Extreme metal veterans Stalwart unveil the lyric video for “Sacrifice”, a track taken from their 7th album, “Tempvs Edax Rervm”, out now via Wormholedeath.
“Sacrifice” blends the existential dread with Stalwart’s trademark intensity. The track digs into the fear of being forgotten, following a lone figure wandering through a city that no longer sees him. Stalwart pushes the track into darker territory with lyrics that confront memory, guilt, and the weight of a past scorched by loss. It’s a raw look at a man fighting the silence that threatens to erase him, carried by the band’s signature mix of death, thrash, groove, and prog brutality.
Stalwart’s Tempvs Edax Rervm delves into the inexorable power of time, exploring themes of fading identity and inevitable decay as “heaven and earth have switched places.” The album distills the band’s essence—groove-driven riffs, intricate rhythms, and atmospheric layers—into a heavier, darker, and more focused continuation of their intense, precise metal sound.
Formed in 1999 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Stalwart has built a reputation in the extreme metal scene with a distinctive blend of death, thrash, groove, and progressive metal — combining crushing riffs, intricate rhythms, and atmospheric layers. Over their career, they’ve released six full-length albums through labels including Fono, Soyuz/MetalAgen, CD-Maximum, Metallism, and PRC Music, with four albums produced by the renowned Wiesławski brothers (Vader, Decapitated, Behemoth) at Hertz Studio, Poland. Stalwart has shared stages with Behemoth, Kataklysm, Vader, Amon Amarth, Primal Fear, Finntroll, and Carnifex, performing across Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, and Germany.
After a hiatus starting in 2019, the band returns with their seventh album, Tempvs Edax Rervm, out early 2026 via WormHoleDeath Records, promising crushing grooves, complex rhythms, relentless blast beats, and immersive atmospheres — a new chapter in Stalwart’s evolution.
American Gothic purveyors WAYFARER will be embarking on a full North American tour this spring in support of ORANSSI PAZUZU! The trek will kick off during Northwest Terror Fest on May 8 and will make its way through the continent until the curtain draws on May 30 at Prepare the Ground Festival in Toronto, ON. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets can be found HERE.
WAYFARER guitarist/vocalist Shane McCarthy comments, “We look forward to crossing the country again, this time in the company of one of the strongest artists in contemporary heavy music in Oranssi Pazuzu.
“This trek will signal the end of the AMERICAN GOTHIC era, as that material will ride on stage along with unearthing a few cuts that have not been played in sometime.
“We look forward to ripping stages across the country this spring – join us for a two act bill that shouldn’t be missed.”
WAYFARER will be touring in support of 2023’s critically-acclaimed album, ‘American Gothic,’ which was released on October 27, 2023 via Century Media (Europe) and Profound Lore Records (North America). The album was lauded as one of the best albums of 2023 by Rolling Stone, Decibel Magazine (#3), Metal Hammer UK, and many others! The album can be streamed, downloaded, or ordered HERE.
WAYFARER U.S. Tour Dates:
May 8 – Seattle, WA – Northwest Terror Fest * May 9 – Portland, OR – Star Theater May 11 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall May 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room May 14 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar May 15 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater May 16 – Kansas City, MO – Bottleneck May 17 – Chicago, IL – Reggies May 19 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle May 20 – Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl May 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts May 22 – Baltimore, MD – Maryland Death Fest * May 23 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge May 24 – Boston, MA – Sonia May 26 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom May 27 – Brattleboro, VT – Stone Church May 28 – Portland, ME – SPACE Gallery May 29 – Montreal, Quebec – Piranha Bar May 30 – Toronto, Ontario – Prepare The Ground* *Festival Date
Steeped as deeply in the wells of gothic country and Americana as they are in black metal, WAYFARER have given a sound and a face to the American West in the world of heavy music.
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, and having carved out their identity for over a decade with five full length albums and tours around the world – the band are putting the final notes on the chapter that started with the heralded release of ‘AMERICAN GOTHIC.’
Released in late 2023 to acclaim for music publications worldwide, the album placed at or near the top in many year-end accolades from sources like Rolling Stone, Metal Hammer, Decibel Magazine and more – and saw the band make their mark at festival and club stages around the world.
They ride across the United States one final time for the ‘AMERICAN GOTHIC’ era, alongside Finland’s mind melting ORANSSI PAZUZU in their first proper US tour in nearly a decade. WAYFARER will take stages across the country with riff soaked elegies of blood and gunpowder in tow.
Lineup: Isaac Faulk: Drums James Hansen: Bass, Vocals Shane McCarthy: Guitars, Vocals Joey Truscelli: Guitars
Frontiers Music Srl is proud to announce a historic and long-awaited event for melodic hard rock fans: Giant will reunite their original lineup for a full show appearance at the Frontiers Rock Festival 2026, taking place on May 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 2026 at the Live Club in Trezzo sull’Adda (Milan), Italy.
Originally formed in the late ’80s by brothers Dann and David Huff, together with the experienced jazz and rock keyboardist Alan Pasqua and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello, Giant would have become one of the most respected bands of the melodic hard rock scene, since the release of their debut album “Last Of The Runaways” (A&M Records, 1989).
Following countless live performances in support of their debut, the band released the follow-up “Time To Burn” (Epic, 1991), an album still regarded as a main source of influence for many melodic and hard rock bands who came after. In the early ’90s, Giant disbanded, with their members becoming involved in different projects, with both Dann and David Huff becoming well respected producers.
In 2001, Frontiers prompted Giant to release “III”, an album that would prove to be a landmark in the growth of the new era Melodic Rock scene, particularly in Europe. Unfortunately, Dann’s busy schedule along with the other members’ commitments made the reunion impossible to carry on as had originally been planned; however, the vision of bringing Giant back as a band with a recording and touring line-up was something that the band was still open to exploring, even if Dann had to step away.
Thus, original members, drummer David Huff and bassist Mike Brignardello, with the blessing of Dann started endless research for the right musicians that could be part of a renewed Giant line-up. In the end, the choice fell on vocalist Terry Brock (ex-Strangeways) and guitarist John Roth (Winger, Starship).
The resulting album, “Promise Land” soon became a fan favorite, showcasing top quality songwriting and performances. Giant, however, went into hibernation again, with the exception of a one-off show in 2017, where the original band members reunited on a Nashville club stage for a charity event.
That event piqued fan interest and Frontiers and David Huff started talking again to see if they could manage to find the right formula for a new album from Giant. When the Swedish band Perfect Plan released a cover version of the Giant’s original hit “Stay” in 2019, then all pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place.
Huff and Brignardello were keen on the idea of Kent handling lead vocals for the next Giant release. Dann Huff gave his seal of approval, appearing on lead guitar on the single “Never Die Young”, which anticipated the successful release in 2022 of the “Shifting Time” album. Giant released their latest studio album, “Stand And Deliver”, in May 2025.
At the Frontiers Rock Festival 2026, Giant will reunite the original lineup, featuring Dann Huff on lead guitar, David Huff on drums, and Mike Brignardello on bass and will be joined by U.S. singer Bryan Cole. The lineup will be completed by Mark Oakley, who also served as second guitarist during the band’s first two album tours, and Larry Hall on keyboards.
For this special appearance, Giant will perform many of their most legendary songs, primarily drawn from the first two albums, which defined their sound and left an indelible mark on the melodic hard rock genre.
As part of the festival’s exclusive Platinum VIP Experience, fans will also have the rare opportunity to attend a Q&A session with Giant at the venue, offering an intimate look into the band’s history, legacy, and this very special reunion.
This special appearance marks a rare and celebratory moment in the history of the band, and offers fans a unique opportunity to witness the original lineup together on stage once again, in a setting that honours the deep and long-standing relationship between Giant and Frontiers.
Furthermore, next year’s Frontiers Rock Festival will expand its VIP offer with some exclusive VIP Experience Packages. Don’t miss your chance and grab one of these at frontiersrockfestival.com.
Kevin Steele recently announced his first solo album, One Thing Left To Do, that will be released on February 27, 2026, via Steele Records/Amplified Distribution. The first single “Snake Charmer” is out now on digital services and Kevin now releases the lyric video for the single.
In a review of the entire album Sleaze Roxx had this to say about the track “Snake Charmer”, “Snake Charmer” is a hypnotic and very seductive dose of sleaze that was, quite rightly in my opinion, released as a single and is already a highlight on here.
“Snake Charmer was one of the first songs we recorded and it’s one of my favorite songs on the record. It’s a song about seduction, temptation and obsession. It’s a tale as old as the original sin. We went for a fuzz guitar sound ala Keith Richards when he slashed his speaker cones with a razor blade to get that kind of nasty distortion. It’s got a really good, sexy groove. It’s kind of hypnotizing. That’s an actual Indian snake charming Punji flute at the beginning and end of the song.” – Kevin Steele
The album features the first single “Snake Charmer”, with its sexy, hypnotic groove and killer guitar riffs it explores the age-old dilemma of female wiles versus a man’s blind obsession. The second single, “There’s A Better Day Comin’”, is a soaring Rock ‘n’ Roll anthem of hope. Its gospel-like arrangement is meant to convey a feeling of optimism in a world where we could all use some. In the third single, “Sad, Sad Song”, Steele delivers a poignant ballad recounting his hardscrabble life and tragic youth. Guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye.
All of these songs showcase Kevin’s masterful songwriting across all the musical styles that have shaped his colorful career, including glam, punk, rock, blues, and even southern gospel. Kevin’s band Roxx Gang were one of America’s great bands and the first rock band signed to Virgin Records in America. Their debut record, the classic “Things You’ve Never Done Before”, sold over 250,000 copies. In a way, they were the bridge between glam and grunge and The Mojo Gurus played a vital role in keeping rock-n-roll alive in “the Tens” working with legendary producers Jack Douglas (John Lennon, Aerosmith, New York Dolls) and Tommy Henricksen (Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, The Hollywood Vampires). With One Thing Left To Do, Steele brings his musical journey full circle with a truly remarkable record that you just have to hear.
Joining Kevin on this new record is guitar phenom / co producer Billy Summer (Florida, Luxury Mane, The New Brutarians)whose music has been heard on major TV shows and films such as Ted Lasso, The Affair, Harpoon, Life and Beth, Chicago Fire, Property Brothers and many others.The result is one hot slab of Rock ‘n’ Roll revelry covering several genres that showcase a track list of impressive playing and songwriting.
“Billy and I made such a great team. Instant connection of the minds. He knew instinctively where I was going musically with each song before I would even tell him. That’s why they call us the Cosmic Twins”, said Kevin.
The band is an allstar collection of Tampa Bay, Florida musicians playing at the top of their game. They formed an instant camaraderie and the good times had in the recording sessions shine across every track!
Also, on Friday, February 27 he celebrates the release of his new record at Bayboro Brewing Company. Kevin will perform the new record in its entirety, backed by an all-star band of Tampa Bay musicians featuring guitarist Billy Summer.
Bayboro Brewing Company Presents: Kevin Steele – Record Release Concert
Special Guests: Saints of Saturn – Recent winners of Hard Rock Rising – Tampa
Friday February 27, 2026 Bayboro Brewing Company 2390 5th Ave. S., Saint Petersburg, FL (727) 767-9666 Doors at 7:00 PM – Show at 8:00 PM – All Ages
Kevin Steele – One Thing Left To Do
One Thing Left To Do 2:33
Snake Charmer 3:44
The Bedspring Boogie 2:48
I Know What Yer Up To 2:22
Sad, Sad Song 6:29
The 9 Lives Blues 3:36
Fingers Crossed 5:40
Nobody Tells Me When To Quit (The Na Na Song) 4:25
My Baby Didn’t Come Home Last Night 2:42
There’s A Better Day Comin’ 4:38
Kevin Steele – Lead Vocals, Harmonica Billy Summer – Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Percussion Steve Peake – Keyboards Steven C. Tanner – Drums Rob Pastore – Pedal Steel Guitar Jim Stevens – Bass on “The 9 Lives Blues” Kyle Lovell – Drums on “I Know What Yer Up To” Scott Myers – Trombone, Vocals Adam Turkel – Vocals, Percussion Linda Militello & Zoe Summer – Vocals
All songs written by Kevin Steele – Too Cool Music Publishing – BMI except Sad, Sad Song written by Kevin Steele & Billy Summer Too Cool Music Publishing – BMI & Billy Summer Music – BMI
Recorded at The Ward, St. Petersburg, FL Produced by the Cosmic Twins (Billy Summer & Kevin Steele) Engineered by Billy Summer Mastered by Brian Merrill at Studio B, St. Petersburg, FL Cover Art by Adam Turkel Photography by Linda Militello
Swedish progressive metal masters SEVENTH WONDER are thrilled to announce their return with a new single, “Eternal Flame”, a revisited version of John Norum’s hit, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
The song marks an exciting new chapter in the band’s journey, featuring their new lead vocalist Mattias Olofsson (Grand).
Bassist Andreas Blomqvist commented: “Seventh Wonder is finally back with a new voice on the microphone. Those who have known us through the years know that we work slowly and, in order to avoid delaying the album, we opted for a cover song to introduce Mattias to the world”.
“John Norum and Marcel Jacob, who wrote and play on the original track from 1987, have been very important in shaping the origins of Seventh Wonder and we though a little modified version of this 80s rocker would be a fun way to say “Hello, World!”, he continued. “We hope you like it and, while you give this track a few spins, we’ll head back to the studio to wrap up the new album!”
Seventh Wonder are excited to announce the recording of their first studio album since the departure of previous singer Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), showcasing Mattias Olofsson on the microphone.
Blomqvist said: “We really took our time in finding a new singer and, while the rest of the band remains unchanged and therefore also much of the songwriting, we are excited to go to new places where haven’t ventured before as Mattias will put his mark on the band’s sound. Super excited for 2026!”
Seventh Wonder was formed in 2000 by bass player Andreas Blomqvist, guitarist Johan Liefvendahl and drummer Johnny Sandin after their previous band fell apart and quickly recruited keyboard player Andreas “Kyrt” Söderin in late 2000.
Lion Music signed the band in 2004, and this collaboration spawned the first release of Seventh Wonder and ‘Become’ saw the light of day in June 2005. The band and their singer at the time, Andi, decided to part ways shortly after the recording process had ended, and Tommy Karevik (ex: Vindictiv and later Kamelot) joined the band in 2005.
Three studio albums were recorded (“Waiting In The Wings” in 2006, “Mercy Falls” in 2008 and “The Great Escape” in 2010) with this set-up, widely lauded as the peak of progressive metal at that time.
After The Gret Escape founding member Johnny Sandin left the band and Stefan Norgren (ex: Lion’s Share) joined for the double live album “Welcome To Atlanta” (2016), this line-up also released “Tiara” (2018) and “The Testament” (2022). Tommy left the band after The Testament tour concluded and once again the search for a new singer began.
Now, with Mattias Olofsson joining the band, Seventh Wonder are currently working on completing what will be the band’s seventh studio album.
Line Up: Andreas Blomqvist Johan Liefvendahl Andreas Söderin Stefan Norgren Mattias Olofsson
In keeping with black metal’s fiercely individual spirit, Bizarrekult began its journey in Norway as a lone wolf. Much like the previous two retreats into the studio from lone mastermind Roman V., his upcoming third album emerged slowly and painstakingly from a deeply personal crisis. But the post-black metal luminary continues to expand his tortured vision by not breaking so much as bending with the genre’s storied traditions. On Alt Som Finnes, he confronts all there is with devastating clarity.
Today, Bizarrekult is releasing the third and final advanced single from Alt Som Finnes (All There Is). Caught between blistering rage and shadowy despair, “Avmakt” (Powerlessness) fights for control against the powers that be.
“ This song deals with feeling like you have no control”, Roman says. “We carry on as bystanders, powerless over the direction of our lives”.
Can’t wait to hear Alt Som Finnes? RSVP for this week’s Bandcamp Listening Party and hear all eight absorbing songs before the album comes out.
Alt Som FinnesBandcamp Listening PartyonThursday, February 5 @ 1:30 pm Eastern Time – RSVP
On the previous twosingles from Alt Som Finnes, for the first time, Roman was accompanied by guest vocalists in Yusaf “Vicotnik” Parvez (Dødheimsgard) and Lina R. (Predatory Void, Cross Bringer). But “Avmakt” leaves him no choice but to fend for himself. His wounded howl doesn’t fill but tear through the void of existence, greeted by riffs that flash nothing but cruel indifference.
While Bizarrekult preserves the manic energy of old-school black metal, Alt Som Finnes strips away all our defenses with more post-metal ambience. A hypnotic pounding of drums takes hold beneath the swarm of “Avmakt”, though only for a brief yet terrifying moment. As if dropped from the sky by some terrible unseen force, the shards of melody fall then fade like the last glimmer of hope.
“I was not ready for all this”, Roman says about Alt Som Finnes. “None of us are, when the time comes. But at the end of this journey, it seems to have all been worth it. The music gave me hints as to where to go and what can be”.
Tracklist
1. Hun (02:58) 2. Blikket Hennes (06:18) [WATCH] 3. Avmakt (06:10) [LISTEN] 4. Håp (06:22) 5. Drøm (04:42) [WATCH] 6. Verdens Verste (04:22) 7. Aversjon (05:24) 8. Tomhet (06:27) Full runtime: 42:45
Picture the ocean from inside the eye of a storm. Each rising wave presents its own unique threat, churned by the changing of the tides. But no matter how far you sink below the surface, all there is to see is one continuous expanse of water. This is the tortured yet piercingly clear headspace from which post-black metal curio Bizarrekult slowly and painstakingly emerged with its absorbing third album Alt Som Finnes.
“I was not ready for all of this”, says Bizarrekult’s sole mastermind Roman V. “None of us are, when the time comes. But at the end of this journey, it seems to have all been worth it. The music gave me hints as to where to go and what can be”.
In keeping with black metal’s fiercely individual spirit, Roman began his life as Bizarrekult as a lone wolf. The one-man project started in 2006 as a musical accompaniment to the poetic verses he’d written since childhood. However, it’s official recorded debut didn’t come until fifteen years later, after he moved from Siberia to Norway. Living closer to the genre’s birthplace inspired him to bend but not break with tradition. Bizarrekult can be as cold and raw as early Darkthrone, as eerily melodic as Enslaved, or as blistering in its beauty as Borknagar.
“Norway has become my second home”, Roman says upon reflection. “The years that led to the revitalization of Bizarrekult were spent reflecting on myself and reuniting with the things that are important – art and creativity”.
On Bizarrekult’s first album, Roman looked back on his childhood and family life while also examining his changing relationship with the world at large. Released in 2021, Vi Overlevde (We Survived) was perceived as a beacon of hope amidst the second trying year of the pandemic. Charting near the top of Sweden’s biggest newspaper’s year-end list attracted the attention of Season of Mist, who released 2023’s more expansive follow-up Den Tapte Krigen (The Lost War) to further critical acclaim.
“…as Bizarrekult matures, so does its songwriting” wrote Angry Metal Guy. “The result is an album that flows like a stream through a dark forest”.
Alt Som Finnes (All There Is) maintains the classic energy of the old school. “Drøm” seeks to escape into the comfort of dreams, chased by frantic riffs and hallucinatory screams. “It’s in our dreams that we can finally relax from everything that happens during the daytime”, Roman says. “You can grasp at who you actually are, the meaning of yourself”. While Bizarrekult remains rooted in Norwegian black metal, the album strips away all defenses while adding more post-metal ambience. “Verdens verste” rails against consumerism with blistering grooves, while “Avmakt” surges and seethes in a fight for control before losing power amidst melodies that fall then fade like dying pinpricks of light.
As with Bizarrekult’s two previous retreats into the studio, Alt Som Finnes emerged from a deeply personal crisis. Only this time, Roman is not alone in confronting all there is. He’s joined in his struggle by guest vocalists from Predatory Void, MØL and Dødheimsgard. Behind a steady pounding of double bass, lead single “Blikket Hennes” buzzes with the all-consuming darkness of a guilty conscience, only for Yusaf “Vicotnik” Parvez to enlighten with soothing cleans.
“I wrote to Yusaf not about music, but life and its difficulties”, Roman says. “It became a connection”.
No one emerges unscathed from Alt Som Finnes. But while riddled with regrets, album closer “Tomhet” breaks new ground as the first Bizarrekult song sung in English. “Am I alone like this? No, we are many”. It’s a damning realization, but also a call for all of us to become something greater.
Line-up Roman V. — Vocals Ignat P. — Guitars & Bass Alexander P. — Drums
Production Credits Recorded at Seaside Room. Produced, mixed & mastered by Miguel Tereso at Demigod Recordings, Portugal.
Guest Musicians Yusaf “Vicotnik” Parvez (Dødheimsgard) — Vocals on “Blikket Hennes” Lina (Predatory Void / Cross Bringer) — Vocals on “Drøm” (Recorded by Tim De Gieter) Kim Song Sternkopf (Møl) — Vocals on “Tomhet”
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
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 