Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to guitarist Andy Larocque (King Diamond) and Pete Blakk (ex King Diamond) guitarist about their debut LEX LEGION album reuniting the King Diamond THEM Conspiracy Line-up.
Larqocque was asked about the musical direction of their debut album and he said, “I would say it’s heavy metal based on the 80s because that’s what we’re kind of born and raised with. Late 70s, early 80s style with a touch of darkness but still I would say is accessible and it’s got a great flow from the very beginning to the end of the songs. It’s not very progressive. I mean, if you compare to what we did back in the old days, this is a little bit more accessible, I would say. And also a lot of melodies which I think is really really important but you know 80ish heavy metal with some really interesting elements you know within the songs of course without being too technical or progressive. “
Lex Legion is a brand-new band comprised of old friends with incredible heavy metal pedigree. Comprising four-fifths of the classic late 1980s King Diamond lineup. Vocalist Nils K. Rue, Pete Blakk, Hal Patino, Andy LaRocque and Mikkey Dee.
Deep Purple will release their new studio album SPLAT! on July 3rd on earMUSIC.
With more than 120 million albums sold since forming in 1968, Deep Purple have long secured their place in rock history. Rather than simply preserving their legacy, they continue to extend it, driven by the same spirit that defined their earliest work.
‘Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies.’
Once again, the band has teamed up with renowned producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper). Together, they have crafted an album that draws on the sound and attitude that has always set Deep Purple apart from the rest.
SPLAT! is the heaviest Deep Purple album in many years, with the band playing together in the studio – the way Deep Purple have always recorded.
Ian Gillan: ‘I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘Lazy’ – the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73.’
At the heart of SPLAT! is an idea conceived by Ian Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation: SPLAT! explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
The album concept will be revealed further in the weeks leading up to its release on July 3rd. Follow Deep Purple and earMUSIC on socials to stay tuned.
To celebrate the release, Deep Purple will continue their extensive 2026 touring touring schedule with no fewer than 86 shows across 28 countries on three continents.
New music from SPLAT! is already on the way. Deep Purple invite fans to follow the journey in the weeks ahead.
Ian Gillan sums it up: ‘Deep Purple is in a great place right now.’
SPLAT! will be available on July 3rd in multiple formats:
Limited Box Set, containing:
2LP Gatefold (180g)
12-page vinyl-sized booklet
CD Digisleeve
3 exclusive 10-inch vinyl records featuring live recordings from the Deep Purple Tour 2024
Exclusive 7-inch single featuring the bonus track ‘GUINNESIS’ (not included on the studio album and available exclusively in the box set!)
Norwegian-Swedish atmospheric outfit Kalandra present a striking new reinterpretation of Radiohead’s Everything in Its Right Place — transformed through language, tone, and sonic weight into a version that resonates far beyond its origins.
What began as an impromptu soundcheck experiment quickly evolved into a fully realized artistic statement: a New Norse (Nynorsk) translation of the iconic Radiohead track. Rather than a straightforward cover, Kalandra’s approach reframes the song’s emotional core, using language itself as a creative instrument.
By translating the lyrics into Nynorsk, the band taps into a distinctly Nordic sense of atmosphere — amplifying the original’s unease, introspection, and quiet tension while embedding it in their own sonic identity. The result is a version that feels both familiar and disarmingly new: grounded in the fragile stillness of the original, yet carried forward by a darker, more cinematic pulse.
Crucially, this reinterpretation arrives with full approval from the original band and rights holders. The endorsement reflects a shared respect for the song’s legacy while opening it to a new cultural and linguistic context. The band explains:
“If you’re into Radiohead, like we are, you might recognise their influence in some of our work. We tried to stay true to that fragile balance – olding onto both the stillness and the underlying tension, ready for something new.”
Norwegian-Swedish collective Kalandra have spent over a decade carving out a distinct space between atmospheric rock, Nordic folk, and cinematic metal, building a reputation for immersive soundscapes and emotionally charged compositions.
Emerging with their debut album The Line in 2020, the band quickly gained international attention for their haunting, minimalist aesthetic — where delicate vocals meet brooding, slow-burning arrangements. Their sound, often drawing comparisons to artists operating on the fringes of metal and post-rock, is defined as much by restraint as it is by intensity.
But Kalandra’s story stretches further back. Formed in 2011 in Liverpool by vocalist Katrine Stenbekk, the band developed their identity through relentless live performances in the UK before returning to Norway and solidifying their lineup. Over the years, they have steadily expanded their reach — from intimate club shows to major festival stages including Hellfest.
Touring alongside artists such as Wardruna, Heilung and Leprous, Kalandra have connected with audiences across Europe and Australia, bridging scenes that span folk, post-rock, and progressive metal.
Their work on the soundtrack for Kingdom Two Crowns: Norse Lands further cemented their ability to translate atmosphere into narrative, while their 2024 album A Frame of Mind marked a turning point — expanding both the sonic scope and emotional weight of their material.
Now, in 2026, Kalandra mark 15 years as a band, continuing to evolve while staying rooted in a sound that feels both timeless and deeply personal. Their music has travelled far beyond its Nordic origins, resonating with a global audience drawn to its sense of space, tension, and quiet power.
The band comments: “Unearthly Kingdoms ‘Neath Lifeless Stars is an amalgam of the three members’ personal black metal preferences that was produced in weeks after the idea was thrown out there by Maleficarum. Because the creation of the music itself was a very fast-paced process, a lot of the themes emerged only as we moved on to actually record the songs. Angrmáni composed the songs in a short amount of time, and wrote the lyrics afterwards. Each song is meant to evoke mental images of post-apocalyptic rituals of the occult, so the soundscape of the album is filled to the brim with cold and shrieking guitars and black metal growls, as if the songs were being played among ruins surrounded by boundless ancient battlefields. Immortal might have inspired us a lot there. The songs were recorded in a cabin in the middle of a forest, as well as in our rehearsal place. The final product was mixed and mastered by Abyssias at his home studio. The lyrics were very much inspired by all matters of esoteric and occult scriptures, which were mixed together with overlaying misanthropia. We felt that this way we got the most out of both the old school of black metal as well as what black metal has nowadays evolved into. It’s a sort of melting pot of camp and cult, so to speak. It is not unlikely that you will see Acolythus on stage in the future, and surely we will make more music. And that might just be a lot sooner than you think…”
Track list:
Among Ruins Forlorn
Scholars of Empires Beyond
As the Slaughtered Wizards Reincarnate
Frozen Desolate Warfields
Vacuous Gods of the Abyss
Unearthly Kingdoms ‘Neath Lifeless Stars
In the Fading Light of Burning Cathedrals
–All music written and produced by Acolythus –Mix & Master by Teemu Leskinen –Album cover art by Matias Stenman
BIOGRAPHY:
Acolythus is a project strongly rooted in traditional black metal, boasting straightforward aggression coupled with a recognizable Finnish melodic approach to the genre. Featuring members from Convulse, Sargassus and Jotungrav, the band was born as an outlet for the musicians’ black metal aspirations. After the inspiration struck, ‘Unearthly Kingdoms ‘Neath Lifeless Stars’ was written and recorded in a matter of weeks. The album aims at conveying the aggression and feeling behind the music in its purest form. Hence in Acolythus’ music, the listener will only hear real instruments being played by real people – free of all edits and tricks that dominate the modern metal sound. Thematically Acolythus centers itself around esoteric and occult knowledge, as well as a somewhat misanthropic and post-apocalyptic focus on humanity. Much of the inspiration from which the music is born out of can be traced to the mystical worldbuilding and wordweaving of bands such as Alghazanth, Immortal and Emperor, to name a few. In short, Acolythus provides the listener with poetic hymns and sermons of woe, accompanied by blazing and ice-cold riffs in the most authentic way black metal should be performed in.
Scarlet Aura have released the new single and music video “On The Wings of the Wind” (Pe aripile vântului), the first release taken from the band’s upcoming studio album, scheduled for release later this year.
“On The Wings of the Wind” is part of Scarlet Aura’s third Romanian-language album and also marks the band’s 11th official release. The new single opens a fresh artistic chapter for the band, bringing a modern, cinematic and emotional sound while keeping the energy and identity that have defined Scarlet Aura throughout the years.
With a message about freedom, self-discovery, inner strength and transformation, the song reveals a new face of Scarlet Aura — more mature, more direct and emotionally connected to its audience.
“There are moments when music becomes more than sound. It becomes voice, emotion, truth. This new song speaks about the moment when you choose to be yourself, without fear and without compromise.” — Aura Dănciulescu
The release comes during a period of growing international interest in Romanian rock music, while Scarlet Aura continues to build its artistic direction around the band’s central message:
“You are not alone.”
The official music video for “On The Wings of the Wind” delivers a cinematic atmosphere inspired by symbols already associated with the band — wind, wings, light and rebirth — creating an intense and emotional visual universe.
The upcoming album, also titled “On The Wings of the Wind”, explores themes such as inner freedom, transformation, courage and rebirth and features the following track-list:
Prelude to Infinity
On The Wings of the Wind
Rise Up
Wild Scarlet
Memories
I Don’t Even Know
Cry of Fire
What Remains
Daughter of the Wind
The Thorn Bird
Metal Mania
Following the single release, the band performs on May 16, 2026 at Rock The Camp, marking the first major live appearance of this new Scarlet Aura era.
Finnish extreme metal band Saasta, hailing from Kotka, has released a 12-track album titled “Cesspool”. The new record makes no pretense of being anything other than what it is: rotten, heavy, and merciless. The album is divided into two parts: The Sanctum and The Abyss. The first builds a lie; the second destroys it.
“This isn’t a story of growth. This is a documentary of decay.”
The sound is dynamic, intense, and unsettling—surging straight ahead, at times even painful to listen to. On the vocal side, Leevi Kärsämä uses his entire vocal range, from the lowest growls to piercing screams, which bind Topias Jokipii’s raw guitar sound, Janne Hietanen’s brooding bass, and Jimi Lahtinen’s aggressive drumming into a single cohesive whole. Each song is part of the same pressure that builds and eventually collapses under its own weight.
“When everything is stripped away, all that remains is what can no longer be hidden.”
The album was recorded at Saasta’s home studio in Kotka during 2025. Ben Jones handled the mixing and mastering; his touch can also be heard on Saasta’s previous release, “Black|Death|Doom” (EP, 2023).
The album is accompanied by five music videos, four of which were released before the album’s release. And the final The Plagued is now also released and you can watch it from HERE. All of the videos were produced by Saasta in a raw DIY spirit, with the support of a large group of volunteers.
The album’s release and distribution are handled by the Finnish label Inverse Records.
Track list / ISRC-codes:
The Leeches – FI3FC2654201
The Caricature – FI3FC2654202
The Coffin – FI3FC2654203
The Imposter – FI3FC2654204
The Plagued – FI3FC2654205
The March – FI3FC2654206
The Envy – FI3FC2654207
The Maelstrom – FI3FC2654208
The Woe – FI3FC2654209
The Ironclad – FI3FC2654210
The Entrencher – FI3FC2654211
The Retribution – FI3FC2654212
Focus tracks: 03. The Coffin, 05. The Plagued, 10. The Ironclad
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 ) 