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NARGAROTH Premiere New Album “Apocalyptic Steel”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: NARGAROTH. Leave a comment
Photo by © Leandro Cherutti

NARGAROTH, the German black metal project of Rene “Ash” Wagner, premiered their new album yesterday. A tribute to Judas Priest, Accept, Deicide, Obituary, Motörhead and other legends who shaped Ash’s identity as a metalhead, Apocalyptic Steel arrives fast, dirty and on its own terms.

“Apocalyptic Steel, radically different as it is, seems like a very appropriate expansion of Nargaroth’s catalog”, New Noise writes in a 5/5 review. “Ash now digs further back into the crux of what he loves”.  

Listen to Apocalyptic Steel on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel.

Apocalyptic Steel was released on June 26 on Season of Mist: Underground Activists. Order: https://orcd.co/nargarothapocalypticsteel

Apocalyptic Steel was tracked over a single weekend in September 2014 at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California, with Mike Williams (Mummification) on guitar and bass, and Phil Cancilla (Malevolent Creation, Hank Williams 3) on drums. Left on a hard drive in the United States while Era of Threnody, took priority, Nargaroth’s upcoming new album resurfaced years later. Drums were re-recorded at Skeleton Key Studios in Las Vegas in July 2022, and vocals were recorded alongside the mixing and mastering at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025, with engineer Jens Forster. Twelve years after its original sessions, Apocalyptic Steel is finally here.

Nargaroth will celebrate the release of Apocalyptic Steel on June 26 with an exclusive album release show in Bochum Germany at Matrix. Presented by Redback Promotion and Season of Mist, during this special evening, Ash and his bandmates will perform two full sets: one filled with classic songs from the band’s 30-year history and another premiering Apocalyptic Steel in full.  Fans can meet the band prior to the show during a meet-and-greet session.  

Get tickets: www.redback.deinetickets.de.

Tracklist:

  1. Intro (00:34)
  2. Steel Apocalypse (03:58)
  3. Twisted Steel (03:37)
  4. I Drink Alone (04:26)
  5. Metalheart (04:17)
  6. Dresden (04:21)
  7. Shelter the Faithless (06:27)
  8. Man of Mayhem (06:15)
  9. Requiem Germania (05:10) [WATCH]
    Full runtime: 39:07

NARGAROTH is the sole vision of Rene “Ash” Wagner, forged in Saxony in 1996 and driven by nearly three decades of raw, uncompromising German black metal.

Apocalyptic Steel is a record that refused to stay buried. Tracked in a single weekend at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California, in September of 2014, the album sat forgotten on a hard drive in the United States while Era of Threnody took priority. Years later, the recordings resurfaced. Drums were re-recorded in Las Vegas, vocals and mixing completed at AMP Studios in Duisburg, and twelve years after its first sessions, the album is finally here. This is not a vault curiosity. It is Nargaroth at its most direct: nine tracks of filthy, unadorned metal built on the attitude of old Judas Priest, Accept, Deicide and Obituary. From the predatory menace of “Twisted Steel” to the band-name-studded battle cry of “Metalheart”, from the unflinching historical weight of “Dresden” to the aching Germanic longing of “Requiem Germania”, this is an album that has nothing to prove and wastes nothing on pretence. Recorded fast, recorded dirty, and finished on its own terms.

Recording Line-up:
Ash — Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Mike Williams (Mummification) — Guitar, Bass
Phil Cancilla (Malevolent Creation, Hank Williams 3) — Drums

Current Line-up:
Ash — Vocals
Fernando Cortez (Hacavitz, Ash Nazg Burz, Through Torment) — Guitar
Julio Rodas — (Dreamlore, Tim-Ripper-Owens) — Guitar
Pavulon (Vader, Belphegor, Decapitated, VLTIMAS) — Drums

Production Credits:
Instruments recorded during a weekend session in September 2014 at Trident Studios in Pacheco, CA (Juan Urteaga).
Drums were re-recorded in July 2022 at Skeleton Key Studios in Las Vegas, NV, USA (Rylie Ellen Wechta from Sound Horizon Production).
Vocals recorded at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025 (Jens Förster).
Mixing, and mastering took place at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025 by Jens Förster.

Cover Art:
Cover artwork was hand-drawn and created by Felipe Mora.
CD artwork by Anne-Kristin G.
Additional artwork in the CD booklet are a homage to classic Metal album covers and was done by Jenglot Hitam.

Photography:
David Perga, photography in CD booklet.

Follow Nargaroth:
Bandcamp: https://nargaroth.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialnargaroth/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nargaroth.official/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NargarothChannel
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/nargaroth/1087036045
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0aIcU4OHpKl7lpcRQp32Eo
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/12064
Tidal: https://stage.tidal.com/artist/7687559

KING ZEBRA Unveil New Video Single ‘A Love I’ve Never Known’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: KING ZEBRA. Leave a comment
Photo by Zaida Haener

Swiss rockers King Zebra are pleased to unveil their new single and official video, “A Love I’ve Never Known”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band stated: “Some hearts know where they belong and some have to search for love seemingly their whole life. “A Love I’ve Never Known” is a rip-roaring power rock ride dedicated to those who keep on believing they’ll find true love.”

Stream “A Love I’ve Never Known” HERE

Hailing from the picturesque city of Zurich, Switzerland, King Zebra is a melodic hard rock powerhouse that has been making waves in the international rock scene since their inception in 2017. 

Led by the charismatic frontman Eric St. Michaels, a seasoned veteran in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, the band has been on a relentless journey to redefine the genre with their electrifying sound.

Eric St. Michaels, originally from the vibrant rock scene of New Jersey, found a new home in Switzerland over two decades ago. His powerful and soulful vocals are best known from his time as the former lead singer of the renowned band China. With King Zebra, Eric has embarked on a new musical odyssey, taking his rich experience and passion for rock to new heights.

In 2019, the band gained international attention with the release of an EP. Since then, King Zebra has performed at festivals such as Rock the Ring alongside legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Uriah Heep, and Rose Tattoo, and opened stadium shows for Alice Cooper. 

In 2020, they released the album “Survivors”, produced by Oscar Nilsson (Crashdiet, The Halo Effect, Hank van Hell), which led to successful European tours and sold-out shows both abroad and in their home country.

In 2023, King Zebra signed a record deal with Frontiers Records. The following year saw the release of “Between The Shadows”, accompanied by a European tour with The Gems and a subsequent club tour in Switzerland. 

In 2025, the band performed at renowned festivals such as the Riverside Festival, shared the stage with Hammerfall and Kissin’ Dynamite, and joined Shakra as Special Guest for their 30th anniversary show at the legendary Z7 in Pratteln. Later that year, King Zebra returned to Bohus Studio in Gothenburg to work on new material.

As King Zebra continues to conquer stages and hearts around the globe, their mission remains clear: to keep the flame of Melodic Hard Rock burning brightly and to carry on the legacy of Rock ‘n’ Roll through their electrifying music and unforgettable live shows.

Line Up:
Eric St. Michaels
Roman Lauer
Jerry Napitupulu
Benjamin Grimm
Manu Judge

Follow KING ZEBRA:
Website 
Facebook
Instagram

SYMETRIA Release New Single + Lyric Video ‘The Game’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: SYMETRIA. Leave a comment

Hard rock/metal band SYMETRIA have unveiled their powerful new single, “The Game,” available now through Curtain Call Records, alongside an official lyric video. Recorded at SoundMine Studio in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, “The Game” was produced and mixed by acclaimed producer Dan Malsch.

“The Game is really about the two games of life,” explains the band. “The finite game is one you can play to win, and then it’s over. The infinite game is different. It’s played so that existence can continue and future generations have a game left to play. If not enough people are participating in that infinite game, everything eventually falls apart, and there are no games left to play at all.”

The accompanying lyric video brings the song’s themes to life, highlighting the tension between competition, purpose, and the enduring struggle to preserve what matters beyond ourselves.

Symetria has hit their 10 year mark running full steam ahead with a new EP All or Nothing releasing summer of 2026 on Curtain Call Records. This marks Symetria’s 3rd release, and their second with Curtain Call.  Behind that comes a support lineup that makes it hard to deny the bands presence is growing both locally and on a national scene.

The band will be in New Jersey on Saturday, June 27th with an appearance at The NJ Metalfest XI. A show that has itself grown to be one of the NJ underground metal scene’s premier annual events. After that they make their triumphant return to Reverb in Reading PA on Saturday, July 25th as the sole local opener for this summers first leg of the Metal Church tour. 

A few short weeks later on Friday August 14th at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, Symetria is in the company of an impressive list of local and national talent selected to support the Coal Region Music Fest. This is an event put on annually to raise funds and awareness to the local veterans support agencies in the region.

Then comes a huge road trip out to Bloomville, Ohio, where Symetria gets to stretch their legs for the Smoking Cole’s Bike Rally an 8 Day event where the band lands themselves a Saturday night slot opening for the legendary Lita Ford. After that run of 4 shows Symetria makes their first appearance in Allentown PA in 8 years at the Allentown Arts Gallery.

The band then wraps up it’s current schedule with their 2nd straight appearance on B’N’R fest Saturday November 7th in Birdsboro PA a local Reading area music festival that brings together some of the longest running local and regional acts in the eastern PA music scene. The band has plans in the works to tour for the first time with intentions of late summer or fall of 2027.

STREAM “The Game”: https://orcd.co/pnqdaow

For More Information Please Visit: Instagram – Facebook – TikTok – YouTube

SPEED STROKE Release New Video ‘Glorious Breakdown’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: SPEED STROKE. Leave a comment
photo by Veronica Anacleti

Speed Stroke has released a video for “Glorious Breakdown”, first single taken from the new album “Damage Control” to be released on August 21 by Scarlet Records. 

Hitting rock bottom and finally freeing yourself from the shackles of sanity is exactly when the gears of liberation start to turn. Reaching that ultimate breaking point could take the smallest inconvenience, or just another episode of bad luck stalking you. It is that one last drop of gasoline that ignites your inner Destructomania, a chaotic explosion that exorcises all built-up frustrations and finally makes you feel glorious in the wreckage.

video by Filippo Cinotti

“Damage Control”:

  • Fourth record for the uncompromising Italian hard rock stallions;
  • mixed and mastered by Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse) at Mass Destruction Production (Eclipse, Sinner, Primal Fear);
  • featuring Dario Capacci (Trick Or Treat) on drums;
  • featuring Giorgia Colleluori (Sinner, IT’sALIE) on vocals on “Blessed By Misery”;
  • cover & artwork by the painting master Claudio Elias Scialabba;
  • FFO: H.E.A.T, Backyard Babies, Hardcore Superstar, Crashdïet, W.A.S.P., D-A-D, Skid Row;

“Damage Control” tracklist:

1 Glorious Breakdown
2 Heart Of The City
3 Damage Control
4 State Of Shock
5 Italian Coglione
6 In Flames
7 Blessed By Misery
8 All For The Weak End
9 Walls
10 Chain Reaction

Total running time – 38:29

artwork by Claudio Elias Scialabba

Speed Stroke master the art of hard rock through a personal approach that perfectly blends the Scandinavian sleaze rock modern edge and the glorious legacy of the 80s street metal scene.

Top-notch songwriting, hit after hit, all killers-no fillers: that’s the recipe for a proper collection of hard-hitting and yet melodic tunes.

«Control the damage done to contain it or inflict controlled damage to break the chains of comfortable stasis?»: this is the question “Damage Control” sparks in the listener, delivered through a hurricane of dynamite-like riffs, jaw-breaking solos, and raw screams of rage and liberation.

By both glorifying the panic of the unknown and demonizing the safety of the comfort zone, the new Speed Stroke album presents the ultimate fight-or-flight dilemma, fueling the fire of change.

Speed Stroke:
Jack – vocals
D.B – guitar
Michael – guitar
Fungo – bass
Maddy – drums

BELUSHI SPEED BALL Release New Lyric Video for ‘All Pete’s Exes’, Feat. Guitarist Pete Lee

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: BELUSHI SPEED BALL. Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Brittenay Johnson

Louisville crossover thrash maniacs BELUSHI SPEED BALL have unleashed the official lyric video for “All Pete’s Exes,” one of the standout tracks from their recently released album, Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s. The song features former GWAR guitarist Pete Lee and arrives alongside an ongoing fundraising campaign supporting Lee as he continues his battle for justice and health.

Equal parts lightning-fast crossover thrash and absurd storytelling, “All Pete’s Exes” immortalizes one of the band’s favorite real-life memories: a legendary visit to Pete Lee’s house in Dallas that quickly descended into the kind of surreal chaos only BELUSHI SPEED BALL could turn into a song.

Regarding the video, vocalist Vinny Castellano comments:

“We are so excited to drop our newest lyric video for our latest single, ‘All Pete’s Exes!’ Featuring the man himself, former GWAR Flattus Maximus, Pete Lee on guitar. The song details the legendary time Pete hosted Belushi Speed Ball at his house in Dallas, and had a harem of women cooking us food and pouring drinks for the boys. Featuring artwork by Ariz Fazri depicting the Law, Judge Pete, which coincides with T-shirts featuring the same design available on our Bandcamp. All profit from sales go to helping Pete in his battle for justice and health. The video was phenomenally animated by Andrea Mantelli.“

Released earlier this month, Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s finds BELUSHI SPEED BALL continuing to blur the line between blistering crossover thrash, pop culture satire, and complete mayhem. Packed with neck-breaking riffs, tongue-in-cheek humor, and the band’s trademark anything-goes attitude, the album has further cemented their reputation as one of underground metal’s most unpredictable and entertaining acts.

Purchase the Judge Pete charity t-shirt: HERE

Purchase Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s: https://belushispeedball.bandcamp.com/

StreamToxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s: Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The 80’s Track List: 

1. I Ought Not Know
2. How Tough Am I?
3. That’s a Mighty Fine Wayne Gretzky
4. What’s Funnier Than 24?
5. All Pete’s Exes
6. Kellaway’s Wife
7. D.E.N.N.I.S. System
8. It’s a Green Day (You Know… Still Like Stocks)
9. Terminator Lava Factory
10. I’m Not Your Buddy, Guy
11. Belushi Speed Ball
12. Captain Planet Still Can’t Stop Us

About BELUSHI SPEED BALL:

Belushi Speed Ball is a Kentucky-based band founded in 2013 as a studio project amongst friends with a penchant for cliché crossover thrash. Their first live performances came soon after, enthralling a rapidly growing fanbase with a uniquely interactive brand of theatrics and unorthodox approach to releases and merch.

Dubbed “one of the funniest fucking things I have heard this year” by The Needle Drop’s Anthony Fantano, Belushi Speed Ball are inspired by bands from Toxic Holocaust and Anthrax to Gwar and Municipal Waste, to whom they simultaneously play homage and satirize a mean comment from a fan in their song “Ripping off Municipal Waste”, which was voted one of Leo Magazine’s top 20 songs of 2022. With a reputation for both trashing venues and meticulously cleaning them up after each individually themed performance, Belushi Speed Ball are masters of executing the unthinkable.  From playing out of a Mad Max-esque moving van and starting Terminator-inspired 300-person Nerf gun fights to releasing entire albums in N64… or Furby… formats, nothing is sacred as they continue evolving as, in the words of Metalsucks, “a freakshow of blistering thrash dedicated to laughing its ass off at blistering thrash.” 

Belushi Speed Ball Lineup:

Vinny Castellano – Vocals
Brian Desper – Additional Vocals
Jamison Land – Guitar
Derrek Tipton – Guitar
Nathan Roger – Guitar
Justin McClure – Bass
Ben Cotton Drums

Follow BELUSHI SPEED BALL:
Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Youtube | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

SHAKRA Unleash New Video Single ‘Left Outside Alone’, Feat. Seraina Telli

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: SHAKRA. Leave a comment
Photo by Mark Fox

Swiss hard rock veterans Shakra release today their first ever cover song and duet, “Left Outside Alone”, featuring Swiss singer and songrwriter Seraina Telli. The track was originally released by Anastacia in 2004, and it’s the second single taken from the upcoming album, “Just Live Loud!”, out on September 4, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.

With “Left Outside Alone”, the emotional intensity of the original meets Shakra’s powerful guitars, energy and unmistakable sound. Combined with Seraina Telli’s expressive vocals, the result is a version that pays tribute to the original while creating a character entirely its own. A bold reinterpretation of a modern classic – heavier, more powerful and unmistakably Shakra.

The band stated: “Over the years, countless songs were discussed as potential cover tracks, but none of them ever felt quite right. At the same time, we had long been talking about recording a duet with a female vocalist. When we toured together with Seraina Telli, it immediately became clear who that voice should be. The fact that both ideas would ultimately come together in the same song wasn’t planned. It happened naturally.”

Pre-Order “Just Live Loud!” HERE

Shakra return with renewed fire and unstoppable energy on “Just Live Loud!”, their explosive new studio album and the band’s very first release through Frontiers Music Srl. Fuelled by massive riffs, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable chemistry that has defined Shakra for decades, the album captures the spirit of classic European hard rock while pushing the band into a heavier, more modern sonic territory.

Vocalist Mark Fox commented: “Becoming a father has changed the way I look at many things. When I watch my daughter grow, discover the world and face every day with this incredible curiosity, I find myself asking even more consciously what life is really about. For me, the answer can now be summed up in three words: JUST LIVE LOUD! Don’t live halfway, don’t wait forever, don’t hide. I recorded the vocals for this album on my own in my basement. It was a very intense process that strongly confronted me with myself, my self-criticism and my responsibility. At the same time, it showed me that true freedom always comes with responsibility. For me, this tension is exactly what lies at the heart of this album.”

Guitarist Thomas Muster added: “Over the last 30 years, I’ve written many songs for Shakra. Heavier stuff, sometimes even poppier songs, and some really soft tracks. And even though I was ultimately always happy with the albums, I still always had this feeling inside me that musically, there simply had to be a little more. An even better riff, an even better hookline, simply even better songs. With ‘Something You Don’t Understand’ from the Snakes & Ladders album, I had that feeling of the perfect song for the first time”.

“And now comes “Just Live Loud!”, the Shakra album I always wanted to write, but somehow never quite managed to until now. And it comes with 12 great songs! If I could take only one Shakra album to the famous desert island, it would definitely be this one”, he continued.

Produced with a raw yet polished approach, “Just Live Loud!” delivers a powerful mix of thunderous anthems, emotionally charged ballads, and adrenaline-fueled rockers designed for both festival stages and late-night highway drives. From razor-sharp guitar work and pounding rhythms to towering vocal hooks, every track reflects the band’s commitment to authenticity, passion, and pure rock’n’roll attitude.

Lyrically, the album celebrates resilience, freedom, brotherhood, and the determination to live life at full volume – themes that resonate deeply with the band’s own journey through the international hard rock scene. “Just Live Loud!” also marks an exciting new chapter for Shakra, combining the experience and songwriting strength of their legacy years with a fresh creative momentum that feels more vital than ever.

The band proudly stated: “For over 30 years, we have been walking this path with Shakra. We have always worked on ourselves, put many things aside and given everything to push this band forward – without compromise, without a safety net. We have dared, we have taken risks, and we still do. But this very path has also given us our freedom: to find our purpose away from the ordinary, to lose ourselves in it, and to do what we burn for”.

“Just Live Loud!” brings all of that together in one album: origin, attitude, energy and the view ahead. As long as this fire is still burning, we will keep moving, keep daring and keep giving everything. Living louder is hardly possible – JUST LIVE LOUD!”, they added.

With this landmark release, Shakra reaffirm their status as one of Switzerland’s premier hard rock exports and prove that true melodic heavy rock is alive, loud, and ready to conquer a new generation of fans.

“Just Live Loud!” Tracklist:

1.    Let The Show Begin
2.    Wasteland Warriors
3.    Just Live Loud!
4.    Left Outside Alone (Feat. Seraina Telli)
5.    Demon Of The Night
6.    Legends Never Die
7.    Lost Generation
8.    When We Were Young
9.    Another Day In The Universe
10.    New Tattoo
11.    High Above The Storm
12.    Screaming Silence
13.    Left Outside Alone (Solo Version)

Line Up:
Thom Blunier – Lead Guitars
Mark Fox – Vocals
Thomas Muster – Guitars
Cyril Montavon – Bass 
Roger Tanner – Drums

Follow SHAKRA:

Website
Facebook
Instagram

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