SABATON Hit Billboard Top 10, 32-Date North American Arena Tour Starts on February 9th, Followed by Dates in Europe

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 25, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Steve Bright

This is a big moment for SABATON (@sabatonofficial), the  #1 Global Power Metal Band and one of Sweden’s most successful bands. They’ve charged into the Top 10 on the Billboard “Mainstream Rock Airplay” chart this week with the updated version of “Crossing the Rubicon” featuring NOTHING MORE (released October 17, 2025 via Better Noise Music), marking their first-ever appearance on the chart. Watch the lyric video for “Crossing The Rubicon” (featuring NOTHING MORE) HERE and stream/download the track HERE.

This news comes as SABATON gear up for their 32-date North American headline tour kicking off February 9 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Having launched their massive worldwide tour this past October in Istanbul, Turkey, SABATON are pumped to bring their explosive stage presence and epic concert experience to major stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston before wrapping April 20 in Vancouver, BC. Tickets and VIP packages are available now at LiveNation.com and on SABATON’s official website, with VIP packages available HERE.

“This was an unexpected surprise and a very welcome one,” says SABATON bassist Pär Sundström. “Sabaton never takes any support for granted, so this means a lot to us! To have this news just before we are heading over to start our North American tour makes us extra excited to come and play for our American fans!”

“This is a huge milestone for us,” continues Joakim Brodén. “Reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard ‘Mainstream Rock Airplay’ chart for the first time is something we’re very proud of, especially in the U.S.! Seeing ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ connect with rock radio and fans the way it has is an amazing feeling. We couldn’t have done this without the support of our record label, Better Noise Music, our listeners, radio stations, and of course our labelmates, NOTHING MORE!”

SABATON’s Top Ten success has reinforced Better Noise Music’s position as “The Artist Development Company” and built on the label’s other radio/chart successes with NOTHING MORE, whose current album Carnal achieved four #1 rock hits, and THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT, who this week have landed their third #1 rock hit with “Dark Thoughts.”

Better Noise Music President/COO Steve Kline says: “Sabaton’s breakthrough into the Top 10 is a huge milestone, that reflects the band’s broad appeal. This achievement also speaks to the strength of our artist development efforts. Congratulations to Jackie Kajzer for leading the charge on radio and helping Sabaton reach this exciting new level.”

Meanwhile, the band and Better Noise Films has announced the launch of “You’re History,” a new episodic horror YouTube miniseries that merges heavy music, horror, and historical stories. Released in connection with their 11th studio album LEGENDS (October 17, 2025, via Better Noise Music) and marking the band’s label debut, the series was created and directed by actor, director and Chief Creative Officer Michael Lombardi (The Retaliators, Rescue Me, The Deuce) and written by The Geare Brothers.

The official trailer premiered exclusively via Bloody Disgusting and can be viewed HERE. The pilot episode is now available to stream HERE, which features “Crossing the Rubicon” reimagined through a visceral slasher narrative inspired by Julius Ceasar. It stars horror icon Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, Frighteners) and Sirius XM personality Jose Mangin as one of its lead characters. Additional episodes of “You’re History” will air in 2026 and continue to combine various rock and metal songs and artists, horror icons, and infamous historical figures.

“‘Crossing the Rubicon’ and the ‘You’re History’ series was born from the creative DNA we live by at Better Noise Music,” says Lombardi. “As Chief Creative Officer, I’ve always believed we’re not just a record label—we’re a storytelling company that thinks outside the box. We don’t operate like an assembly line; we go deep with our artists, their lyrics, and the worlds they create, and that collaborative energy is what sparked this series.”

“Sabaton are a fascinating band because they bring world history to life. We wanted to combine our love of rock, horror, and storytelling to show how music like theirs can make history feel epic and alive,” Lombardi adds. “YouTube has now become the frontline of modern culture. Long-form storytelling, shorts, and everything in between now live side by side, and that hybrid format is changing how fans discover music, artists, and narratives. With ‘You’re History,’ I’m leaning all the way into that shift—building a world that can exist as a bingeable miniseries, as trailer moments, as shorts, and as music-driven content that lives and breathes on the platform. This is the kind of boundary-pushing, multimedia storytelling that Better Noise was built to do—and ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ is just the beginning. Each episode of ‘You’re History’ will collide heavy music, major rock stars, horror icons, and infamous historical figures into a wild, dark ride.”

“When Michael presented me the idea by saying it’s Sabaton colliding with history and horror I was in right away,” says Jose Mangin. “I’m proud to be involved with this and had so much fun playing Coach Vasquez in this mini horror movie. I can’t believe Jeffrey Combs in this too?! Whenever I can get bloody and physical, I’m all about it. Working with Michael was awesome, and I look forward to doing more with him and horror in the future!”

Better Noise Music has a busy 2026 ahead of them, with new releases coming soon from From Ashes To New, The HU, Dirty Heads, Five Finger Death Punch, and more. Stay tuned for exciting news coming soon.

Here are SABATON’s 2026 North American and worldwide tour dates:
Mon 2/9 Fort Lauderdale, FL War Memorial Auditorium
Tue 2/10 Tampa, FL Yuengling Center
Fri 2/13 Houston, TX 713 Music Hall
Sat 2/14 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom
Sun 2/15 San Antonio, TX Boeing Center at Tech Port
Wed 2/18 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri 2/20 Los Angeles, CA The Kia Forum
Sat 2/21 Wheatland, CA Hard Rock Live
Tue 2/24 Salt Lake City, UT The Union Event Center
Thu 2/26 Loveland, CO Blue Arena
Fri 2/27 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha
Sat 2/28 St. Louis, MO The Factory
Mon 3/2 Des Moines, IA Vibrant Music Hall
Tue 3/3 Minneapolis, MN The Armory
Wed 3/4 Chicago, IL The Salt Shed
Fri 3/6 Milwaukee, WI Landmark Credit Union Live
Sat 3/7 Cincinnati, OH The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Sun 3/8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit
Tue 3/10 Pittsburgh, PA UPMC Events Center
Wed 3/11 Philadelphia, PA The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
Thu 3/12 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Sat 3/14 Virginia Beach, VA The Dome
Sun 3/15 Washington, DC The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue 3/17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Special Events Center
Wed 3/18 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy
Mon 4/6 Halifax, NS. Scotiabank Centre
Thu 4/9 Laval, QC. Place Bell
Sat 4/11 Toronto, ON. Great Canadian Toronto
Tue 4/14 Winnipeg, MB. Burton Cummings Theatre
Fri 4/17 Edmonton, AB. Edmonton Convention Centre
Sat 4/18 Calgary, AB. Grey Eagle Event Centre
Mon 4/20 Vancouver, BC. PNE Forum

Sun 5/31 Gdansk, Poland Ergo Arena
Wed 6/3 Plzen, Czech Republic Amphitheater Lochotin
Fri 6/5 Nancy, France Heavy Week-End
Sat 6/6 Nürnberg, Germany Rock im Park
Sun 6/7 Nürburgring, Germany Rock am Ring
Thu 6/11 Interlaken, Switzerland Greenfield Festival
Sat 6/13 Nickelsdorf, Austria Nova Rock
Wed 6/17 Nimes, France Festival de Nimes
Fri 6/19 Clisson, France Hellfest
Sun 6/21 Dessel, Belgium Graspop Metal Meeting
Wed 7/1 Viveiro, Spain Resurrection Fest
Sat 7/4 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain Barcelona Rock Fest
Sun 7/5 Cartagena, Spain Rock Imperium Festival
Thu 7/23 Plovdiv, Bulgaria BE4 Hills / Hills of Rock
Sat 7/25 Athens, Greece Release Athens Festival
Mon 7/27 Ghimbav, Romania Rockstadt Extreme Fest

Find SABATON online: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE

FOLLOWING THE SIGNS Release New Single ‘Call To Rise’ from Upcoming EP “Evolve”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 25, 2026
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Irish nu-metalcore outfit Following The Signs return with their commanding new single “Call To Rise”, taken from their forthcoming EP ‘EVOLVE’, set for release on March 20th.

A fierce statement of resistance and self-belief, ‘Call To Rise’ was written as a rallying cry for those living under oppression, whether imposed by individuals, systems, or governments. The track urges listeners to rise up and fight for what they believe is worth defending, a message that sits at the heart of EVOLVE. The song can be interpreted through two complementary lenses. One frames the struggle of humanity fighting to survive in a hostile, ever-threatening world. The other reflects the growing unrest of modern society, where corruption, abuse of power, and erosion of freedom point towards an inevitable uprising against authority.
 
Musically, ‘Call To Rise’ delivers the sound Following The Signs have honed since forming in Cork, Ireland, in 2018, a volatile blend of crushing metalcore, nu-metal groove, and progressive elements. Punishing riffs, towering breakdowns, and searing vocals are balanced by atmospheric moments that mirror both the fury and determination within the lyrics.

Following the release of their debut album Conflictions and singles such as Birthright and Stand Tall, EVOLVE represents the band’s most focused and ambitious work to date. The EP expands on themes of societal pressure, survival, and rebellion, positioning Following The Signs as a band unafraid to confront the realities of the modern world.
 
The band’s growing international profile has been reinforced by recent live performances outside Ireland, including shows in Warsaw and Kraków, Poland, where they played to their largest audiences so far, a clear signal of their increasing impact beyond their home scene. 
 
With ‘Call To Rise’ and the forthcoming release of ‘EVOLVE‘ on March 20th, Following The Signs continue to establish themselves as a rising force in modern heavy music, delivering both sonic aggression and a message that resonates far beyond borders.

Evolve track-listing;
Stuck in place
Call to rise
Break the frame 
Evolve 
Infectious 

Following The Signs are:
Alan Jevens – Vocals
Noel Crowley – Guitars
Vincent Renoux – Guitars
Rory Taylor – Bass
Chris Hanlon – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/FollowingTheSignsCork
https://www.instagram.com/followingthesignscork/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7hR2lenG3TysoRg5IXQHQ
https://followingthesigns.bandcamp.com/album/conflictions

THE HU Release New Song ‘The Real You’ with Official Visualizer

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Blguunee Hiroshi

Innovative Mongolian rock group and global phenomenon The HU continue to push the limits of rock and bring the world along with them on their latest single “The Real You,” out today (January 23) via Better Noise Music. With this new song, they’re bringing Western music components to the forefront with a heavy, atmospheric sound, a hard-charging rhythm, and gritty and positively menacing vocals. The track takes their Hunnu Rock, which blends traditional Mongolian instrumentation and throat singing with contemporary rock music, to an entirely new and breathtaking level.

“The Real You”—produced by Dashka (Dashdondog Bayarmagnai) and mixed by 5-time Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer, mixer, and musician Chris Lord-Alge—is available on all digital outlets HERE and the video can be seen HERE.

“‘The Real You’ single is the representation of our forthcoming new album,” says The HU’s Temka (tovshuur player, throat singer). “While we have traditional songs that have our signature rhythm in our third album, there are few upbeat, fast songs such as this single. We recorded this song thinking of our ancestors, riding fast on the horse back through the landscape. Listen to this song to express the feelings you have buried inside and feel the overwhelming energy we pass through to you. Enjoy!”

“The Real You” is asking listeners to not judge others but focus on themselves and therefore become a better person. It’s derived from the Mongolian proverb, “Don’t worry about what is on top of a person’s head, just worry about what is not on yours.” “The Real You” is sung in Mongolian, but listeners can feel the depth of its emotion and the ferocity of its intent with unflinching lyrics like “Will you keep slandering, gaslighting, menacing, and abusing?/Is it alright to keep enduring, fearing, and hiding?”

The HU have passionately and unforgettably brought Mongolian music to the music frontlines. In November 2022, The HU became the first-ever rock/metal band to receive the prestigious UNESCO “Artist for Peace” Designation at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, France by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. Previous recipients include Celine Dion, Shirley Bassey, Sarah Brightman, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, and World Orchestra For Peace. With over 961 million all-time streams, 483 million video views, #1 charting albums, multiple sold-out headlining tours, prestigious government honors and awards, collaborations with several of rock’s biggest names, and featured music on video games including EA Games’ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, THE HU have cemented their status as a global powerhouse.

Later this summer, The HU will join Iron Maiden at Knebworth Park in the U.K. on July 11 along with The Darkness, Airbourne, and The Almighty for their “Run For Your Lives” tour stop. Excitingly, The HU will also be part of the Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson “Freaks On Parade” U.S. tour along with Orgy, which kicks off August 20 in West Palm Beach, FL. See the full list of dates below. Tickets are available now via The HU’s website HERE.

Thu 8/20 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Fri 8/21 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sun 8/23 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Mon 8/24 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
Wed 8/26 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Thu 8/27 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
Sat 8/29 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake
Sun 8/30 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater
Tue 9/1 Toronto, ONT. RBC Amphitheatre
Wed 9/2 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Fri 9/4 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sat 9/5 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Sun 9/6 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
Wed 9/9 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Thu 9/10 Kansas City, MO Morton Amphitheater
Sat 9/12 Englewood, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Mon 9/14 Salt Lake City, UT Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Thu 9/17 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
Fri 9/18 Ridgefield, WA Cascades Amphitheater
Sun 9/20 Concord, CA Toyota Pavilion at Concord

WICKED SMILE Release New Single ‘Back To Back We Stand’ + Announce 2026 UK Tour Dates

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 24, 2026
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Australian Heavy Metal Titans Wicked Smile have just released a brand new single, ‘Back To Back We Stand’ from their forthcoming sophomore album “When Night Falls”.  

The newly released single is a rhythmically driven, classic Heavy Metal anthem with a message.

Stevie Janevski (Guitar) explains, “Back To Back We Stand is about band support, loyalty & unity. There’s a lot of people who try and put you down in this industry. I guess this is our stance on those people – Back to back we stand”. 

Back To Back We Stand’ is available now on all digital platforms and you can view a live version on the bands YouTube channel of the song from the band’s recent live show in Tokyo, Japan.

WICKED SMILE – When Night Falls

1.    When Night Falls (Video)
2.    Back To Back We Stand (Video)
3.    Face Of The Wicked (Video)
4.    Rebel Souls
5.    Never Surrender
6.    Before The Rain
7.    Walking The Wire
8.    Night Time Riders
9.    Heaven’s Falling Down (Crutch)
10.  The Phoenix Will Rise
11.   Scream ‘n’ Shout
12.   Edge Of Madness (LP bonus track)

“When Night Falls” is out worldwide on February 6th via No Dust Records, Netherlands. 

Wicked Smile will launch their new album live with a hometown album launch show in Melbourne on March 7th at the Northcote Social Club, followed by a tour of the UK in June 2026 with support from UK Heavy Metal locals Rattlesnakes. With more dates in EU TBA. 

Tour tickets and album pre-orders are available via: https://linktr.ee/WickedSmile

Alternative Prog Quartet HOLOSOIL Release New Video Single ‘Spirals’ & Announce Debut EP

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 24, 2026
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Alternative prog quartet HOLOSOIL are welcoming the new year with their newest single “Spirals”. The band presents a stunning music video, showcasing a hypnotic dance performance choreographed by Sofia Stadler. Featuring the circle of creation as the main theme of their newest work, the Berlin/Helsinki based quartet show themselves in bold, yet almost hidden waves, playing with tempo and elements of alternative and indie.

The single follows on prior released tracks “Cracks”, and “Look Up”. Additionally, the band has also announced their upcoming debut EP, to be released digitally April 2026.

Stream the single: https://holosoil.lnk.to/Spirals-SingleNE

EINAR SOLBERG Announces Second Solo Album “Vox Occulta”, New Single ‘Medulla’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 24, 2026
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Einar Solberg of Leprous is pleased to announce his upcoming second solo album ‘Vox Occulta’, due for release on 24th April, 2026. A bold, heavy and symphonic statement, the album was recorded in collaboration with the much-sought-after Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

Einar shared:

I’m pleased to announce my upcoming second solo album, Vox Occulta, due for release on 24th April 2026. With this album, I’m holding nothing back—you can expect a deeply cinematic and emotional record.

To mark the announcement, I’ve released the second track from the album, “Medulla”, and the accompanying video—directed by Leo Liberti—is out now.

Alongside the orchestral work from @nrkkork , I’m joined on the album by drummer @keli1989 (Agent Fresco), violinist @chrisbaummusic (Bent Knee), guitarist @pierre.danel (Novelists), and bassist Jed Lingat, as well as guitarists @benlevinmusic (ex-Bent Knee) and @brownemonuments (Monuments). The album was mixed by @adamwnoble (Nothing But Thieves, Biffy Clyro) and recorded co-produced with @ghostwardstudio . All artwork was created by Dani Copelli at @copellistudio

Vox Occulta is a deeply personal record. I’ve been an avid fan of classical music and film soundtracks for more than 20 years, and that influence runs throughout the album.

Pre-order the album now here.