Argonauta Records proudly unveils the second chapter of its newly launched Digital Split Collaborations series, bringing together Germany’s EpicDown and Finland’s Bell Of Mimir for an exclusive new split release available across all major digital streaming platforms: https://tidal.com/album/518543409/u
Created to strengthen artistic connections between bands from the Argonauta roster, the Digital Split Collaborations series was conceived as a platform for creative exchange, pairing artists from different countries and musical backgrounds in a series of exclusive digital only releases celebrating collaboration, experimentation and underground unity.
For this second installment, EpicDown and Bell Of Mimir converge in a release that seamlessly blends crushing heaviness, immersive atmospheres and emotionally charged songwriting, showcasing two distinct yet complementary visions of contemporary doom oriented music.
Emerging from Leipzig, Germany, EpicDown was founded in 2021 by Mitzschi on guitars and bass and Fabian on drums and vocals during the uncertainty and isolation of the pandemic years. Conceived as a sonic response to a world shaped by destruction, social collapse and existential anxiety, the band developed a sound rooted in massive downtempo grooves, towering riff structures and melancholic vocal textures. Inspired by seminal acts such as Sleep, Earth, Melvins and Spirit Caravan, EpicDown first introduced its sound through the digital EPs Equinox Pt.1 and Equinox Pt.2 before joining the Argonauta Records roster with the release of Days Of Oblivion in 2024.
Representing the Finnish side of the collaboration, Bell Of Mimir brings a deeply atmospheric and emotionally resonant approach inspired by classic doom traditions and enriched by melodic sensibility and compositional depth. Founded in early 2021 by guitarist Karhu, the band was born from a long cultivated desire to create heavy music centered around expansive chord structures, evocative melodies and the influence of classical music studies. What initially started as a personal compositional experiment gradually evolved into a complete band with the addition of Tuohino, Marde, Nordlund and vocalist Korvenmaa, ultimately leading to the release of their acclaimed debut album Nocturne via Argonauta Records in 2025.
This collaboration fully embodies the spirit behind the Digital Split series: fostering artistic freedom, encouraging new creative interactions and strengthening the bond between artists within the global Argonauta Records family.
Formed in 2024 by former Nebularis collaborators, Hytham Martin (Guitar, Vocals, Synth) and Damian Dziennik (Drums, Percussion, Synth), AFTERBORN was born from a shared desire to create music without boundaries. Drawing from Progressive Metal, World Music and Operatic influences, the project seeks to explore themes of fear, memory, conflict and human fragility through expansive soundscapes and emotionally charged songwriting.
Having previously worked together through Nebularis and the Aiséirí All Ireland Metal Project, Martin and Dziennik spent years developing a creative chemistry rooted in ambition and experimentation. What began as an idea between two musicians soon evolved into something far greater.
With the addition of session bassist Eddie Mann, AFTERBORN continued its search for artists who shared the same creative vision. That search led to the arrival of Adrianna “Adka” Kania (Vocals, Hurdy-gurdy, Synth) and Raphael Costa (Vocals, Guitar, Synth), completing a line-up whose collective influences and musical backgrounds bring depth, atmosphere and intensity to the project’s sound.
Their debut single, ‘Lost in the Shadows’, is a dark and emotionally resonant introduction to the world of AFTERBORN. Balancing crushing progressive arrangements with haunting melodies and cinematic textures, the track reflects on division, betrayal and the emotional scars left behind when trust collapses.
Lyrically, the song paints a vivid picture of a world consumed by fear and disconnection. Themes of memory, hatred and emotional isolation run throughout the track, while its soaring choruses and dramatic shifts in dynamics create a sense of tension and catharsis that lingers long after the final note fades. Speaking about the single, the band explain: “Lost in the Shadows’ reflects the emotional weight people carry when relationships, trust and even society itself begin to fracture. We wanted the song to feel personal but also universal. It’s about fear, conflict and the struggle to hold onto humanity when everything around you feels uncertain.”
Atmospheric yet aggressive, intimate yet grand in scale, AFTERBORN are laying the foundations for a project driven not only by technical musicianship, but by genuine emotional connection and artistic honesty.
Superior Rage continue their resurgence with the release of the new lyric video for “Soleright”, a striking symphonic black metal track that captures the spirit of rebirth, self-discovery, and transformation.
After returning in 2024 with Anthology, Superior Rage have shown no signs of slowing down. Reinforced by a lineup of talented session musicians, the project reopened its creative path by revisiting selected classics while introducing new material through the promo release Back to the Crypt and the EP In Memoriam, the latter released with the support of WormHoleDeath.
Now, as work progresses on the forthcoming full-length album, Superior Rage reveal the lyric video for “Soleright” — a key track featured across the project’s recent releases and a defining statement of this new artistic chapter.
“Soleright” is a symphonic black metal piece driven by a powerful and introspective message: an inner rebirth achieved by breaking free from false demons and moving toward knowledge, self-awareness, and personal growth.
“Phoenix, phoenix, you’ll rise from your ashes. Soleright is waiting for you.”
About SUPERIOR RAGE
SUPERIOR RAGE began in 2006, delivering raw black metal with atmospheric, dark, and symphonic tones. The core lineup features Superior Rage (vocals, synths), Pagan Fury (guitars, synths), and Hyemens Kaiser Tszar (bass).
The first demo (2008) earned strong national reviews, followed by Through Infinity (2010), a mix of unreleased tracks and new material. Between 2010 and 2011, the project released several live recordings with temporary session musicians.
In 2011, SUPERIOR RAGE shifted toward symphonic black metal with III. Two Fire Eternal EPs followed, covering classic black metal songs—first in their original style, then in an ambient approach.
In 2012 the lineup expanded, producing new online recordings, additional covers, and a remake of “The Night of Rains.” The project paused in 2014, briefly resurfacing in 2017 with a new version of “Indecent Condition.”
SUPERIOR RAGE returned in 2022 with the single Boobs Explosions. This led to Anthology, a 2024 collection of re-recorded key tracks, including a new prog-influenced take on “Cuore Sincero.”
In 2025, the promo Back to the Crypt introduced two re-recorded tracks and a new song, “Soleright,” with four session members. The EP In Memoriam followed, adding a new version of “Asmodeus Bacchic” and the unreleased “Death of the Red Dragon.”
Brazilian death/thrash titans Torture Squad have officially unleashed the full routing for their massive upcoming European tour today, Wednesday, May 27. Marking the grand finale of the ‘Devilish European Tour,’ this punishing 17-date trek will tear through Europe’s most legendary metal strongholds. The band will be hitting the road as special guests, opening for a powerhouse lineup featuring Sepultura, Venom Inc. and Crypta.
This stands as one of the most monumental international runs in Torture Squad’s storied career. Crisscrossing the continent throughout June and July, the tour is set to invade major venues and high-profile festivals. Across nearly a month on the road, the onslaught will hit countries including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Belgium, bringing the sheer ferocity of their latest studio album, Devilish (2023), to European audiences and cementing their dominance in the global extreme metal scene.
The band shared their excitement for the upcoming ‘Devilish European Tour’:
“This will be one of the most important tours in our history. Sharing the stage with bands that helped forge global metal and reconnecting with the European crowd is a massive honor. We are bringing an incredibly heavy live set, and we can’t wait to experience every single one of these nights.”
Torture Squad is currently firing on all cylinders with the final cycle for Devilish, which is available across all digital streaming platforms and on physical formats. Concurrently, the band is already gearing up for their next chapter, preparing to unleash a brand-new studio album slated for late 2026 via the Italian label Time To Kill Records.
Artwork: Bruno Munayer
‘Devilish European Tour 2026’ dates:
09.06 – ITALY / Milan w SEPULTURA 10.06 – ITALY / Rome w SEPULTURA 13.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Erfurt w VENOM INC 14.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Würzburg w SEPULTURA 15.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Heidelberg w SEPULTURA 18.06 – NETHERLANDS / Zwolle w VENOM INC 19.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Kassel w VENOM INC 20.06 – AUSTRIA / Salzburg w VENOM INC 23.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Oberhausen w SEPULTURA 24.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Potsdam W SEPULTURA 26.06 – SWEDEN / Huskvarna w SEPULTURA 27.06 – CHECZ REPUBLIC/ Spalene Porici – BASINFIREFEST 29.06 – DEUTSCHLAND / Vechta w VENOM INC 30.06 – NETHERLANDS / Hengelo 01.07 – BELGIUM / Charleroi 02.07 – DEUTSCHLAND / Osnabrück w CRYPTA 03.07 – DEUTSCHLAND / Hamburg w CRYPTA
Torture Squad is seen by extreme music fans as one of the most visceral and powerful metal bands active today. Withmore than three decades of experience, including excellent live performances at the most important metal festivals in the world, the Brazilian group has gathered legions of fans playing throughout the country, Latin America, and Europe – breaking the record after performing at Wacken Open Air 2025, becoming one of the only Brazilian bands to play four times at the festival.
In their second album with the new lineup, Mayara Puertas (Vocals), Rene Simionato (Guitar), Castor (Bass), and Amilcar Christófaro (Drums) maturely transcend the sound of extreme metal, incorporating progressive metal, influences from Brazilian music, and symphonic elements.
The album also pays homage to Brazilian heroes with the participation of Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) on the track “Buried Alive,” and a tribute to Rickson Gracie, the resilient Jiu-Jitsu fighter considered one of the sport’s greatest legends, the subject of the track “Warrior,” which also became a single featuring singer Leather Leone from Chastain, as well as Alex Nasser on Arabic percussion in “Hell is Coming.”
The band also mobilized several musicians linked to indigenous causes to collaborate on the song “Uatumã” – Suzane Hecate (Miasthenia), Victor Rodrigues (Tribal Scream), and João Luiz (Golpe de Estado) – making an appeal for the preservation of the Amazon in a song that flows powerfully with the words of indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire and tribal rhythms. The band released seven high-production music videos to promote the album: “Hell is Coming”, “Flukeman”, “Warrior”, “Sanctuary”, “Thoth”, “Mabus” e “Find My Way”“Magnum Chaos”and“Buried Alive”
As a first taste, the band released the first single, titled “Mabus,” accompanied by a lyric video made by Wanderley Perna. ‘Devilish’ was recorded and mixed by Diego Rocha at Bay Area Studios, and mastered by Martin Furia, guitarist of Destruction and famous for working with the bands The Damnnation, Invisible Control, and Eskrota.
Artwork: Marcelo Vasco
Tracklist:
01 Hell is Coming 02 Flukeman 03 Buried Alive 04 Warrior 05 Sanctuary 06 Uatumã 07 Thoth 08 Mabus 09 Find My Way 10 Gaia 11 Farewell To Mankind 12 The Last Journey
On their new podcast, Heilung are inviting longtime converts and newcomers into their sacred realm, where history and spirit converge into a healing ritual. Hosted by founding member, singer and shamanic practitioner Kai Uwe Faust, The Podcast journeys into the lore, traditions and primal forces that shape the world-renowned Nordic collective and their unmistakable Amplified History.
Previously on The Podcast, Faust shared the mythological roots and historical references behind beloved songs “Alfadhirhaiti”, “Marduk”, “Traust” and “Nesso” . Now, during its fifth episode, he sits down with Songleikr vocalist Ingrid Galadriel to reflect on the origins of Heilung. Together, they look back to the time before Heilung existed, their first encounters and the slow gathering of voices that guides their collective path.
“This episode is a personal account of how human connection, memory and sound grew into Heilung’s Amplified History”, Faust says.
The release of this episode coincides with the arrival of the Blue Moon, which signifies a time of heightened energy and potential.
Heilung are known around the world for transcending the boundaries of sound and history. Since forming in 2015, the Nordic collective have made their unmistakable presence felt everywhere from the Billboard charts to Glastonbury, The Game Awards and major Hollywood films. Their performance rituals draw crowds into an intimate, mystical space that threads together earth, fire and incense with throat singing, primordial rhythms, subtle electronic textures, a mesmerizing light show and instruments made from human bone.
Heilung’s full discography, including their latest release Lifa Iotungard, is available now on Season of Mist.
HEILUNG don’t play shows. They perform a ritual. Every performance begins with Kai Uwe Faust leading Christopher Juul, Maria Franz and the rest of the Nordic collective in an ancient prayer. Soon after, the audience is swept into rapture, swayed by incense and throat singing, primordial rhythms, subtle electronic textures, a mesmerizing light show, an army of warriors and bursts of fire.
Since they began in 2015, Heilung have been paving melodic paths to the past with their unique and mystifying sound. Evading all conventional genre tags and the confines of any specific labels, the group aptly self-describes their sound as “amplified history,” emphasizing their ability to connect modern society with the rudiments of humanity’s beginnings through music.
“Our ancestral Nordic civilizations did not just pop up, exist and disappear in isolation”, says Faust, a throat singer and one of Heilung’s three composers. “With singing these primordial songs we want to give tribute to these cultures, reconnect to the beginnings and remember that we all, from East to West, from past to present, are connected through the exchange of ideas and inspiring each other”.
While Heilung features authentic and archaic instrumentation that ranges from rattles and ritual bells to human bones and throat singing, their captivating brand of music is far from primitive. Producer and founding member Christopher Juul implements subtle electronic elements that elevates the musical atmosphere and provides a more in-depth and layered soundscape.
Indeed, Heilung’s success has been unprecedented, achieving milestones in its few short years of existence that many do not see in a lifetime. The collective already had rapidly been growing a buzz upon the self-release of their first full-length Ofnir in 2015, but their dizzying upward trajectory really took off from the moment they set foot on the stage at Castlefest in 2017 for the now-legendary debut of their live ritual. Luckily for those who were not fortunate enough to bare witness to this magical event, the full ceremony was captured on film, having since been viewed by tens of millions of fans across the globe.
As Heilung trekked across Europe and brought their mystifying experience to new audiences, talk of this new band and their stunning ceremony made way to Season of Mist label owner Michael Berberian, who quickly offered the band a record contract after seeing their undeniable musical impact for himself.
By 2019, Heilung launched their second full-length record, Futha, which contrasted the masculine and battle-heavy themes of their debut with a feminine counterpart that celebrated fertility and female energy. Upon the first week of the record’s release, it graced the Billboard charts with coveted numbers, debuting at #3 on the Heatseekers Charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Chart, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts while meeting critical-acclaim from the press on a global scale.
Their music has even appeared in places that extend far beyond typical concert venues. From hit television series like Game of Thrones and Vikings to video game giants like Conqueror’s Blade VII: “Wolves of Ragnarök and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to the blockbuster Robert Eggers film The Northman, Heilung’s music has risen far above the underground and has transcended into a greater world. Even a global pandemic couldn’t slow down Heilung’s success; it only strengthened them and gave them the gift of time to complete work on their third album. In English, Drif translates as “Gathering”. The music embodies this philosophy by tying together the beginning of civilization with today’s modern society.
Heilung now perform their rituals all over the world. They sold out their first North American tour in 72 hours. Upon returning to the United States in 2021, they were greeted by another sold-out crowd, this time at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. This performance was released as a live album on vinyl and CD in 2024. A Blu-Ray edition of Lifa Iotungard will follow, along with the release of their 2023 performance at the Apollo Theatre in Hammersmith, London.
In 2025, Heilung embarked on headlining tours of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, they cast their spell over more of the world’s biggest stages, including Roskilde Festival, Download Festival and Glastonbury. But no matter where the future takes them, Heilung always begin their performance with a humbling reminder of where we all come from.
“Remember, we are all brothers. All people, beasts, tree and stone and wind, we all descend from the one great being that was always there, before people lived and named it, before the first seed sprouted.”
Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust Christopher Juul Maria Franz
Renowned drummer, and multi-instrumentalist Brian Tichy is stepping out front and into the spotlight with his latest musical venture, Led By Vultures, an explosive new band blending raw intensity, arena-sized hooks, uncompromising musicianship, and is poised to make a major impact on the modern rock landscape.
Known for his commanding work with legendary artists, Tichy now takes center stage as the driving creative force and frontman of Led By Vultures. The project showcases a bold evolution of his artistry, fusing crushing riffs, thunderous rhythms, melodic aggression, and emotionally charged songwriting into a sound that is both timeless and urgent.
Led By Vultures channels the spirit of classic hard rock while pushing into fresh sonic territory. The band’s music is built on a foundation of unapologetic energy, powerful storytelling, and an electrifying chemistry that reflects Tichy’s decades of experience at the highest levels of rock performance.
The new single “Massivity” showcases Tichy’s signature groove and features keyboardist Derek Sherinian. As Tichy puts it, “I had a word for the title, a riff on guitar involving an octave pedal, and a big drum groove. I sent the music to Derek Sherinian and he quickly sent back his bells and whistles which were all used! In that, he doubled the guitar with a heavy synth sound and some thick cellos making for an even more massive riff! Massivity is not a word but sounds like it could be. The song concept is loosely about questioning how much pressure a person can handle at once.
The debut release from Led By Vultures which drops in late summer, promises a dynamic collection of songs that capture the grit and fire of rock’s golden era while delivering a distinctly modern edge. Fans can expect soaring vocals, blistering musicianship, and a relentless sonic attack designed to resonate with both longtime rock devotees and a new generation of listeners. The release will be available on Limited Edition purple vinyl and will have a limited bundle with a personally signed 10×10 album flat by Tichy.
GET IT RIGHT MASSIVITY STRAIGHT TO THE BOTTOM BELOW THE CLOUDS OF JUPITER HE WHO GREETS WITH FIRE LUNATIC FRINGE LED BY VULTURES AN EVENING OF THE ODDS (CD ONLY) WAVES PSYCHED TO BE PSYCHO SAY NO MORE (CD ONLY) BETTER LEFT BEHIND
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 ) 