off the promotion for their upcoming studio album, “Hævnen”. “Det Sidste Nådeskys” tells the tale of a Danish horde of plunderers taking advantage of the Swedish Kings absence, setting sail towards Svealand. But the women left behind will not tolerate the invasion, and are planning a cunning defence of their land. Who will end victorious? Strength alone will never decide the outcome.
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Vansind is based in Slagelse, Denmark, and was formed in the summer of 2019 as a folk-inspired metal band. All Vansind members’ musical background is vastly different, but they have a shared love for the music and a determination to add something special to the Danish folk metal scene.
Vansind’s upcoming studio album “Hævnen”, successor to “Mørket”, will be released on May, 1st, 2026.
Lineup: J. Asgaard – male vocals Line Burglin – female vocals Rikke Klint Johansen – keyboard, tin whistle, bagpipe Kirk Backarach – guitar Nikolaj Madsen – guitar James Atkin – bass Danni Lyse Jelsgaard – drums
BLACK OAK COUNTY recently announced their new, upcoming album “Misprint”. Now it’s time to know “Kill The Pain”, the first single and official video from the record, which opens “Misprint” with full force. One of the heaviest tracks the band have written to date, it blends crushing riffs, groove-heavy production and an explosive chorus with a confrontational lyrical core. Written as a wake-up call, the song addresses growing division, violence and dehumanisation – and the damage done when those realities are ignored.
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With “Misprint”, Danish hard rock outfit Black Oak County deliver their most focused, aggressive and emotionally charged album to date. Releasing April 10th, 2026 via Mighty Music, the band’s fourth full-length is a confrontational, hook-driven hard rock record shaped by years of personal pressure, unrest, and hard-earned clarity – as well as celebrating some of the band’s greatest professional and personal victories.
Following the award-winning “III” (2024), “Misprint” finds Black Oak County pushing both ends of their sound – heavier, more melodic, and more direct than ever – without losing the no-nonsense hard rock core that has earned them a strong live reputation across Denmark and beyond.
The album’s title reflects a central feeling running through the record: the sense of being off, wrong, or out of place, and the damage done when those feelings are left unspoken. While much of “Misprint” carries a dark emotional weight, it’s balanced by moments of resolve, love, defiance and release. This is not a record about wallowing, but about confrontation.
The first single/video, “Kill The Pain”, opens the album with its heaviest statement. Driven by crushing riffs, groove-heavy production and an explosive chorus, the song functions as both a wake-up call and a release valve. Lyrically, it confronts the growing division, violence and dehumanisation dominating modern society. At its core, “Kill The Pain” is about facing what’s broken, rather than ignoring it, and choosing action over apathy. Written during a period marked by both global unrest and personal crisis, the song ultimately lands as a call to stand together and fight back against despair – in whatever form it takes.
“Misprint” was once again co-written, produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Danish Eurovision Preliminaries). The result is a bold, modern hard rock album that blends aggression, melody and layered instrumentation – including subtle synth elements – while keeping the songs immediate, physical and built for the stage.
Black Oak County have steadily built momentum through relentless touring and releases, earning Årets Single (Single of the Year) for “Save Your Breath” at Den Hårde Tone 2024 and Årets Rock Single (Rock Single of the Year) for “Boom Boom Baby” at the Danish Alternative Music Awards 2025. Known for their high-energy live shows, the band will support “Misprint” with their most ambitious touring cycle yet, including their first full German headline run.
“Misprint” will be released on LP (gatefold, splatter orange vinyl, limited to 500 copies), digipack CD and digital formats on 10.04.2026, via Mighty Musi
Lineup: Niels Beier – guitar, vocals René Kristensen – bass, vocals Jack Svendsen – guitar Mike Svendsen – drums
EVERGREY, Gothenburg’s masterminds of melancholia, offer up another outburst of beautiful darkness and turn their inner fire into something unstoppable: their intense fifteenth album, Architects Of A New Weave, will be released on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records, just days before the band takes the stage as special guest to the undisputed kings of heavy metal, Iron Maiden, for two shows on their Run For Your Lives World Tour.
This is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed: a plunge into thinning air, burning worlds, and lingering guilt—only to break free with fierce momentum. The album refuses to wallow. It ascends—fast, heavy, and cinematic. But it refuses to hide in the dark. It rises: quick, fierce, and utterly transformative.
Stay tuned for new music coming soon!
Tom Englund about Architects Of A New Weave: “We’ve literally never had this much trouble picking singles. And honestly? That’s the best problem we could possibly have. Every song on this record is fighting to be the one you hear first—because we poured everything into making an album we’re flat-out obsessed with. Like always there are no fillers, no compromises, just twelve tracks we’re stupidly proud of and will be for the rest of our lives. Pre-order the album now and join the weave!”
Dive into Architects Of A New Weave’s standout tracks like “The World is on Fire”, “Leaving The Emptiness”, “Heaven”, and “The Prophecy”, and the breathtaking title anthem “Architects Of The New Weave”. Their choruses break through like sunlight piercing storm clouds: enormous, cinematic melodies that pull you upward, riffs with genuine weight and bite, and vocals dripping with raw, unflinching truth. In one breath, you’re shouldering buried longing; in the next, you’re weightless, fearless, endless. Scars transform into badges of survival, fractures fuel reinvention. In the second half of the album, fellow Gothenburg icon Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect, Grand Cadaver, Cemetery Skyline) joins Tom S. Englund in vocal duties for “A Burning Flame”, the voices of the two scene legends intertwined compellingly. Architects Of A New Weave was produced by Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar, with a stellar mix by Adam “Nolly” Getgood.
Among other exclusive formats, Architects Of A New Weave comes with a bonus album, containing bonus tracks “Heights” and “One Heart”, as well as an album mix of the previously released standalone single “OXYGEN!” (2025). Additionally, it features a demo version of “Longing”, instrumental tracks of “Leaving The Emptiness”, both new songs, as well as a live version of “Falling From The Sun”, the hit single off the previous record, Theories of Emptiness (2024) and continuation of “Ominous” off of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) (2022).
Architects Of A New Weave tracklist:
Welcome To The Pattern
The Shadow Self
Architects Of The New Weave
The World Is On Fire
Heaven
The Script
Leaving The Emptiness
Longing
A Burning Flame
Call Off Your Lions
Chains Of Shame
The Prophecy
Chaos doesn’t claim victory—you do. You step forward as the weaver, rethreading belief, identity, connection, and the very shape of tomorrow into something stronger, brighter, unbreakable. This is melodic, progressive, dark metal at its most massive and intimate: heavy enough to shift mountains, anthemic enough to make you raise your fist and truly believe it. It carries one unshakable truth straight to your core: Nothing—not pain, not darkness, not any storm—gets to label you broken. You’re the power that gathers the fragments and forges real beauty from them. Dream weavers rising. Architects are stepping up to claim what comes next. If you’ve ever felt that inner tug—quiet or roaring—to rewrite your story on your own terms, with zero apologies and complete ownership, this is the soundtrack that turns the urge into certainty. Your battle cry. Your hymn for renewal, creation, and finally stepping into the person you’re destined to be. Whether it launches EVERGREY’s boldest era yet, stands as a fierce standalone declaration, or serves as the pivotal bridge chapter that redefines their path, Architects Of A New Weave is pure cinematic motivation—ready to charge your playlist and propel your momentum forward. It’s as though EVERGREY don’t merely survive adversity—they rise and expand because of it. Every challenge, every setback, every wound seems to become the very oxygen that fuels their music. The darker the storm that once threatened to break them, the more powerfully each note draws breath from that same pain, transforming what hurt them yesterday into the soaring, living heart of their songs today. Architects Of A New Weave seals it: we are no longer victims of the night, but creators of new skies, new beliefs, and entirely new heavens. Grab it now. Let it arm you. This isn’t just an album – it’s the sound of you seizing control and building what’s next.
EVERGREY LIVE 2026
Australian Tour 28.04.26 AU – Perth / The Rosemount 30.04.26 AU – Canberra / The Baso 01.05.26 AU – Sydney / Crowbar 02.05.26 AU – Melbourne / The Corner 03.05.26 AU – Brisbane / Crowbar
Additional Shows & Festivals 25.–26.04.26 BR – São Paulo / Bangers Open Air 08.05.26 AE – Dubai / P7 Arena, Media One Hotel 03.–06.06.26 SE – Norje / Sweden Rock Festival 04.–07.06.26 PL – Gdańsk / Mystic Festival 10.06.26 NL – Amsterdam / (with Iron Maiden) 12.06.26 NL – Uden / De Pul 13.06.26 NL – Zoetermeer / Boerderij 22.06.26 FR – Paris / (with Iron Maiden) 27.06.26 RO – Chimbay / Rockstadt Extreme Fest 11.09.26 US – Atlanta, GA / Headlining Progpower USA
Freedom World Crusade As Special Guest to HammerFall 13.09.26 US – Leesburg, VA 15.09.26 US – New York, NY 16.09.26 US – Worcester, MA 18.09.26 US – Derry, NH 19.09.26 CA – Ottawa, ON 20.09.26 CA – Montreal, QC 22.09.26 CA – Toronto, ON 23.09.26 US – Lakewood, OH 24.09.26 US – Columbus, OH 25.09.26 US – St. Charles, IL 26.09.26 US – Hobart, IN 27.09.26 US – Green Bay, WI 29.09.26 US – Denver, CO 01.10.26 US – Pomona, CA 02.10.26 US – Los Angeles, CA 03.10.26 US – San Juan Capistrano, CA 06.10.26 US – Portland, OR 07.10.26 CA – Vancouver, BC 08.10.26 US – Seattle, WA
BLACK LUNG illustrate the pitfalls of the online world with their electrifying new video ‘Forever Beyond Me‘ as the final advance single from the American psych rockers’ forthcoming new full-length “Forever Beyond“. The fifth album from the Baltimore, Maryland heavy outfit is set for release on March 6, 2026 via Magnetic Eye Records.
BLACK LUNG comment on ‘Forever Beyond Me’: “I wrote this riff after seeing St. Vincent play in D.C. at the Anthem“, vocalist and guitarist David Cavalier reveals. “Her fuzz tone has always been one of my favorites. It’s short, precise, and allows for really percussive and aggressive riffs. After writing the main riff, the rest of the song just fell into place.“
Tracklist: 1. Traveler 2. Death & Co. 3. Savior 4. Follow 5. Forever Beyond Me 6. Border Hoarder 7. Scum
When you find yourself adrift at zero gravity with a dreamy smile on your face, you’ve probably booked a flight into space on BLACK LUNG‘s latest inter-dimensional transport “Forever Beyond”.
The veteran trio from Baltimore, Maryland have fine-tuned the recipe of their musical rocket fuel, distilled from stoner doom, psychedelic rock, and other fiery ingredients. BLACK LUNG‘s unique concoction drives every track with captivating tunes, melodic riffing, pumping rhythms, and the inimitable vocal cords of Dave Cavalier taking it home. Every single song on “Forever Beyond” hits its mark perfectly.
On their fifth album “Forever Beyond”, BLACK LUNG complete the hyper jump initiated on their fourth album “Dark Waves”, which was already venturing into new sonic galaxies. Undertones of anger and defiance manifest as many of the songs are artistic reactions to the historic political upheaval in the USA, dealing lyrically with the lure of fascism, blind nationalism, and corporate oligarchy.
BLACK LUNG came into being when two founding members of Baltimore’s well-established psych rock band THE FLYING EYES, guitarist and organ player Adam Bufano and drummer Elias Schutzman, teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Dave Cavalier in early 2014. The three set themselves apart from the crowded field of psych doom and heavy blues with a sonic interchange of fuzzed-drenched guitars, deep driving drumbeats, and Cavalier’s raw, blues-tinged vocals.
Their self-titled debut “Black Lung” appeared in 2014 and was not just celebrated locally, with the title “Best New Band” awarded by the Baltimore City Paper, but BLACK LUNG also crossed the Atlantic to embark on their first European tour. This was capped with a performance at the prestigious Rockpalast Crossroads Festival, broadcast on German national television.
BLACK LUNG released their sophomore album “See the Enemy” in 2016, building on the strengths of their debut while at times pushing into garage psych territory. The album paved the way for a headlining European tour, notably appearing at Freak Valley Festival and DesertFest Belgium.
In 2019, BLACK LUNG returned with “Ancients”. The third full-length channeled years of experience, touring, and songwriting into a more adventurous course, venturing further from familiar doom and psych rock tropes. During the pandemic years, BLACK LUNG managed to push forward with new guitarist Dave Fullerton, which resulted in fourth album “Dark Waves”. It was a milestone in the band’s career, as they abandoned some of their pet ideas such as eschewing bass guitar live in favour of guitars through bass amps, along with the black and white aesthetics that had dominated their artwork of their first three full-lengths.
BLACK LUNG are openly anti-Trump and anti-fascist to the core and make no secret of it. They have no intention to become dogmatically boring but rather aim for live performances that are both cathartic and fun.
With “Forever Beyond”, BLACK LUNG prove that it is possible to rage against injustice with an utmost joyful defiance!
Line-up: David Cavalier – vocals, guitar Dave Fullerton – guitar Elias Schutzman – drums, keyboard, vocals Mac Hewitt (live) – bass
Recording line-up: Dave Fullerton – guitar Elias Schutzman – drums, percussion, mellotron, synth, bouzouki Dave Cavalier – vocals, guitar Charles Braese – bass
Guest musicians: Ms. Sara – vocals on ‘Traveler’ Robert Karpay – cello on ‘Follow’
Recording by Steve Wright at Wrightway Studios, Baltimore, MD (US) Mixing by Steve Wright at Wrightway Studios, Baltimore, MD (US) Mastering by Tony Eichler at Goldtone MasterWorks, LLC, Cape Coral, FL (US)
Cover image courtesy of the NASA/Ames Research Center Cover image hand-coloured by Zarahlena Layout by Łukasz Jaszak
Ancient storms gather once more as MELECHESH unveils their new single, “Raptors of Anzu,” accompanied by a striking lyric video that channels mythic devastation and divine revelation. The track is the first offering from the band’s forthcoming digital EP, Sentinels of Shamash, set for release on April 10th via new label home Reigning Phoenix Music!
“Raptors of Anzu” descends into a forgotten age, a time when the Ancient Ones ruled beneath darkened suns and the sea was still land. From Eridu, city of kingship and divine law, the will of Anu is unleashed through storm and destruction. The raptors emerge as agents of fate, enslaving the lost and tearing through failing orders as destiny unfolds beyond mortal control. Rage burns without mercy as empires fall, logic collapses, and ancient mechanisms of the soul are set into motion.
What begins as an Anunnian tale becomes a violent revelation. Death fades, knowledge is unveiled, and cosmic order is shattered only to be restored through fire and ruin. With commanding riffs, ritualistic rhythms, and incantatory vocals, MELECHESH conjures a soundscape as apocalyptic as the myth it embodies.
Regarding the signing, the band shares: “We’re proud to have signed with Reigning Phoenix Music, a label run by true fans who deliver professionalism and a personal touch. After some delays which were not in our hands and we have overcome, we’re ready to present our new EP Sentinels of Shamash, unrelenting, diverse, and true to the MELECHESH spirit. We know about all the anticipation and patience you all displayed so we only deliver the best for you.
Now the focus is to play live everywhere and bring the new songs to the stage, while continuing writing and reworking new material for the next without limiting creativity.”
“It is an honor to be able to be part of the next chapter of Melechesh,” says Reigning Phoenix Music co-founder Gerardo Martinez. “They are a band that continues to push boundaries and maintaining that rich artistic aspect that makes them so unique.”
Sentinels of Shamash, stands as a ceremonial descent into ancient law, fire, and cosmic vigilance. Drawing from Mesopotamian myth and the solar judgment of Shamash, god of truth and justice, MELECHESH crafts an offering steeped in divine wrath and esoteric order. Each composition unfolds like a sacred inscription, invoking forgotten gods, fallen kings, and the eternal tension between chaos and balance.
Through commanding riffs, relentless rhythms, and a sonic architecture that bridges ancient cosmology with modern extremity, Sentinels of Shamash delivers a mythological statement rooted in fire, judgment, ruin, and restoration. The sentinels stand eternal guard over fate itself.
Sentinels of Shamash Tracklist: 1. The Seventh Verdict 2. In Shadows, In Light 3. Raptors of Anzu
About MELECHESH:
MELECHESH was formed in 1993 in Jerusalem with the intent to forge what the band defines as Mesopotamian Metal. Rooted in black metal and thrash, their sound draws deeply from Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology, cosmic and occult themes, and incorporates Mediterranean and Middle Eastern musical elements into an extreme metal framework. Over the decades, MELECHESH has evolved into an international musical and cultural phenomenon, known for its distinct identity, scholarly mythological focus, and uncompromising artistic vision. The band remains a singular force within extreme metal, standing apart through both concept and sound.
QWÄLEN have released their new single “Matala Hauta Huutaa”, continuing the path toward their upcoming third album, “Veri Virtaa Edelleen”, due out on March 6th, 2026 via Time To Kill Records.
With this new track, the Finnish outfit pushes further into their raw and confrontational territory, blending scathing black metal intensity with the restless momentum of punk. “Matala Hauta Huutaa” delivers a stark, driving assault that underscores the band’s sharpened focus and growing confidence, while hinting at an album that embraces both ferocity and atmosphere without losing its primal core.
The single is now available on all major streaming platforms, offering another unfiltered glimpse into QWÄLEN’s most direct and uncompromising chapter to date.
Blood continues to flow. The third statement ofQWÄLEN delves into the rottenness of human reality, the abolition of kings and gods, and the bleak, habitual cycle of fraternal violence—concepts that mean nothing to the band, and yet embody everything they express. With the very idea of black metal at its core, QWÄLEN persists in breaking free from the narrow boundaries of the genre. Hail no one but thyself; raise no one on a pedestal but thyself, for borders can only be drawn from within. Gods live only if we allow them. Death becomes the final insult, the ultimate raised middle finger when all is reduced to rocks and bones—the black serpent within, the black flame of rebellion. Hail Satan. Blood continues to flow.
Tracklist:
1. Hunnutettu maa 2. Matala hauta huutaa 3. Kahleet 4. Uusi nahka 5. Kiviä ja luita 6. Pirujen illallinen 7. Veri vastaa 8. Kuolleet jumalat
Formed in 2017, QWÄLEN channels the raw musical backgrounds of its members – active in bands such as Kürøishi, Viimeinen Virhe, Letterbombs and Hoc Est Bellum – into a distinctive interpretation of black metal built on simplicity, rawness, speed and honesty. These foundations shaped their debut, “Unohdan sinut”, which explored self-portrayal, loss, rebuilding, abandonment, misanthropy and Satan. Their second album, “Syvä hiljaisuus”, turned its gaze toward humanity’s sheep-like nature, the inevitability of destruction, the acceptance of flaw and the surrender to greater forces. The new album continues in this vein, embracing the decay of human reality, the fall of kings and gods and the sinister repetition of brotherly violence – motifs that, for QWÄLEN, mean nothing and yet define everything.
As with their previous record, the album was tracked at Waiting Room Recording Studio in Tampere with Mikael Neves, who also handled the mixing. Mastering was completed at Enormous Door by Jack Control, while artwork and layout were created by the always formidable Jussi Pohjanen.
Line-up:
Eetu Viita: Vocals Samuli Similä: Guitar & vocals Antti Kannisto: Guitar & vocals Ville Jylhä: Bass Henri Kaarre: Drums
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 ) 