Exclusive Premiere for Finland: KICKIN VALENTINA – ‘Don’t Be Mad’ Lyric Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Following the explosive first taste of their upcoming album, KICKIN VALENTINA return with “Don’t Be Mad”, a swaggering, hook-loaded hard rock anthem that hits with razor-sharp riffs, infectious choruses and the band’s unmistakable streetwise attitude. Packed with driving guitars, punchy rhythms and a melody built to be blasted at full volume, the new single and lyric video proves once again why Kickin Valentina remain one of the most consistent names in modern hard rock.

As the band puts it “Don’t Be Mad” is “An upbeat straight shootin’ rock song about moving on from of a bad relationship”, direct, loud and unapologetic, that captures the band’s no-frills approach perfectly while offering another irresistible preview of what listeners can expect from “Anthems From The Underground”.

Join the premiering here:

Kickin Valentina return with a sensational new full-length album, “Anthems From The Underground”, set for worldwide release in August 2026. The highly-anticipated record will be released via Mighty Music and delivers a crushing, no-compromise statement of modern underground hard rock.

Recorded in Atlanta and produced by Pete Newdeck, mixed at PNProductions (UK) and mastered by Harry Hess at H-Bomb Mastering (Toronto), the album captures the band at full intensity while pushing their sound into new territory.

Bassist Chris Taylor reflects on the album’s concept and title: “On this album we decided to bring in a different producer. We love everything (the previous producer) Andy (Reilly) did on our previous albums, but creatively we thought it was time to do something different and have someone push us out of our comfort zone. Every record we want to grow as a band and I think Pete brought out the best of us individually in the studio. When we were trying to decide on an album name, DK and I were leaving the studio one day kicking around ideas. I told him I thought we should embrace the fact that we were an underground band and pay tribute to fans that support underground music. After kicking around a few ideas back and forth, “Anthems From The Underground” was born”.

Formed in 2013, Kickin Valentina quickly built momentum in the U.S. and internationally, first signing with Atlanta indie label Highway 9 Records before moving to Mighty Music in 2015. Since then, the band has released a steady run of acclaimed records including “Super Atomic”, “Imaginary Creatures”, “Revenge of Rock”, “Star Spangled Fist Fight”, and “Raw Trax, B-Sides and Bootlegs”, as well as the EP “Chaos in Copenhagen”, earning a strong reputation for raw, high-energy rock’n’roll rooted in a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

“Anthems From The Underground” will be released on LP (purple vinyl, limited to 500 copies), digipack CD and digital formats on 28.08.2026, via Mighty Music.

Lineup:
D.K. Revelle – vocals
Heber Pampillon – guitar
Chris Taylor – bass
Jimmy Berdine – drums

Single order link: https://kval.bfan.link/dbm
Webshop: https://bit.ly/kick-targ

Web:
https://kickinvalentina.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KickinValentina
https://www.instagram.com/kickinvalentina/
https://kickinvalentina.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4lclYDTyJ9fDW0SZZAjrEb
https://music.apple.com/pt/artist/kickin-valentina/714410016
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCNpzE5lsbvEMTd87Sz-l6BQ
https://tidal.com/browse/artist/5118172
https://open.qobuz.com/artist/2352546
https://deezer.page.link/6X4UaimbwNL3qBd27

SARCATOR Release Video for Title Track of Upcoming Album “The Ones We Follow”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo credit: Saga Wagnsgård Djerf

There comes a point in every band’s journey when experimentation gives way to conviction. When years of searching no longer lead to another reinvention, but to an identity.

For Sweden’s SARCATOR, that moment has arrived.

With “The Ones We Follow,” the first single and title track from their forthcoming fourth studio album with the same title, SARCATOR open the next chapter of their story. Released today alongside a blistering performance video directed by F/53 Films, the track also marks the launch of the album pre-order, offering the first glimpse into a record where every piece of SARCATOR finally falls into place.

Over the past years, SARCATOR have built a reputation as one of Scandinavia’s most exciting young heavy bands, earning nominations for both Sweden’s P3 Guld and Grammis Awards while sharing stages with Hellripper, 1349 and Midnight. Yet The Ones We Follow is not the culmination of that journey.

It is where everything comes together.

Rather than asking where they fit within heavy music, SARCATOR follow a far simpler principle:

What serves the song? Every creative decision begins there.

That philosophy has become the band’s creative compass, allowing punk urgency, gothic atmosphere, timeless heavy metal, dark rock swagger and extreme metal intensity to coexist naturally. The result is what the band simply calls death’s rock; not a genre, but an identity.

The first taste of that philosophy arrives in the form of “The Ones We Follow.” It is restless, instinctive and unapologetically direct: a primal burst of energy that doesn’t attempt to summarize the album, but instead invites listeners into its world.

Mateo Tervonen (guitar/vocals) comments:
“Choosing the first single can be a hard task. The approach here was not to choose the song that summarizes the album, but rather to give you a short and sweet appetizer in a primal, punk-fueled fashion. ‘The Ones We Follow’ is a statement song that represents the creative restlessness of this band and the instinctual impulses you can either tune into or ignore. Let’s face it; nothing can go wrong with a song whose working title was ‘The Psychobilly Song.’ Hope you enjoy!”

The same creative restlessness runs through the entire album. Rather than following expectations, trends or genre boundaries, SARCATOR trusted instinct at every turn. Every creative decision – from the songwriting to the visual world – serves one purpose: the song itself.

The Ones We Follow is not about looking back or recreating the past. It marks the moment where SARCATOR move forward with complete confidence in who they have become. The songwriting is sharper, the artistic identity clearer, the visual world more immersive and the band’s vision more focused than ever before.

What comes next is about seeing who follows.

[Album artwork: Affe Piran]

The Ones We Follow will be released on October 30, 2026 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Pre-Save / Pre-Order the album HERE: https://sarcator.rpm.link/followalbumPR 

The Ones We Follow Tracklist:
1. The Ones We Follow
2. The Underground Streets
3. You Gotta Possess Me
4. In Search of Oblivion
5. Rotting Chapels
6. Bleeding Ages
7. Volatile Insight
8. Ain’t Fit to Live
9. Wasteland Strider
10. Wanderlust

Upcoming Live Dates:
17.07.2026 Ponteareas (Spain) – Arcanxo Festival
28.07.2026 Münich (Germany) – Backstage / Free & Easy + Sacred Reich
30.07.2026 Hamburg (Germany) – MS Stubnitz + Sacred Reich
31.07.2026 Berlin (Germany) – Lido + Sacred Reich
06.08.2026 Schlotheim (Germany) – Party.San Festival
24.09.2026 Malmö (Sweden) – Plan B + Hellripper & Necrofier
25.09.2026 Lübeck (Germany) – Treibsand + Hellripper & Necrofier
26.09.2026 Emden (Germany) – Coast Rock Festival

More dates to be announced.

SARCATOR are:
Mateo Tervonen – Guitar / Vocals
Leo Buchalle – Guitar
Jesper Rosén – Drums

More on SARCATOR:
www.sarcator.com 
https://www.facebook.com/sarcatorband   
https://www.instagram.com/sarcator 
https://www.tiktok.com/@sarcator 

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Unleash Incendiary Second Single & Video ‘Harvesting The Hate’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[Photo Credit: Shane Eckart]

Shortly following the release of their triumphant returning single and title track “Rats In The Temple”, thrash legends FLOTSAM AND JETSAM offer fans a second taste of the fury that lies within Rats In The Temple, out August 26 via Napalm Records. The incendiary album opener, “Harvesting the Hate”, is built upon methodical machine gun kicks and standout guitar performances from virtuoso guitar duo Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley.
 
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson says about the track:
“Another heavy, dramatic beast of a song from our arsenal of madness. This one asks you to look in the mirror, to find the true problem in your life. And stop harvesting the hate!”

Thrash metal icons FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, known for their trailblazing blend of blistering thrash and soaring power metal—established on breakthrough records like the Kerrang! championed classic Doomsday for the Deceiver, (1986), No Place for Disgrace, (1988), and Cuatro, (1992) and refined in their current renaissance with the German chart climbing The End of Chaos, (2019), Blood in the Water, (2021), and I Am the Weapon, (2024)—are back with their newest diamond, and Napalm Records debut, Rats In The Temple, out August 28, 2026. With nearly four decades on the scene, countless world tours, and appearances at prestigious festivals like Wacken, Graspop, Bloodstock, Alcatraz, and Rockhard, they’ve carved their sound down to a fine point, piercing listeners with earth-shattering blast beats, scorching guitars, epic string arrangements, and exalted frontman A.K. Knutson’s unmistakably haunting wail. 
 
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson about the album:
“This record is a BEAST, truly our best effort to date!! Do yourself a favor. Dim the lights, grab a drink, put the headphones on, and crank this up. You will not be sorry you did!!!”

Pre-Order Your Copy of Rats In The Temple HERE

Rats In The Temple opens strong with the stadium-ready hooks and dizzyingly precise performances of “Harvesting The Hate” and “Damnation”, before delving into thrash virtuosity on “Absolution”. The iconic guitar duo of Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley paint vividly ghoulish images on tracks like “Blame The Knife” and “Rats In the Temple”, then continue to flex their metal muscle on “The Ghost Behind My Door” and “First on the Spike”, invoking pure first-wave excellence with a pummeling modern menace. “The Edge of Nowhere” builds inescapable suspense before firing listeners out of a gun, full throttle into “Last Rites”, another standout track for the band. The legendary rhythm duo of drummer Ken Mary and bassist Bill Bodily take center stage on the anti-war anthem “A Taste For War”, their methodical syncopation invoking images of tanks and boots on the ground. “Her Blood Your Pain” brings ornate, medieval guitarmonies before “Anthem For The Broken” goes full balls to the wall, and “Going Down That Way” hits listeners with heavy riffs and even heavier truths. Rats In The Temple remains enthralling throughout, giving listeners entry to numerous of the band’s metal chambers, sampling a refined and eclectic serving of influences.
 
Churning like magma beneath the Earth, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have only been growing more and more fiery with time, and Rats In The Temple sees the band exploding to the surface in a magnificent and awe-inspiring blaze. For fans new and longstanding, you cannot escape them; they’re through the walls.

Rats In The Temple Tracklist:
1. Harvesting the Hate
2. Damnation
3. Absolution
4. Blame the Knife
5. Rats in the Temple
6. The Ghost behind my Door
7. First on the Spike
8. The Edge of Nowhere
9. Last Rites
10. A Taste for War
11. Her Blood your Pain
12. Anthem for the Broken
13. Not Going down that Way

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM LIVE 2026

28.–30.08.26 DK – Næstved / Næstved Metal Fest
30.09.26 AUS – Brisbane / Crowbar
1.10.26 AUS – Adelaide / Lion Arts
2.10.26 AUS – Melbourne / Max Watt’s
3.10.26 AUS – Sydney / Crowbar
27.–28.11.26 DE – Wangels / Metal Hammer Paradise
11.–12.12.26 NL – Eindhoven / Eindhoven Metal Meeting

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are:
​​Eric A.K. Knutson – Vocals
Michael Gilbert – Guitars
Steve Conley – Guitars
William Bodily – Bass
Ken Mary – Drums
 
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM online:
WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
NAPALM RECORDS

NAPALM DEATH Make History with NPR Tiny Desk Performance

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

For more than four decades, NAPALM DEATH has challenged expectations and redefined the limits of extreme music. Now, the legendary UK grindcore pioneers have added another milestone to their storied career with an appearance on NPR Music‘s celebrated Tiny Desk concert series, bringing their uncompromising intensity to one of music’s most unexpected stages.

Widely regarded as one of the heaviest acts ever to perform behind the iconic Tiny Desk, the band’s set offers a rare glimpse of NAPALM DEATH in an intimate setting while proving that their relentless energy, razor-sharp musicianship, and socially conscious message resonate just as powerfully outside the walls of a packed club or festival stage.

NAPALM DEATH vocalist Barney Greenway comments:

“I’ve dipped in and out of Democracy Now! via NPR Radio for decades now to get my unvarnished yet thoughtful North American news. So when the NPR Tiny Desk thing came up, it kind of blew my tiny mind a little bit. We realised that we were going to reach far more people than usual with the TD performance, but as you might expect from Napalm Death, we were never going to temper the performance to any degree. We hope everybody at least gets something from it, even if it’s just an understanding of musical abrasion being pushed to the nth degree. Please always support public access broadcasting in view of the ongoing relentless attacks upon it.”

The performance was curated by NPR Music producer and writer Lars Gotrich, whose long-standing appreciation for heavy music helped make the appearance possible and further underscores the growing recognition of extreme music within the broader cultural landscape.

NPR Music‘s Lars Gotrich shares:

“The first grindcore band at the Tiny Desk had to be the founding fathers. I turned down or said ‘maybe later’ to so many others — that’s how important it was to me to get this right. There is only one NAPALM DEATH, not only exemplary of extreme music but also what it takes to be human in what feels like an inhumane time.”

Watch NAPALM DEATH’s Tiny Desk Performance HERE

VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY Release Haunting Music Video for Upcoming Album Title Track ‘Venceremos’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo by: Dubravka Rasic]

Greek heavy rock torchbearers VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY have unveiled an official music video for their monumental new single, “Venceremos”, the powerful title track of their forthcoming studio album, set for release on September 18, 2026 via Napalm Records.

Standing at the emotional core of the record, “Venceremos” surges forward with dynamic shifts, crystal-clear vocal delivery and a commanding crescendo that masterfully balances tension and release. Blending crushing heaviness with soaring bagpipe melodies and an unrelenting forward momentum, the epic title track captures the band’s signature sound while delivering a powerful message of resilience, hope and perseverance.

The band comments:
““Venceremos” is a promise that even in the darkest moments, hope endures. Venceremos isn’t about winning, it’s about refusing to break. It’s about resilience and overcoming fear, choosing to stand your ground, and believing that freedom, no matter how distant, it will come in the end.”

Set in a dystopian future shaped by illusion, control and fear, Venceremos unfolds as a journey through exile, resistance and awakening. It follows those who rise against a broken world, rejecting gods and modern kings in order to reclaim freedom and meaning. Through struggles, hopes, fears and deep reflections on existence, one truth remains constant: the quest is one, and its name is freedom.

Rather than bending to trends, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY sharpen their identity. The upcoming album presents itself as heavy, direct and intense, driven by a raw and immediate energy. It leans decisively into heavy rock and metal, pushing into more aggressive territory while unfolding with a genuinely progressive spirit, where each composition evolves with purpose and depth.

Ritualistic rhythms, expansive arrangements and traditional instrumentation such as bagpipes and zourna are not mere embellishments, but essential elements of the band’s sonic language. Folk and Hellenic elements meet powerful riffs and dynamic structures in a sound that feels direct, distinctive and entirely their own.

Produced and recorded by Alex Karametis at Magnanimous X Studio in Greece, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Venceremos captures clarity and depth in equal measure. With this release, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY deliver a powerful statement and a journey through darkness, defiance and the unbreakable force of rebellion. As one of the key names in post-stoner and heavy prog rock, the band once again reinforces their place within the scene, with Venceremos standing as a defining step in their ongoing evolution.

Pre-order Venceremos HERE: http://lnk.to/VillagersOfIoanninaCity-Venceremos

Venceremos Tracklist:
1. Alienation
2. Home
3. Ghosts in the sky
4. Venceremos
5. The Ruiner
6. No fear
7. Here and now
8. Epitaph
9. Requiem

In support of Venceremos, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY will play an album release show in Athens taking place on September 20 at the Lycabettus Theatre, one of the city’s most legendary open-air venues, before the band embarks on a series of shows across Greece’s major cities and an extensive European Tour in March 2027 with dates to be announced soon.

VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY is:
Alex Karametis – Vocals, Guitars, Synths
Akis Zois – Bass
Aris Giannopoulos – Drums
Dimitris Brentas – Winds

For More Info Visit:
Website: https://www.vic-band.com/epk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/villagersofioanninacity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villagersofioanninacity
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/0N8D2mPKMd3MWIhqdfpTBp
Label: https://label.napalmrecords.com/villagers-of-ioannina-city

Rock Photographer Mark “Weissguy” Weiss Presents “Back to the Beginning: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

World renowned rock photographer Mark Weiss and ROCKED Magazine proudly present “Back to the Beginning: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne,” a landmark photography exhibition hosted by ART STOP celebrating the remarkable 44 year visual journey of one of rock music’s greatest icons.

From one of Ozzy Osbourne‘s earliest solo photo sessions atop Convention Hall in Asbury Park in 1981 to his emotional final performance with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, in 2025, the exhibition tells the story of a legendary career through the lens of the photographer who documented it from beginning to end.

As Ozzy Osbourne once said:

“Mark is like a member of our family… He must have more photographs of me than any other photographer I’ve ever worked with… All Access Pass. He’s part of the team.”

One of Mark Weiss’ first photo shoots with Ozzy Osbourne, photographed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park on August 15, 1981—just a short walk from The Art Spot gallery on the boardwalk where this exhibition is being held.
Weiss’ photograph of Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance at “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025. This is the last photograph of Ozzy on stage and also on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery as part of Ozzy’s “Working Class Hero” Exhibition.

Featured are Weiss‘s iconic August 15, 1981 rooftop portrait of Ozzy at Convention Hall, transformed into a one of a kind collaboration with New Jersey artist Pork Chop, and Ozzy‘s final onstage performance from “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025. Together these photographs anchor an exhibition of more than 50 images documenting Ozzy Osbourne‘s extraordinary career.

The exhibition also includes a wall inspired by the special “Back to the Beginning” edition of ROCKED Magazine, a wall dedicated to Ozzy‘s 1981 Convention Hall appearance, a wall featuring Black Sabbath‘s historic “Live Aid” reunion performance on July 13, 1985, and a special display featuring New Jersey guitar legend Zakk Wylde. The photographs celebrate Wylde‘s early years with Ozzy Osbourne after Mark Weiss introduced the young guitarist to Ozzy in 1987, marking the beginning of one of heavy metal’s most enduring musical partnerships.

Throughout the two day event, Weiss will meet fans, share stories behind his photographs, and sign copies of his coffee table book “The Decade That Rocked.” Copies of ROCKED Magazine will also be available. 

Photographer Mark Weiss and artist and gallery owner Pork Chop with their collaborative artwork, featuring Weiss’s photograph of Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance at “Back to the Beginning” on July 5, 2025.
Mark Weiss and Ozzy Osbourne after their first photo shoot together in 1981. What began that day as a photographer and subject; the relationship quickly grew into a lasting friendship that spanned more than four decades.
Mark Weiss and Zakk Wylde in Los Angeles before Zakk’s audition for Ozzy Osbourne’s band in 1987. Weiss introduced the young guitarist to Ozzy, helping launch one of rock’s most enduring musical partnerships.

Event Information
Art Spot
1100 Ocean Avenue North
Asbury Park, NJ

Thursday and Friday, July 23 and 24
3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The exhibition will be on display through August 17th. Throughout the run of the exhibition, Mark will make a special appearance. Please contact The Art Spot for appearance dates and additional information.

To learn more about Mark Weiss and view his gallery of fine art prints, visit www.markweiss.com.

Black Sabbath during “Live Aid” rehearsals on July 13, 1985, photographed by Mark Weiss before their landmark reunion performance at “Live Aid.”
The special 105-page, high-gloss edition of ROCKED Magazine, created and published by Mark Weiss, will be available for purchase at the gallery. Commemorating the historic “Back to the Beginning” concert, the collector’s edition features exclusive coverage with all photographs by Weiss.