While many things may be uncertain these days, one thing is clear: Electric Knights Of Eternal Rock Fury, the upcoming album from Finnish hard rock band HÄ/DA, set for release in October, is poised to be one of the standout hard rock records of the year.
The band proudly channels the spirit of AC/DC, mixing crunchy riffs with loads of catchy, pop-flavored melodies.
Need proof? Check out “Gone In November,” the band’s brand-new single released today. It comes with a cool sci-fi-style music video.
“Gone In November is, at its core, a love song. The lyrics tell the story of a man haunted by a wanderer’s soul. The restless traveler finds himself hitting the road again just after meeting the guiding star of his life. Still, the narrator insists that he will return to orbit around his new love. Believe it if you will,” says vocalist Antti “DeeAa” Heikkinen.
–ISRC JHF2600006 –Composition: Juho Hämäläinen/Antti Heikkinen –Lyrics: Antti Heikkinen –Arrangement: Juho Hämäläinen/Antti Heikkinen
HÄ/DA’s debut EP, (Almost) 20 Minutes Of Love (2025), received radio support from FM and online stations across several countries, including the United States, France, England, and Scotland. The first single from the forthcoming album, Workingman’s Blues, also gained international radio exposure following its June release.
The band’s lineup includes guitarist Juho “Hässi” Hämäläinen, known from the AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds Indeed and the hard rock group Rane Rautiainen & Paha Kaksonen, and vocalist-guitarist DeeAa, who also fronts the heavy rock band Mosfite. The two musicians previously played together in the Finnish rock band Brutaali Magneetti in the late 1990s.
For the fans of: AC/DC, The Darkness, Airbourne, Rhino Bucket, The Cult.
Jotungrav’s debut album “Elegi” (Swedish for “elegy”) sees the band veer more towards progressive melodic death metal, while not entirely abandoning its original source of inspiration; blackened folk metal. Grand orchestrations and dark, melancholic passages are still present in every song to varying degrees, but the album as a whole amps up the grandeur and heroic lead melodies that can be found on Jotungrav’s earlier material. However, “Elegi” is not a collection of folky drinking songs you’d expect in a tavern, but rather an atmospheric musical journey, where norse paganism and spirituality meet both ancient and modern philosophy.
Jotungrav aims to always evolve musically, with no predetermined goal for any of its releases. What can be heard on “Elegi” is a result of organic experimentation over a year of composing, where the final songs are simply brought to life the way they present themselves. The themes of the album follow the same path, and center themselves around philosophical ponderings on humanity, suffering and perseverance, with the norse pantheon of gods in the background.
The album was composed in multiple stages, with some songs being almost completely rewritten. Initially the seven or eight minute songs evolved over time, some stretching to over ten minutes in runtime. As such the songs feature calm acoustic interludes that tone down the intensity between blazing blast beats and grandiose orchestral melodies. “Elegi” is a package that offers much for fans of Finsterforst, Moonsorrow, Wolfheart and Rotting Christ, to name a few.
–Composed & lyrics by Matias Stenman –Mixed & mastered by Teemu Leskinen –Album cover by Matias Stenman
BIOGRAPHY:
Jotungrav is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Matias Stenman, which incorporates elements of black metal and folk metal within a progressive metal framework. The project got its initial start in 2015, but most of the material composed back then ended up being discarded. It was in the summer of 2022 when the single Drängen was finished when Jotungrav finally materialized, with the help of fellow Sargassus members Matias Rokio, who provided percussive arrangements to the song, as well as Teemu Leskinen, who took on the mixing and mastering duties. Initially Jotungrav was a slowly progressing musical effort, but with time the project managed to accumulate enough material for a second single, Ulven, while working on more material for future releases. Both musically and thematically Jotungrav draws inspiration from early 2000s–2010s viking/pagan metal scene and mythology. The lyrics have a philosophical and symbolic focus on humanity. The songs evolve into vast soundscapes while maintaining a raw and genuine feel to them, paying homage to the early days of folk metal. As Jotungravi has developed, the band has moved closer to progressive, melodic folk metal, with the black metal influences familiar to the band playing a smaller role in the music. On the latest album “Elegi,” the songs stretch into even longer and more dynamic epics that take the listener through wartorn landscapes of the ancient world.
Line-up: Vocals, guitars, bass, melodica, banjo, harmonica, orchestrations, composition: Matias Stenman Drums, drum arrangements: Matias Rokio Mixing and mastering, guitar solo on the track “Segern”: Teemu Leskinen
Progressive trailblazers Enslaved have officially announced their forthcoming studio album, Mið, set for release on October 30 via Nuclear Blast Records. Throughout their 35 year journey, across 17 albums, the Norwegian vanguard have continually redefined the boundaries of progressive black metal, weaving Old Norse histories and sacred traditions into complex modern soundscapes. With their latest offering, Enslaved turn their gaze toward the fundamental concept of the axis: the middle, the origin, and the infinite reach of the present moment.
Alongside this news, the band have unveiled the transcendant new single ‘Solar Will‘, both a paean to a divine spark, and a testament to the album title’s fundamental concept: a centre whose reach is infinite. It’s accompanying video was created by Kolibri Media, long term partners of Enslaved based in Bergen.
Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson stated:
“There have been sun cults as long as Magic Man has been around (at least). The Sun is a nurturing and terrifying parent that can grant as well as obliterate life totally. Such a classic and awe-inspiring object of our worship and myths requires classic and awesome riffs, Bonham-esque drum grooves and blistering melodic flares celebrating its horrific glory. This is what that sounds like to me: “Solar Will”!”
Voicalist / bassist Grutle Kjellson adds:
“Solar Will explores archetypal conflicts, those that manifest in nature, the cosmos, mythology, and, above all, within the human mind. In this instance, the central struggle is expressed through one of the enduring rivalries found in Norse mythology, embodied by two important, though often somewhat overlooked, figures within the pantheon. Readers familiar with the Norse mythological tradition will likely recognize the identities rather instantly, yet I shall refrain from naming them, allowing each reader the opportunity to engage with and decipher the lyrics on their own. After all, perhaps this is one of the essential functions of lyric writing: to invite interpretation and cultivate a sense of wonder? The conclusion, or more precisely, the absence of one, suggests that, for human beings, chaos and dreams are at least as significant as the realities we perceive through our senses. Ultimately, the work advocates not for resolution, but for the acceptance, assimilation, and shaping of these often contradictory forces.”
1. Non-Being 2. I Am Ice (featuring Johan Sara Jr) 3. Solar Will 4. Mountain 5. Spirit Helper (featuring Kevin Kicking Woman) 6. Parting 7. Tales of Trees 8. I Miðju
Enslaved live in 2026
18 Sep 26 NO – Sortland @ Sortland Jazzfestival 2026 29 Oct 26 NO – Bergen @ Kulturhuset – Album Release Show 30 Oct 26 NO – Oslo @ Big Dipper – Signing Session / Meet & Greet 31 Oct 26 NO – Oslo @ Oslo Spektrum w/ Dimmu Borgir & Satyricon
Enslaved live in 2027
27-30 May 27 US – Baltimore @ Maryland Deathfest 2027
Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene’s indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, releasing their first demo Yggdrasill in the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-album Hordanes Land coming out in 1993, and with their debut full-length Vikingligr Veldi arriving in the spring of 1994.
It’s a rare and remarkable feat that 35 years and now 17 albums in, Enslaved’s horizons still continue to expand. Every stage of the Bergen band’s evolution, every new phase entered, has felt like an organic act of discovery and renewal. Their journey has been at once a commitment to a promise that found its embryonic form in the Norwegian black metal scene they emerged from, and a willingness to challenge both orthodoxy and themselves from the off to make that potential manifest.
Enslaved’s new album, Mið, an Old Norse word for ‘centre’, or ‘middle’, marks another departure, and another new beginning. The band have always dealt in states of transition, nor least on the thematically linked, mythology-steeped rites of passage that were 2020’s Utgard and 2023’s Heimdal. What lay beyond, however, was… unexpected.
Mið is an album that sheds light on harmonies and dialogues embedded all around us: between the ways of the past, and how they can bring enlightenment to the present, between small kernels of truth and their ability to project onto the most universal on canvases, and between band members relying on instinct and each other to create a record that galvanises on every possible level.
After years of live shows, countless miles travelled across Italian stages, and a journey built on dedication, sacrifice and genuine passion, 500 Horse Power return with their third studio album: “Metal Flotilla”, the most ambitious, mature and surprising release of their career.
The title captures the very essence of the album: a fleet of ships led by crews of musicians united under the flag of Heavy Metal, ready to defend the world from the wave of music created without sacrifice and from artistic conformity. It is a powerful metaphor that perfectly represents the band’s philosophy: believing in music that is played, experienced and earned through hard work.
The result of more than three years of development and over 500 hours spent between rehearsal rooms and recording studios, “Metal Flotilla” represents the natural sonic evolution of 500 HORSE POWER. The experience gained through more than seven years of live activity, with shows across Italy and beyond its borders, has allowed the band to collect emotions, influences and feedback from an extremely diverse audience, transforming them into an album full of personality.
While maintaining a strong Hard’n Heavy DNA, “Metal Flotilla” refuses to be confined by rigid labels. Its eleven tracks, plus a bonus track, explore territories ranging from Thrash Metal to Speed Metal, moving through Punk Rock and even venturing into surprising Dance influences, proving that metal can be powerful, unpredictable and free from any boundaries.
Those looking for a purely traditional Heavy Metal album may find themselves surprised. Those willing to embark on a musical journey capable of making them think, feel and shake both body and mind will discover in “Metal Flotilla” an intense and unconventional experience.
TRACKLIST Through the Tempest of the False Gods 3:33 Sick Love Night Spell Love Is Villain Song for the Beach Smell of You Dr. Freeman Super Selfie L’Amour Toujours (Gigi D’Agostino cover) Montebello Thrash Two Beers (Bonus Track)
Born in Vicenza and featuring a lineup that has been firmly established since 2019, 500 Horse Power have built a solid reputation through their previous albums “Last Bullet” and “Cluster”, the latter receiving positive feedback from the specialist press. Their intense live activity has also seen them share the stage with some of the most respected names in Italian metal, including Crying Steel, White Skull, Pino Scotto, Trick or Treat, Screaming Demons and many others.
The band are also the creators of SuperMetalFest, an event dedicated to supporting and promoting the Italian Hard Rock and Metal scene, further demonstrating their commitment to the growth of the national underground.
Today, 500 Horse Power open a new chapter in their career together with Wanikiya Record/Promotion, which is handling their international promotion and will accompany the release of “Metal Flotilla” — an album destined to leave its mark through its personality, energy and courage to dare.
“Metal Flotilla” doesn’t follow the rules. It rewrites them.
Italian Thrash/Death Metal band HELLMETALL has released the official video for “Mgła“, the title track of their forthcoming album, due out on September 4th, 2026 via Rockshots Records.
Originally released as a single on January 31st, 2026, “Mgła” introduced the darker direction of the band’s new material. Now, the song takes on a visual dimension through a video created and directed by Chiara Bettiga, translating its sombre atmosphere and historical subject into images. To date, “Mgła” is the only official video made for the record.
Meaning “fog”, “Mgła” draws inspiration from one of the darkest episodes of the First World War on the Italian-Austro-Hungarian front. The song recalls the gas attacks carried out by Austro-Hungarian and German forces against Italian soldiers during the battle near Plezzo, today Bovec in Slovenia.
The subject reflects the wider concept behind “Mgła“, an album built around events connected to the First and Second World Wars, including stories rooted in Val Resia and the surrounding borderlands, as well as memories handed down through generations. This historical dimension is closely tied to HELLMETALL‘s geographical and cultural background and to the band’s use of Resian, the local Slavic language.
Musically, “Mgła” represents the band’s move towards a darker blend of Thrash and Death Metal with elements drawn from Black Metal while retaining melodic references to the traditional music of Val Resia.
The new video brings the album campaign back to where it began with its title track. Since the release of “Mgła“, HELLMETALL has continued to reveal the record through “Gemona Btg. Doesn’t Exist Anymore” on May 18th and “Afrika” on July 3rd. Each track has offered a different perspective on the album and its historical narrative, with the focus now returning to “Mgła” as the full record approaches.
“Mgła” was written by HELLMETALL founder and vocalist Daniele Micelli, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Davide Zago, with drum engineering by Pablo De Biasi and cover artwork by Manuel Scapinello.
Album Release Party – Trieste Rock Camp – Sept 4, 2026
Scotland’s ibex-obsessed blackened thrash bastard of Hades, otherwise known as HELLRIPPER, will be laying waste to North America this autumn in support of HAVOK! The extensive trek will kick off on October 21 in Salt Lake City, UT and will decimate everything in its path until the final stop on November 20 in Denver, CO. The full itinerary can be found below and tickets will be made available HERE.
HELLRIPPER will be supporting its critically-acclaimed new album, ‘Coronach,’ which was released worldwide on March 27, 2026 via Century Media Records, making it his debut to the label! ‘Coronach’ can be streamed, downloaded, or ordered HERE.
10/21: Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall 10/22: Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club Ballroom 10/23: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon 10/24: Portland, OR @ Dante’s 10/26: Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post 10/27: Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone Berkeley 10/28: Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater 10/29:Fresno, CA@ Strummer’s 10/30: Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar Billiards 10/31: Mesa. AZ @ Nile Theater 11/02: Dallas, TX @ AM/FM 11/03: Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live 11/04: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Midtown 11/06: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Hell) 11/07: Nashville, TN @ Basement East 11/08: Asheville, NC @ Eulogy 11/09: Richmond, VA @ Canal Club 11/11: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage 11/12: Harrisburg, PA @ Capital City Music Hall 11/13: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall 11/14: New York, NY @ Racket 11/15: Lakewood, OH @ Mercury Music Lounge 11/17: Detroit, MI @ Catacombs at the Sanctuary 11/18: Chicago, IL @ Reggies 11/19: Kansas City, MO @ Recordbar 11/20: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Coronach (08:48) [WATCH] Full Running Time: 00:44:09
The brainchild of guitarist/vocalist/solitary force, James McBain, Hellripper has been running like a denim-vested, backpatch-encrusted William Wallace, bravehearting his way through metal’s bloodiest battlefields since first coagulating his personal darkness in 2014. Taking armaments from “Kill ‘Em All” era Hetfield and “Welcome to Hell” era Mantas, McBain has immersed his fascination with darkness and speed with Scottish history and come with bloody masterpieces like 2023’s “Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags” that Metal Injection stated: “Bursts with growth and a mature exploration of darkness and eeriness while maintaining that original high-octane burning”. McBain is presently sharpening his blades and casting new spells that will transmogrify into Hellripper’s Century Media debut “Coronach”.
Hellripper Lineup: James McBain – All Instruments & Vocals
Hellripper live and video performance line-up: James McBain – Guitar & Vocals Joseph Quinlan – Guitar Andy Milburn – Bass Max Southall – Drums
Album credits: Recorded and mixed by Hellripper’s James McBain at Coronach Studios in Scotland, UK Mastered by Damien Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios in the USA.
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 