Swedish royal metal band REXORIA proudly releases their new single “Heart of Sorrow,” taken from their upcoming album, ‘Fallen Dimension,’ set for release on May 8th via Sound Pollution / Black Lodge Records. The new track features Johnny Gioeli (Axel Rudi Pell / Hardline), uniting two distinctive metal voices in a collaboration aimed squarely at fans of melodic metal.
“Heart of Sorrow” is a grand, emotionally charged power ballad that fuses strong melodic hooks with heavy guitars, driven by a commanding vocal performance at it’s core. The interplay between Frida and Johnny Gioeli’s voices creates a striking dynamic: Gioeli’s raw, raspy delivery brings grit and weight, while Frida’s clear and emotive vocals soar above, adding depth, intensity, and power.
The single is accompanied by a cinematic music video, centered on visual storytelling and a strong aesthetic direction that reflects the band’s evolving image and artistic vision.
With “Heart of Sorrow,” REXORIA and Johnny Gioeli deliver a power ballad that leaves a lasting impression — emotional, dramatic, and impossible to ignore.
With their upcoming fourth studio album, REXORIA returns with their signature Royal Metal sound, delivering towering choruses, vivid storytelling, emotional depth, and raw, commanding vocals. The follow-up to the acclaimed ‘Imperial Dawn,’ also released via Black Lodge Records, the band takes a bold and focused step forward.
‘Fallen Dimension’ spans a wide emotional and thematic spectrum, from social commentary and war-driven narratives to heartfelt power ballads and uplifting, hook-laden anthems. Built on atmosphere and intensity, the album captures the unmistakable REXORIA spirit at its most refined.
A standout element of the record is its two exclusive duets, featuring guest performances from Mike Andersson (Tungsten) and Johnny Gioeli (Axel Rudi Pell / Hardline), adding further depth and dynamic range.
Mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Sabaton, Bloodbound, Raubtier, Dynazty), ‘Fallen Dimension’ features 11 powerful tracks that capture the band’s evolved identity and sharpened musical vision.
REXORIA is a proven live force, with over 120 performances across Europe. The band has shared stages and toured with acts such as Battle Beast, Bloodbound, Dynazty, Sirenia, Semblant and Thobbe Englund (Sabaton), and has played at major festivals including Sweden Rock Festival and Malmöfestivalen in 2024.
With over 3 million streams on Spotify and nearly 500,000 YouTube views, REXORIA stands ready for the next step.
Royal Metal is fully formed – with momentum, purpose, and a clear artistic vision.
Southern California band Once To Die released their brand new single “Endure” via Mindful Recordings. The track serves as the second song on The Conquest: Volume 1, the band’s upcoming release and the first chapter in their developing campaign.
“Endure” was formed with the idea of reminding every individual that there is a power inside us all to endure anything in life. Tragedy and loss are inevitable but the strength inside you is the answer.
From the chaotic depths of Southern California, Once To Die was formed in the spirit of introducing powerful yet rupturing experience. Forcing an untainted memorandum that what we face in this life can be conquered against overwhelming odds. The path of conquest we leave in our wake is yet a distinction of the hereafter.
With “Endure,” Once To Die begins the next step in their path forward, setting the tone for what’s to come on The Conquest: Volume 1—a release built on resilience, confrontation, and the relentless will to survive.
CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY — the recording project of Polish-born guitarist, composer, and songwriter ANDRZEJ CITOWICZ, based in Cairo, Egypt — announce the release of Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996, a deeply personal full-length album built from original songs written between the ages of 14 and 20, discovered on two old tape cassettes, and completed three decades later in a home studio.
The album arrives in April 2026 (released yesterday on April 13th) — the same year Andrzej turns 50 — and stands as one of the most honest and emotionally complete works of his recording career.
THE CASSETTES THAT SURVIVED The story begins not in a studio but in the quiet shock of rediscovery. Two tape cassettes surfaced — the earliest musical archive Andrzej ever created. Recorded on an old acoustic guitar in Wałbrzych, Poland, between 1990 and 1996, the demos were raw and unfinished. Some had lyrics. Others were just chord progressions, melodies without words — ideas a teenage boy could hear in his head but was not yet equipped to complete.
They were put away. Life filled the space between then and now. Love, loss, marriage, grief, survival, and the long slow work of understanding who you are. And when those cassettes were finally played again, Andrzej heard not relics — but blueprints. Songs that had always known what they wanted to be. They had simply been waiting for the life that would finish them.
“This is the next chapter of my music journey. I found old tape cassettes. Two of them. My first songs from 1990 to 1996. Some with lyrics. Some without. Just ideas a kid couldn’t finish yet. I wasn’t ready then. I am now.”
BON JOVI, DEF LEPPARD, AND THE SOUND OF A GENERATION To understand Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996, you need to understand what was playing when these songs were first written. Bon Jovi’s New Jersey era. Def Leppard’s Hysteria and Adrenalize. Richie Sambora’s guitar work. Desmond Child’s songwriting architecture. The Europe of Out of This World. Whitesnake. Winger. These were not influences — they were the air Andrzej breathed as a teenager discovering what music could do to the human chest.
That DNA runs through every track on this album — the melodic power ballad structures, the emotional guitar hooks, the stacked harmonies and cinematic arrangements. But Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996 is not nostalgia. It is a conversation between a boy who absorbed those sounds in the early 1990s and a man who has spent thirty years learning what to do with them.
“Bon Jovi’s Always premiered in late 1994. I was 18. I sat down with my guitar and recorded chords that same week — just the feeling.
The Def Leppard influence runs equally deep — not just in the guitar tones and production choices, but in the philosophical approach to the power ballad as a vehicle for emotional truth. Phil Collen and Steve Clark’s harmonized guitar work, the wall-of-sound production of Mutt Lange, the way Hysteria made vulnerability feel enormous — these are the standards Andrzej measured himself against as a teenager and continues to reach toward today.
THE TITLE TRACK: WHERE THE ALBUM FINDS ITS NAME Beautiful Damage — the title track — is the song that gives the entire project its emotional compass. Written in the early 1990s and completed in 2026, it speaks of lost youth not with bitterness but with the strange, hard-earned gratitude of someone who survived long enough to understand what those years were actually worth.
On this track alone, Andrzej is joined by his longtime creative partner and bassist Patryk Szymański — a collaborator of more than a decade, and in every meaningful sense, a brother. Patryk’s bass work on the title song does not simply anchor the rhythm. It speaks its own truth through the arrangement, responding to and deepening the emotional content of the track in the way that only years of musical trust can produce.
“Sometimes you need 50 years of scars to finish what you started at 14 — and left behind in your twenties. I wasn’t ready to write these words then. I needed everything that happened in between to understand what this song was always about.”
“Patryk’s bass on Beautiful Damage says things I didn’t even know the song needed said. That is what happens when you make music with someone you truly trust. They hear what you can’t yet hear yourself.”
Watch Beautiful Damage lyric video here:
A SONG FOR ESTHER: SHEREEN’S GIFT Among the songs on Beautiful Damage: 1990–1994, one stands apart in origin and meaning. A Song For Esther was written for a very special person — and it was Shereen Shoukry Citowicz, Andrzej’s wife of nearly 18 years, who added her touch, her heart, and her voice to bring it fully to life.
Shereen has become one of the most significant creative forces in Andrzej’s musical world. She is not a background presence. She is a full collaborator — her lyrical voice, her emotional instincts, and her willingness to place the most honest parts of herself inside a song have shaped some of the most powerful work Citovitz and The Fireflies of February has ever released.
On A Song For Esther, her contribution is both personal and profound. The song exists because of a person who mattered. Shereen made sure the music was worthy of that person.
“Shereen gave this song what I could not give it alone. She understood who it was for and what it needed to say. Her voice, her heart — they are woven into every note of it. I am grateful every day that she walks this musical journey with me.”
THE SONGS AND THEIR MEANING Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996 is a collection that moves across thirty years of unfinished business. A Song For Esther carries the quiet, irreplaceable weight of a song written for someone specific and made complete by love.
Every song on this album was written during the years when music is absorbed most completely — the teenage years, the early twenties, the period when the heart is fully open and the vocabulary to describe what it feels has not yet arrived. That vocabulary exists now. The album is the proof.
“These are not old songs given a new coat of paint. They are finally what they always wanted to be. The demos were the bones. 2026 gave them everything else.”
THE PHILOSOPHY OF COMPLETION Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996 arrives in the same year as Andrzej’s 50th birthday — the same year he released the My Revenge EP as a declaration of survival. Where that EP looked across fifty years of living, this album reaches back to the very beginning — to the bedroom in Wałbrzych, the acoustic guitar, the cassette player, the boy who felt everything and wrote it down before he understood what he was writing.
Completing these songs was not an act of nostalgia. It was an act of responsibility. To the boy who recorded them. To the music that survived. To the life that made finishing them possible.
“The world is too crazy to wait with dreams. Time to finish them.”
Andrzej Citowicz operates entirely independently — no label, no mainstream industry support, no compromise. His home studio in Cairo is where every note of this album was shaped and recorded. The living room rockstar, as he has called himself — building something real and permanent from the most personal materials available: memory, survival, love, and the guitar his late father Arkadiusz hand-built an amplifier for, all those years ago in Poland.
TRACK CREDITS Music & Guitars: Andrzej Citowicz Bass on ‘Beautiful Damage’: Patryk Szymański Vocals & Heart on ‘A Song For Esther’: Shereen Shoukry Citowicz Lyrics: Andrzej Citowicz / Shereen Shoukry Citowicz (where credited) Originally Recorded: 1990–1996 (acoustic and early electric guitar demos on tape cassette) Completed & Arranged: 2026 Artist: Citovitz and The Fireflies of February
“If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you“, Nietzsche once said.
Insania.11’s new single grabs onto this dizzying crest.
“Abyssus” stares at the concept of Cupio Dissolvi, the fierce desire of self-destruction. It is an obscure impetus sublimated by Latin verses, by the final “Abyssus me quaerit exstinctionis” above all. The lyrics, mostly in Italian, are archaic and primordial invocations directed towards an Immortal Mother whose embrace is hard-edged. She’s the primigenial entity who’s ready to tear apart “questa prigione di carne” (this prison of flesh) with her “falce affilata” (sharp sickle).
If this ancestral presence attracts, seduces and devours, the surrounding witches incarnate demons and instincts to be welcomed without resistance and hosted until every mental and physical remains have gone.
According to Insania.11’s protestation, this is the process of self-destruction necessary to be thrown again into the endless spiral of reincarnation.
The song progresses heavily step by step like an unstable, tortuous, dissonant and lacerating organism to harvest and transfigure the lessons tought by “Bardo Thodol – The Tibetan Book of the Dead” and extract from it a corrosive essence of sounds and images.
This ritual mixture of extreme elements gives birth to a blackened prog-death lava flow, that emerges from an arid land like a sulphurous mist that climbs through the tympanic membranes, insinuates into the brain and grows roots the same way as a venomous plant would do: invasive and irredeemable.
“Abyssus” is the first single to anticipate the forthcoming album “Il mondo aldilà” and it’s available on all digital platforms from April 13th.
Insania.11 were born from the ashes of Insania, a thrash(core) band active between 1989 and 1997, leaving behind a demo and a handful of rough recordings. The project took shape in 2008 as a studio entity led by Samaang, materializing in 2010 with the EP “I Diari di Samaang: lo Stato Larvale.”
After an attempted reunion with part of the original lineup, the path solidified around the core of Samaang and Ethrum which resulted in the release of “Di Sangue e di Luce” (2017), a work that received positive feedback from specialized press despite limited distribution. In 2019 the release of “L’Orrore” followed after a troubled process marked by setbacks and delays.
The work on the new material began in 2019 and took shape partially by pandemic isolation and expanded the creative process into a broader and more structured body of work. Alongside composition, a unified conceptual framework emerged as well as a refinement of vocal techniques through Scream Studios. Upon the completion of arrangements and recordings, the project reached its final form with the support of Marco Allemandi, who handled mixing and mastering at Triora Records.
ENTHEOS will join Jinjer on their North American tour later this Spring. The journey begins on June 5th in Ottawa, Ontario and runs through July 24th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additional support will be provided by Crystal Lake. As an added bonus, ENTHEOS has announced several co-headlining shows with Crystal Lake scattered throughout the tour featuring performances in Detroit, Montreal, Harrisburg, Salt Lake City, and Indianapolis.
Comments vocalist Chaney Crabb, “We’re honored to be supporting Jinjer across the US and parts of Canada alongside Crystal Lake. In addition, we’ve announced a few exclusive co-headlining shows alongside Crystal Lake. We look forward to seeing you all on the road.“
Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
ENTHEOS w/ Crystal Lake Co-Headlining Shows: 6/04/2026 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI ** 6/06/2026 Piranha Bar (Upstairs) – Montreal, QC ** 6/13/2026 Capital City Music Hall – Harrisburg, PA 7/11/2026 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT 7/16/2026 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN
ENTHEOS w/ Jinjer, Crystal Lake: 6/05/2026 Bronson Centre – Ottawa, ON ** 6/07/2026 Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON ** 6/09/2026 Big Night Live – Boston, MA 6/10/2026 Dome At Oakdale – Wallingford, CT 6/12/2026 Paramount Times Square – New York, NY 6/14/2026 The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA 6/16/2026 Roxian – Pittsburgh, PA 6/17/2026 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 6/18/2026 Buckhead Theater – Atlanta, GA 6/19/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN 6/21/2026 House Of Blues – Orlando, FL 6/23/2026 House Of Blues – Houston, TX 6/24/2026 House Of Blues – Dallas, TX 6/25/2026 Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 6/27/2026 Emo’s – Austin, TX 6/28/2026 Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK 6/30/2026 Marquee – Tempe, AZ 7/01/2026 House Of Blues – San Diego, CA 7/02/2026 The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA 7/03/2026 The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA 7/05/2026 Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA 7/07/2026 Roseland Ballroom – Portland, OR 7/08/2026 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC 7/09/2026 Temple Theatre – Tacoma, WA 7/10/2026 Revolution – Boise, ID 7/13/2026 Val Air Ballroom – Des Moines, IA 7/14/2026 The Sylvee – Madison, WI 7/15/2026 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO 7/17/2026 INKarceration – Mansfield, OH ^ 7/19/2026 House of Blues – Chicago, IL 7/21/2026 Summit – Denver, CO ** 7/22/2026 Revel – Albuquerque, NM ** 7/24/2026 House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV ** ** No Crystal Lake ^ festival date
ENTHEOS released their “Empty On The Inside” standalone single last Fall with an accompanying video directed by Malcolm Pugh. Said Crabb, “‘Empty On The Inside’ is a raw, cathartic song about pouring your entire soul into something that you thought would bring fulfillment to your life, but it only makes you feel empty in return. It is ENTHEOS in our purest form, expanding on our grunge and alternative metal sound. This track truly marks the beginning of a new era for our band.”
Watch the video for “Empty On The Inside“:
The single followed the band’s critically adored An End To Everything EP. Wrote Distorted Sound of the release, “If you appreciate innovation in metal and are drawn to music that challenges and excites, An End To Everything is a must-listen. It’s a captivating fusion of fierce energy, deep introspection, and bold creativity, firmly establishing ENTHEOS as one of the most innovative acts in contemporary metal.” Lauded The ProgSpace, “Could this be the most emotionally relevant technical death metal release I’ve heard to date? I’m not sure, but it’s certainly close to the top. ENTHEOS is a unique voice in their genre, and they can do something that will never cease to amaze. They create a fantastic emotional experience out of an extremely technical and clinical performance.” Added Crucial Rhythm, “An End To Everything proves that ENTHEOS continues to thrive as a two-piece, their sound more focused and intense than ever. With the expanded use of clean vocals, deeper exploration of melodic elements, and their trademark technical prowess, this EP showcases a band that’s not afraid to evolve while staying true to their progressive death metal roots. The result is an emotionally resonant and musically adventurous record that leaves a lasting impact. Fans of forward-thinking heavy music will find much to love…“
Preview/purchase ENTHEOS‘ “Empty On The Inside” and An End To Everything at: metalblade.com/entheos
ENTHEOS Live Lineup: Chaney Crabb – vocals Navene Koperweis – drums Scott Carstairs – guitar Michael Stancel – guitar
New Jersey death metal band FUNEBRARUM have revealed the second single, “From Rotting Burial Shrouds,” from their highly anticipated third full-length album, Beckoning the Void of Eternal Silence, that’s set for release on May 29th via Pulverised Records.
The band describes the new song as “a faster, mid tempo track that includes all the elements of early Funebrarum ie: grinding blasts, mid tempo thrash, slow passages of doom – all with the audial essence of impure evil.
The lyrics describe the awakening of the ancient arising from subterranean tombs to reclaim the world. The arrival… of the legions of putrefaction.. Allegory left for the listener to discern. A mayhemic headbanging slaughter!!.”
1. The Arrival (Intro) 2. Beckoning the Void of Eternal Silence 3. Sa Nagba Amāru 4. Through the Barren Halls of Grieving Emptiness 5. Into Dark Domains 6. Ancestral Manor (Intro) 7. Anhela Odor Mortuorum (The Adepts) 8. From Rotting Burial Shrouds 9. Turning the Stones of Torment 10. The Whispering Cathedral 11. Epilogue
Formed in 1999, FUNEBRARUM built a devoted following through their acclaimed releases Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods and The Sleep of Morbid Dreams, later resurfacing in 2015 with a revitalized lineup and the Exhumation of the Ancient EP. After years of writing across continents and a pandemic-era hiatus, the band now return with Beckoning the Void of Eternal Silence, recorded between Portland, OR and Edison, NJ with engineer Stephen De Acutis, delivering their signature cavernous sound at its most ominous.
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
Ads
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 ) 