NOVA RIOT Confront Social Stigmas in Their Risqué ‘Midnight Coven Crush’ Music Video & Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Paris Pipkin

Durant, Oklahoma – Bubblegum alternative metal sensation Nova Riot has officially premiered their highly anticipated music video for “Midnight Coven Crush”, a visually striking risqué masterpiece directed by frontwoman Nova Ray that reclaims female power by absolute force. Merging crushing heavy riffs with candy-coated aesthetics, the captivating clip challenges societal stigmas and showcases a fierce narrative of autonomy. The band delivers an unforgettable performance that immediately hooks the viewer, establishing this release as a definitive milestone in their growing videography.

“Midnight Coven Crush” is the second of three music videos from the band’s debut full-length album Blood, Lies & Lullabies, which will be released on August 21, 2026 via rock and metal record label Eclipse Records.

At its core, Midnight Coven Crush serves as a profound reclamation of bodily autonomy and systemic subversion. Nova Ray expresses that the lyrical and visual concept addresses universal struggles that women endure daily, offering a therapeutic medium to rewrite traditional narratives and reclaim control. Instead of submitting to established social hierarchies, the video positions its characters as powerful agents of change who handle adversity with uncompromising strength. This unapologetic symbolism was carefully refined during editing to ensure the horror elements complemented the overarching message of empowerment rather than distracting from it.

“It’s important to connect visually in today’s ever-expanding world of social media,“ explains bassist Orion. “If you can reel them in with a hooky video, chances are you will connect with some new fans, so we hope we’ve accomplished that here!” Vocalist Nova Ray adds, “this video is about accepting your inner baddie while taking control of the narrative that surrounds the stigma of hierarchy, and how it relates to the typical worldview of women. Midnight Coven Crush takes that power back by force! I think just about every woman has a personal story similar to what inspired this video… Something that unfortunately gets experienced all too often. But that is what makes us incredibly fortunate… we get to write the ending. That’s a powerful experience!”

Coverart by Paris Pipkin

The heavy music landscape often feels like a choice between two extremes: the jagged, unpolished chaos of the underground or the sanitized, predictable shine of the mainstream. Every so often, a band emerges that refuses to acknowledge the boundary at all. Nova Riot, a trio operating out of Durant, Oklahoma, is that disruption. With their upcoming debut album, Blood, Lies & Lullabies, they have officially planted their flag in a territory they call bubblegum alternative metal. The album is a rare combination of commercial viability and uncompromising creative vision. It is a high-octane collision of grit and melody that feels both dangerously volatile and impeccably crafted. Produced by Braxton Henry and co-produced by Addison Ray and Paris Pipkin, the album boasts a cinematic depth that matches its conceptual ambition. The trio functions as a self-contained production powerhouse, prioritizing studio perfection and visual storytelling to create an immersive world for their listeners. Nova Riot is not just releasing a collection of songs; they are inviting the world into an immersive, rhythmic incantation. Altogether, the album contains seven tracks, including standouts like “The Altar (feat. The Bunny The Bear)”, “Midnight Coven Crush” and “Like I Meant It.” The album is set for release on August 21, 2026 via Eclipse Records.

Pre-Save or Pre-Order Blood, Lies & Lullabies at this location.

Blood, Lies & Lullabies track listing
01.  Haunting Me
02.  Midnight Coven Crush
03.  Casket
04.  The Altar (feat. The Bunny The Bear)
05.  Like I Meant It
06.  Through The Storm
07.  Sorry Mom

About Nova Riot
In an era of predictable formulas and recycled aesthetics, NOVA RIOT emerges from Durant, Oklahoma, as a formidable disruption to the heavy music status quo. Operating under the defiant mantra of “Music with No Apologies,” the trio has rapidly carved out a niche within a self-defined sonic territory they describe as bubblegum alternative metal. Nova Riot is Nova Ray (vocals), Orion (bass guitar), Ares (lead guitar).

TalkShopLive Hosts Music Historian John Jackson for In‑Depth Look at Bon Scott’s Life & AC/DC Career

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
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John Jackson, co-manager of the Bon Scott Estate, music industry veteran, producer, and Director of Archives for Billy Joel.

On Tuesday, July 7th at 7PM Eastern time, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Bon Scott’s birth, TalkShopLive hosted music historian/estate curator and custodian, John Jackson for an in-depth discussion of Bon’s life and career from his birth in Scotland through his tenure with AC/DC.

In conjunction with official merch vendor Perryscope, fans will have the opportunity to purchase special 80th anniversary merchandise. 

TalkShopLive is the leading media D2C in the music business, recognized by Fast Company magazine as one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies. Buyers can access unlimited channels and live product shows. TalkShopLive livestreams can be embedded on any website and can simultaneously provide shoppable simulcasts to an artist’s social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Watch it here: https://talkshop.live/watch/Uamb8nFZvRtD

Left: Bon Scott, legendary AC/DC frontman, whose voice, lyrics, and stage presence helped define the band’s early era and lasting legacy.
Right: The Bon Scott COPA Jersey, a limited commemorative piece celebrating Bon’s 80th birthday and enduring rock ‘n’ roll legacy.

ACCEPT Release Re-Recorded Version of ‘Balls to the Wall’, Feat. Rob Halford & More

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
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[Photo Credit: Robert John]

German heavy metal legends ACCEPT release another single off of their upcoming new album masterpiece, Teutonic Titans 1976-2026, produced, mixed and mastered by the legendary Zeuss. They have teamed up with “Metal God” Rob Halford and guitar icon Matthias Jabs for an explosive new rendition of the genre classic, “Balls to the Wall.” Serving as the second single from their massive 50th-anniversary celebratory album, Teutonic Titans 1976-2026, this track perfectly illustrates the band’s half-century legacy. Dropping September 4, 2026, via Napalm Records, this tight and powerful release delivers a vital blow that proves ACCEPT are as relevant as ever. Featuring 19 timeless songs and no fewer than 50 legendary guest artists, the album culminates in an unforgettable moment as the Metal God himself joins the band on the iconic anthem “Balls to the Wall.” The all-star metal supergroup they gathered is another powerful look into the album celebrating both the band’s extraordinary 50-year legacy and the heavy metal genre they helped shape itself. 

Wolf Hoffmann about “Balls to the Wall”:
“Rob is the Metal God. I don’t need to say any more about him. Once we knew that he would do it, it was an obvious choice to give him ‘Balls to the Wall’ because it’s the best fit imaginable! I played all the rhythm guitars. Matthias Jabs from Scorpions played the solo, which is very cool and a huge honour, and it’s Rex Brown on bass and Jason Bowld on drums. So that’s a really cool package.”

German heavy metal legends ACCEPT celebrate 50 years of pure power, bringing together the scene’s A-list musicians for a landmark release. Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 stands as a definitive statement of the band’s legacy, forged in steel and driven by unmistakable riffs. Arriving September 4, 2026, via Napalm Records, the album delivers some of the most iconic songs ever written in heavy music.

Led by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, the longtime architect of ACCEPT’s sound, the band is joined by a staggering 50 guests across 19 reimagined versions of their biggest tracks. Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 is ACCEPT’s most ambitious and star-studded release to date, reaching far beyond the borders of their country of origin. Featuring the biggest names in heavy music paying tribute to the German icons, the record cements the band’s standing on the global stage. This is more than an album; it is a manifesto of metal! Pre-orders are now available in various exclusive formats.

Wolf Hoffmann about Teutonic Titans 1976-2026:
“There is no better way to celebrate this 50-year anniversary than to have our musical peers, friends, and inspirations come together with us to record these classic ACCEPT songs, which I am honored and proud to share with the World. I hope everyone enjoys this very special record as much as we all enjoyed making it.”

Get Your Copy Of Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 NOW

Progressing through albums from their formative years, from I’m a Rebel (1980) to Eat the Heat (1989), ACCEPT present their songs with an all-new, all-star lineup, alongside the signature voice of Mark Tornillo and Wolf Hoffmann’s unmistakable riffs. By enlisting a Who’s Who of metal, no two songs on Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 are the same. Every track features a different combination of vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, giving each classic a fresh edge.
 
Tobias Forge delivers a commanding performance on the track “Save Us” (I’m a Rebel, 1980), joined by Ray Luzier on drums. Phil Anselmo, Kirk Hammett, and Mikkey Dee tear through the speed metal classic “Fast as a Shark” (Restless and Wild, 1982), while the reimagined “Love Child” is elevated by Billy Corgan and David Ellefson (from Balls to the Wall, 1983). Other guest stars on ACCEPT’s extraordinary release include Sebastian Bach, Gary Holt, Phil Demmel, Chuck Billy, Joe Lynn Turner, Jeff Scott Soto, John Bush, Frank Bello, John Norum, and Bumblefoot. The album also features a re-recording of “Hellhammer” (Eat the Heat, 1989), performed by ACCEPT’s current lineup: Wolf Hoffmann, bassist Martin Motnik, guitarist Philip Shouse and drummer Christopher Williams, joined by Jason McMaster on vocals.

Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 track listing:

  1. Fast as a Shark
  2. Balls to the Wall
  3. Aiming High
  4. Run If You Can
  5. Hellhammer
  6. Metal Heart
  7. Losers and Winners
  8. Save Us
  9. Up to the Limit
  10. Wrong Is Right
  11. Starlight
  12. Fight It Back
  13. Love Child
  14. Breaker
  15. Demon’s Night
  16. T.V. War
  17. London Leatherboys
  18. Monsterman
  19. Restless and Wild

ACCEPT Live 2026
 
Festivals
10.07.26 DE – Nideggen / Tollrock Festival
12.07.26 DE – Herten / Zeche Ewald
25.07.26 TR – Istanbul / Maximum Uniq Open Air
27.07.26 BG – Sofia / National Palace of Culture
29.07.26 RO – Ghimbav-Brasov / Rockstad Extreme Fest
07.08.26 FI – Helsinki / Hellsinki Metalfest
29.08.26 UK – Newark / Stonedead Festival
 
Guests: TAILGUNNER
27.08.26 UK – Wolverhampton / KK’s Steel Mill
28.08.26 UK – London / Indigo at The O2
 
Guests: DYNAZTY & TAILGUNNER
19.11.26 DE – Leipzig / Haus Auensee
20.11.26 DE – Lingen / Emsland Arena
21.11.26 DE – Oberhausen / Turbinenhalle
22.11.26 FR – Paris / L’Olympia
24.11.26 DE – Balingen / Volksbankmesse
25.11.26 FR – Lyon / Transbordeur
27.11.26 ES – Valencia / Auditorio
28.11.26 ES – Madrid / La Cubierta
29.11.26 FR – Toulouse / Le Bikini
01.12.26 CH – Zurich / Komplex 457
02.12.26 IT – Milano / Alcatraz
04.12.26 AT – Vienna / Gasometer
05.12.26 CZ – Zlin / Sports Hall Datart
06.12.26 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra
08.12.26 DE – Berlin / Uber Eats Music Hall
09.12.26 PL – Gliwice / Arena Gliwice
11.12.26 DE – Hamburg / Inselpark Arena
12.12.26 DE – Offenbach / Stadthalle
13.12.26 BE – Brussels / AB
15.12.26 DE – Herford / Kulturwerk
16.12.26 NL – Tilburg / O13
18.12.26 DE – Neu-Ulm / Ratiopharm Arena
19.12.26 DE – Geiselwind / Eventhall
20.12.26 DE – Munich / Zenith

ACCEPT are:
Wolf Hoffmann – Guitar
Mark Tornillo – Vocals
Philip Shouse – Guitar
Christopher Williams – Drums
Martin Motnik – Bass
 
ACCEPT online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
NAPALM RECORDS

HARLOTT to Unleash “Exsequiis” Full-Length Album on September 11th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Rob Brens

Australian thrash titans will unleash their Exsequiis full-length on September 11th via Metal Blade Records!

It’s now 20 years since four teenagers from Melbourne assembled under the name HARLOTT – chosen largely because it would look good on a black T-shirt. After a scorching debut with Origin in 2013, the band carved their path through Proliferation (2015), Extinction (2017), and Detritus Of The Final Age (2020) sharpening their brand of breakneck, high-tension thrash with every release.

Now, after a six-year gap, Exsequiis marks the boldest leap forward in their career. Denser, harsher, and more confident than ever – a razor-sharp sound picture built on world-class guitar work, relentless momentum and lyrics that cast a jaundiced eye over our bitterly divided world. The death of the gods, delivered by thrash metal artisans in the prime of their lives.

“Detritus… was a great experience in digging out sounds and ideas that we would have been too trepidant to explore,” explains the band. “For Exsequiis, we went further into that, but with the confidence that it would work as it had done before.”

Examples of this confidence rain down from the outset, with intro “Incipiam” acting as a guitar fanfare of sumptuous melodies that would make Dave Murray green with envy, cueing the haywire carnage of “Void.” Blastbeats and trebly guitars add a black metallic intensity to “Messiah Simplex,” while the scampering riff patterns of “Vice Borne” give way to a mighty bouncing earworm of a chorus. This song, and many others, become a glittering showcase for the guitar solos of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Hudson and guitarist Leigh Bartley, another feature of the HARLOTT sound by now mastered to world class levels, a perfect blend of precision and spontaneity.

Lyrics remain in the depressingly real world, the band preferring not to embroider some supernatural phantasmagoria but instead casting a jaundiced eye over our bitterly divided current climate.

Comments the band on Exsequiis‘ lead single, “Trial by Liar,” “Truth doesn’t appear to matter anymore and there aren’t any consequences for anything. There is a war on information raging and we yearn for the day when judgement is met on these perpetrators.”

HARLOTT‘s Exsequiis will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants: “Coagulation” ASideBSide (EU – Ltd. 500)

Find pre-orders at: metalblade.com/harlott

Exsequiis Track Listing:
01. Incipiam
02. Void
03. Messiah Simplex
04. Trial by Liar
05. The God That Knows No Name
06. Kleptogenesis
07. A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits
08. The Joyful Stain
09. Endling
10. Vice Borne
11. Exsequiis

HARLOTT Live:
9/11/2026 Juz – Burghausen, DE
9/12/2026 Nuclear Intervention Fest – Kadov u Blatné, CZ
9/13/2026 Garage Pub – Krakow, PL
9/15/2026 Music-House – Graz, AT
9/16/2026 Escape – Vienna, AT
9/18/2026 MK Bar – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU
9/23/2026 Bambi Galore – Hamburg, DE
9/24/2026 Mukkes – Leeuwarden, NL
9/25/2026 Musicon – The Hague,NL
9/26/2026 Hellfort – Bruges, BE

“Our mates keep pumping out some heavy fast riffs. Crushing grooves, some super tricky right hand speed picking, catchy melodies with ripping leads, and raw AF vocals. Thrash metal doesn’t get much better than this!” – Brian Hopp, Cephalic Carnage

HARLOTT:
Andrew Hudson – guitar, vocals
Tom Richards – bass, vocals
Leigh Bartley – guitar
Glen Trayhern – drums

https://www.instagram.com/harlottofficial
https://www.facebook.com/HarlottOfficial
https://harlottmetal.bandcamp.com/music

BLOODMOTHER to Release “Militant Black Magic” Debut LP on September 25th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Finnish black metallers BLOODMOTHER will release their debut album “Militant Black Magic” on September 25th, 2026, via Time To Kill Records.

A sharp and uncompromising record, it refuses shortcuts and avoids hiding behind pretentious structures or overly foggy atmospheric detours. Instead, it focuses on pure impact and precision, built entirely on riffs that cut deep and leave no room for distraction. The album stands as a severe statement of intent, stripping everything back to its essential violence and clarity, delivering a sound that is direct, punishing and relentlessly focused on damage rather than ornament.

The first single “Liturgical Decay” is available now: https://ffm.to/bloodmother-liturgical-decay

The band commented:

“Liturgical decay, the meaningless ritualization of dead flesh. When Death calls and the pious decompose, the futility of their faith becomes evident. This is what Bloodmother is all about, a sonic war machine rolling over your graves in celebration of the end of life”.

Tracklist:

1. Bloodmother
2. Liturgical Decay
3. Stella Invictus
4. Traitor’s Tongue
5. Inhumanitarian
6. Iron Hound
7. You Are Nothing
8. Lusting For Demonic Filth
9. Angelic Scourge

Preorders:

Formed in 2021 by Kuolontuoja, BLOODMOTHER was conceived with a clear and uncompromising purpose: to channel the spirit of true Finnish black metal through a sound stripped of excess and focused entirely on aggression. Building upon the foundations laid by the demo “Death to All” and the EP “Soul Crusher”, the band has refined a style based on razor-sharp riffs, hostile atmospheres and a direct, no-frills approach. Yet beneath its relentless surface lies a constant rhythmic variety that prevents the music from falling into predictability, maintaining tension and momentum throughout.

With “Militant Black Magic”, BLOODMOTHER push their vision further, delivering a work rooted in themes of faith, war, death and Satanic defiance. The album stands as the band’s most complete statement to date and a concentrated display of the ferocity that has defined their mission from the very beginning.

Line-up:

Alhainen – Vocals
Kuolontuoja – Guitars
Nehethoor 1. Suuri – Guitars
Poentius – Bass
Infestus – Drums

https://www.instagram.com/bloodmother_bm/
https://bloodmotherbm.bandcamp.com/

UNWRITTEN LAW’s Cailin Comes at You from San Diego

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 8, 2026
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Back in the late 1990s, most people thought they knew what to expect from Unwritten Law. One of the key punk bands of the era, an adrenaline-pumping blur of catchy melodies, buzzsaw guitars and raw vocals, two albums (and seemingly endless gigging) had firmly established them among America’s most frenetic attractions.

And then “Cailin” came along.

Written by frontman Scott Russo for his daughter Cailin, it was certainly a departure from Unwritten Law’s usual habitat. Even as their latest album, 1998’s  Unwritten Law took shape, however, it was hard to shake the feeling that radio might take a fancy to it.

Their record company disagreed,  No matter that a irresistibly heart-warming video had been shot for “Cailin,” the label was adamant. Two singles had already been taken from the album. There would not be a third.  So the band’s management set about promoting the song themselves and they were swiftly rewarded with Unwritten Law’s first hit single, number 28 on the Modern Rock Chart.

All these years later, the inspiration behind the song, Cailin Russo, is an enormously successful singer in her own right, while her song remains one of Unwritten Lw’s most beloved – the roar that greeted it when the band played San Diego’s SOMA in April 2022 proves that.

That full concert, An Evening With Unwritten Law, sees release on CD and vinyl on July 10.  To ease the waiting, however, “Cailin” is released as a single today, and it’s as affecting a gift today, as it ever was in 1998.

SINGLE: https://orcd.co/unwrittenlaw_cailin

An Evening With Unwritten Law is a truly career-spanning collection.  Seventeen songs peel out of the catalog, going all the way back to “C.P.K.” and “World War III” from the band’s Blue Room debut, and “Superman” from Oz Factor. and all the way up to “Beggars” from their closet recent album, The Hum (also available from Cleopatra Records). Of course they could have played more, but they could have played all night and someone would go home without hearing their favorite.

But a lot of them did hear what they were waiting for, and some folk, the really smart ones, didn’t care what the band played. It was enough that they were playing.  And listening to the album today, it’s difficult to disagree.  Unwritten Law have had a couple of “best of” style compilations over the years, and they did their job well.

But none do it as perfectly as this gig.  An Evening With Unwritten Law is more than a souvenir of a great show. It’s a party to which you will never tire of getting an invite.  And “Caitlin” has just opened the door a little wider.

CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=unwritten+law+an+evening+with
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/unwrittenlaw_liveinsandiego

Track listing

1. Intro
2. Lonesome
3. Teenage Suicide
4. Cailin
5. Beggars
6. Seein’ Red
7. Celebration Song
8. F.I.G.H.T.
9. Nevermind
10. Shoulda Known Better
11. Babalon
12. Little Lies
13. Save Me
14. Up All Night
15. California Sky
16. Superman
17. C.P.K.
18. World War III