The wait is over. After paving the way with the release of the first three singles — “Run Away”, “Revenge” and “Senza Rancore” —, “ARCADE”, the fifth, mature, and most ambitious studio album by SOULS OF DIOTIMA, is released today on all streaming and digital download platforms via Diotima Records.
This work represents a fundamental chapter in the band’s history, marking their historic shift from power metal roots to a powerful, experimental and boundless Modern Metalcore. Leading the charge on official release day is the fourth single and focus track “Cage”, the manifesto track chosen to accompany the album launch.
“CAGE” : THE FOURTH SINGLE BETWEEN CATHARSIS AND VOCAL DUALISM Fourth excerpt of this new era, “Cage” is a punch to the gut and at the same time a melancholic embrace. Built on a brutal and elegant vocal dualism, the track sets the listener ablaze by alternating the fierce fury of Fabio Puddu’s male scream in the verses with high-impact emotional melodic openings led by Claudia Barsi’s female voice in the choruses.
The theme is raw and universal : the suffocating feeling of being trapped in an inner cage, stuck in one’s personal hell. Cage doesn’t just tell the story of darkness; it represents the sonic deflagration needed to break it. A visceral anthem of liberation driven by downtuned riffs, tight rhythms and uncompromising modern production.
THE ALBUM “ARCADE” : THE NEW SYNTH-CORE SOUND BETWEEN NEON AND METALCORE (DIGITAL RELEASE) With “Arcade”, Souls of Diotima take their boldest leap yet. The band’s backbone transforms into a highly contemporary Modern Metalcore, enriched with brand-new elements: electronic arpeggiators, analog oscillators, and 80s synth retrowave atmospheres interwoven with devastating breakdowns and seismic rhythm sections.
The title Arcade plays on aesthetic and conceptual contrasts : neon fluo lights and vintage arcade gaming nostalgia act as a backdrop to dark, visceral, and introspective lyrics. The album is available starting today exclusively in digital format on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and all major online stores.
“With ‘Arcade’, we had a single goal : to evolve and show who we are today, without fear of taking risks. Exploring this new sound with synth retrowave influences felt natural yet groundbreaking. After the first three teasers with ‘Run Away’, ‘Revenge’ and ‘Senza Rancore’, ‘Cage’ is the beating heart of this record : the exact moment you decide to break the cage and breathe again.” — Souls of Diotima
“Arcade” Tracklist: Warning! Revenge Deadline Black Rose Run Away Time is a Flame A Child Senza Rancore Head Up, Guard Up Cage Nocturnal Vibe
Italian melodic death-doom metal act SHORES OF NULL have released “Homesick”, the title track of their fifth studio album, due on October 16, 2026 via Dusktone.
The new single moves closer to the emotional core of a record shaped by questions of memory, belonging and the complicated meaning of home. “Homesick” embodies the band’s characteristic meeting point between brooding heaviness, melancholy and melodic detail, while allowing a more intimate side of their writing to emerge. The song was also the first piece composed for the album, eventually becoming a central reference for its wider themes and atmosphere.
Singer Davide Straccione comments:
“‘Homesick’ was the very first song written for the album, and in many ways it set the emotional direction for everything that followed. I still remember Raffaele coming up with the opening riff while we were on tour with Swallow The Sun back in 2023 and playing it during soundchecks almost every day. From that moment on, it felt like the seed from which the entire record would grow. Because of that, it couldn’t be anything other than the title track. Musically, it’s one of the most reflective and introspective moments on the album. Lyrically, the song revolves around the contradiction contained within the very idea of homesickness itself: the longing to return to something familiar while knowing that what we call ‘home’ may also be the source of our pain. The recurring line ‘My home is dangerous’ embodies that tension between attraction and repulsion, while the question ‘Will I return?’ remains deliberately unanswered. After all, what is home? For some, it’s a place of comfort and safety. For others, it may be a place marked by war, violence, abuse or painful memories. And yet, for better or worse, it remains home, and a part of who we are”.
Following the acclaimed “The Loss Of Beauty”, SHORES OF NULL continue to expand their emotional and sonic universe with a record that combines their trademark melancholy with a renewed sense of identity and purpose. “Homesick” represents the band at their most mature, featuring ten songs where every composition carries its own unique character, supported by refined arrangements, streamlined structures and a wealth of subtle details waiting to reveal themselves over repeated listens.
The album features the best production in the history of SHORES OF NULL, giving the band’s music an unprecedented level of depth and impact. The clarity and power of the sound enhance the contrast at the core of their style: music that can be deeply melancholic and decadent, yet capable of delivering moments of energy, intensity and emotional elevation. “Homesick” is a testament to a band that has fully consolidated its position within the melodic death doom scene while continuing to evolve.
Frontman Davide Straccione comments: “Those who have followed Shores Of Null from the very beginning know that our influences touch many genres, but I think those who loved ‘The Loss Of Beauty’ won’t be disappointed. I think ‘Homesick’ brings something fresh to the band, without compromising our sound. So I truly hope it will be well received by those who already love Shores Of Null and by potentially new fans.”
Conceived as a complete listening experience rather than a simple collection of individual songs, “Homesick” moves through a wide range of emotional states: longing, loss, anger, vulnerability and the search for a place to belong. Each track offers its own identity and emotional weight, but the full picture only emerges when the album is experienced from beginning to end.
“I think ‘Homesick’ is meant to be experienced as a whole rather than as a collection of separate songs. It is a record that moves through different emotional states and explores feelings that are deeply personal but also universal,” explains Straccione. “We wanted it to feel immersive, with songs that can hit hard in the moment but also reveal more of themselves over repeated listens.”
The album’s lyrical themes revolve around nostalgia, absence and the many meanings attached to the concept of “home”. For Straccione, home is not simply a physical place, but something far more complex: a memory, a person, a wound, or even a version of ourselves that no longer exists.
“I’m fascinated by themes such as nostalgia, loss, belonging, and the ways in which the past continues to shape who we are. Sometimes inspiration simply comes from observing the world around me. Other times it starts with a question I can’t answer, and writing becomes a way to explore it. With ‘Homesick’, I found myself reflecting on the idea of ‘home’ as something much deeper than a place. Many of the lyrics revolve around that tension between longing and pain, between the desire to return and the fear of what might still be waiting for us there.”
The ten songs featured on “Homesick” were selected from a wider pool of ideas developed during the writing process. SHORES OF NULL allowed the material to evolve naturally, reshaping and reworking songs whenever necessary in order to create the strongest and most cohesive album possible. Producer Marco “Cinghio” Mastrobuono played a crucial role in pushing the band’s vision further, guiding the pre-production process and helping refine every detail.
“For both this album and our previous split, ‘Latitudes Of Sorrow’, we made a conscious decision to devote more time to pre-production with Marco ‘Cinghio’ Mastrobuono. Having someone involved who knows our sound so deeply gave us a valuable outside perspective and led to ideas, details and solutions we might not have reached on our own.”
Recorded at Bloom Recording Studios after an extensive pre-production phase, “Homesick” also features two special guest appearances: Natalie Koskinen of Shape Of Despair on “The Numbing Void”, and Shaun MacGowan of My Dying Bride, whose violin can be heard on “Dreaming Of A Scar” and “The Numbing Void”.
The vinyl edition will include a short intro created specifically for the format, designed to enhance the Side A / Side B listening experience without altering the essence of the album.
With “Homesick”, SHORES OF NULL deliver one of the strongest statements of their career: a deeply emotional, carefully crafted and immersive record that confirms their place among the leading forces of melodic death doom.
For fans of: Paradise Lost, Amorphis, Swallow The Sun, Katatonia, Borknagar
Tracklist:
01. Allies Before Defeat 02. Two Mountains 03. Bleed to Life 04. Homesick 05. Son of the Tide 06. Dreaming of a Scar 07. Society Is the Murderer 08. The Numbing Void 09. Another Breath 10. Disappear
Fresh off bringing their Pulsar Award-nominated album ÜL to fans across Europe at Wacken Open Air, Midgardsblot, Malmo Massacre and Hellsinki Metal Festival, Mawiza are excited to announce a very special show in front of their home crowd. The modern day Mapuche warriors will join Slipknot when the (sic)est Stadium Tour comes to Santiago, Chile next September. Marilyn Manson and Hatebreed are also joining as special guests for this show.
Mawiza previously played with Slipknot at Knotfest Chile in 2024. Next week, the they will join another legendary metal band in Sepultrua as the Brazilians bid farewell to Santiago with one last thrashing show.
“Opening for Slipknot and Sepultura is something that’s extremely powerful for us”, Mawiza vocalist and guitarist Awka says. “These are bands that have carried heavy music to every corner of the world. Opening for them has given us even more strength to keep walking our path”.
“Being asked personally by Sepultura to join them feels especially like confirmation”, Awka continues, “Our chosen path leads us to make metal sound like the places we come from in the south of the world, without having to imitate anyone”.
Slipknot 2027 (sic)EST Stadium Tour in Santiago, Chile with special guests Marilyn Manson, Hatebreed & Mawiza September 12 @ Estadio Nacional [TICKETS]
Mawiza with Sepultura in Santiago, Chile October 8 @ Teatro Coliseo [TICKETS]
Tracklist(English Translation) 1. To Decolonize (3:38) [WATCH] 2. Hummingbird Dream (4:29) 3. Western Storm (3:50) [WATCH] 4. Become a Cougar (5:06) 5. Just Like The Tree (4:24) [WATCH] 6. The War of the Sky (6:13) 7. Dead of the Sun (4:08) 8. Let It Die (3:58) 9. The Last Harp Call (featuring Joe Duplantier from Gojira) (4:42) [WATCH]
ÜL means “chant” in Mapuzugun. The album represents the voice of the land, the origin of feeling, the first call to connect with emotions. It is the materialization of a part of the spirit that, for a few seconds, becomes one with the wind—a force we can hear, resonate, communicate with, and return to. ÜL is Mawiza’s indigenous chant, and like smoke, it rises as a message to the skies.
Like their Mapuche ancestors, Mawiza always look back. ÜL chants to awaken the energies that have fallen asleep in the land, using the power of the great cities to resist the noise of imbalance. In this way, the album becomes another element of nature, a force defending itself, speaking in its own language to keep fighting and condemning those who continue to futilely subjugate their own strength.
With ÜL, Mawiza present themself to the world with a decolonizing and empowering mission. The album proclaims that nature possesses consciousness and spirit. Opening song “Wingkawnoam” emphasizes the importance of indigenous Mapuche thought by following dreams as precise guides for one’s path in life.
“Pinhza ñi pewma” is a dream that Mawiza’s vocalist Awka had during a time when hummingbirds were nowhere to be seen. Their chant was absent and the chilco plant was disappearing. In Awka’s dream, four hummingbirds came to feed on the blood from his fingertips, as if it were nectar flowing from the flowers of the chilco.
ÜL pays tribute to nature and Mawiza’s ancestors. “Ngulutu” recalls ancient battles between the Mapuche and the Spanish in Santiago, Chile. “Mamüll Reke”, “Wenu Weychan”, “Lhan Antü”, and “Kalli Lhayay” are filled with rhythms and sounds reminiscent of the most hermetic rituals of the Mapuche people. They were used by shamans to induce trance and heal the sick, to communicate with and greet the spirits of the mountains.
Closing song “Ti Inan Paw-pawkan” features chants from members of Mawiza’s indigenous community, as well as Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier. It is here, during the album’s finale, that the band stake their claim as both indigenous and urban. The song acknowledges the mission entrusted to Mawiza by Mapuche authorities and by the land itself: to raise awareness about balance on Earth in an empowered way and to call for greater attentiveness to Mapuche territory. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire.
Symphonic metal legends NIGHTWISH have unveiled their most ambitious retrospective collection to date, The Greatest 30 Years On Earth, set for global release on December 11, 2026, via Nuclear Blast Records. To celebrate the group’s landmark 30th anniversary, this text could go on listing gold and platinum awards, chart triumphs, the 50+ countries toured, the 9 million records sold, or do something that fits its main characters so much better.
Something creative, something personal. The Greatest 30 Years On Earth intends to give you just that. Though not humble in format, this massive 4LP & Blu-Ray box and 3CD & Blu-Ray Earbook contains a detailed 2026 interview with Emppu and Tuomas. Together, they take you back to that aforementioned night in Kitee, Finland, reflecting humorously and honestly on the band’s incredible history. They open a treasure trove of private photos, accompanied by rare and unpublished behind-the-scenes images provided by long-term NIGHTWISH friends and collaborators.
To give fans yet another taste of what is in the box, the band has dropped the live video for “Tribal – Live in Amsterdam 2022.”
Mastermind Tuomas Holopainen comments:” Release your inner ape, enter the tribe, forget everything that is not now, and join the skeleton dance! ”
Limited Edition 3CD & 1Blu-Ray Earbook with 36-page booklet silver & blue Limited Edition 4LP & 1Blu-Ray Box Set with 36-page booklet white / blue corona Limited Edition 4LP & 1Blu-Ray Box Set with 36-page booklet (Band exclusive)
Finnish dark metal masters Soulfallen will release their long-awaited fourth studio album, Uncharted Plains, on November 20th via Inverse Records. The new album continues in the vein of Soulfallen’s signature melodic, heavy, and atmospheric metal style but steers the band’s sound in an even darker and more diverse direction. The record comprises of just seven tracks, with an average duration well exceeding six minutes.
Today, the band is releasing a third and final taste of the upcoming album. The third single is titled “A Promise Of Storm,” and the accompanying music video can be viewed below. The track represents the calmer side of the album.
–ISRC: FI3FC2655402 –Composer: Aapeli Kivimäki & Kai Leikola –Lyricist: Kai Leikola –Arrangement: Soulfallen
“Work on the new album took a long time, and the tracks evolved into long—and even longer—compositions. The songs roll forward as a heavy mass, and this unhurried album invites the listener to pause and even find a sense of calm while experiencing it. It serves as a welcome counterpoint and antithesis to the hectic pace of modern society—where boredom sets in instantly unless something spectacular is constantly happening. Unlike much contemporary music, the songs here tell a cohesive story that unfolds chronologically from track to track across the entire album. The narrative is set in the aftermath of the ‘apocalypse trilogy’ featured on the previous albums; in this chapter, the narrator brings itself to life through sheer willpower within a completely dead world. The story will conclude on the next album—which, hopefully, won’t take another ten years to arrive. In A Promise Of Storm, the entity’s consciousness has awakened, and it moves toward the threshold of existence and the storm of creation,” explains vocalist and lyricist Kai Leikola.
The album cover and tracklist are included below. The cover art was created by Jyväskylä-based artist Lilli Salminen.
The Slumber of Golems – FI3FC2655401
A Promise of Storm – FI3FC2655402
Flesh Unearthed – FI3FC2655403
Arise, Behemoth – FI3FC2655404
Thousandfold – FI3FC2655405
World Void of Sound – FI3FC2655406
The Flameless Prometheus – FI3FC2655407
Release date: November 20th 2026
SOULFALLEN is: Kai Leikola – vocals Aapeli Kivimäki – guitars Jari Kinnunen – guitars Teemu Vähäkangas – bass Aaro Lappalainen – drums
Discography: World Expiration (2007) Grave New World (2009) The Promise of Hell (2012)
The album is self-produced by Peso and will be limited to 300 copies. For any information, including live concerts, please email Ghostriderweb@libero.it.
Recently Peso revealed the members for their upcoming live shows:
Peso666 shared: “Here are finally my companions with whom I will start playing live in November: Luca Masperone vocals and guitar – Valentina Rosasco bass. Oscar Morchio bass and percussion and finally myself on drums. I would like to publicly thank Ponte del Diavolo for giving me the total inspiration for a live band with two basses!!”
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
