Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

KINETIC Sign Exclusive Worldwide Deal with Eclipse Records, New Full-Length Album “Liminal” Out October 16th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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Eclipse Records is excited to announce the signing of KINETIC from Kolding, Denmark to an exclusive worldwide deal. Emerging with a sound that bridges technical precision, atmospheric depth, and cinematic storytelling, the band was built on a shared ambition to create music that moves beyond convention—both musically and conceptually. Formed in 2022 by guitarist David Thing and bassist Christian Heitmann, the band recently wrapped up production of their debut full-length album entitled Liminal which will be released via Eclipse Records on October 16, 2026.

“We’re very honored to sign with Eclipse Records.” says keyboardist Marcus Levin, “it feels very natural since they recognized our vision and spirit immediately. They didn’t ask us to be louder, faster, or different. It’s very rare to find a label that truly values and respects patience, depth, and independence in music, and we’re proud and genuinely excited to be working with people who value music and creative storytelling as deeply as we do.” Vocalist René Hougaard adds “ We’ve always been drawn to labels that embrace artistic identity, and Eclipse Records stood out immediately in that regard. From the beginning, they showed genuine enthusiasm for what we’re building, which made the decision easy.”

The modern progressive metal landscape thrives on ambition, yet few emerging acts possess the audacity to anchor a debut full-length album to the literal measurement of cosmic civilization. Arriving on October 16, 2026, via Eclipse Records, Liminal represents a massive sonic leap forward from their well-received 2025 debut EP, Sentience. KINETIC has crafted a 106 minute masterwork that balances technical precision with expansive, atmospheric depth, signaling the arrival of a major new force in the international metal community. Liminal functions as a classic conceptual album, bound together by a coherent, overarching storyline that connects the first note of the opening track to the final fading echoes of the grand finale. Musically and lyrically, the band draws inspiration from the Kardashev Scale, a theoretical framework proposed by astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev that measures the technological advancement of a civilization based on the amount of energy it can harness. Rather than conforming to predictable, verse-chorus modern song structures, KINETIC focuses heavily on cinematic arrangements and long-form compositions. This deliberate stylistic choice allows the music to evolve dynamically, ensuring that the sonic landscape mirrors the immense scientific and philosophical themes of the narrative. Liminal was produced, engineered, mixed & mastered by Frederik Uglebjerg (Galge, MØL, Trold, Isbjörg) and the album cover art was created by Lasse H. Görlitz & Marcus H. Levin. It is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.

Pre-Save or Pre-Order Liminal at this location.

Liminal track listing
01. Beginnings
02. Evolution
03. New Frontiers
04. Type 0.75
05. Fermi
06. Progress to One
07. Dyson
08. Journey to the Stars
09. Digital Mind
10. 2 to Five
11. Omega

About KINETIC:
Emerging from Kolding, Denmark, KINETIC bridges the gap between technical progressive metal and cinematic storytelling. Their new album Liminal takes listeners on an existential journey through space and time, marking the band’s official debut on the Eclipse Records roster and solidifying their place as a must-watch modern metal act. Kinetic is René Hougaard (lead vocals), David Thing (guitar, backing vocal), Christian Filskov Heitmann (bass), Marcus H. Levin (synth), and Rune Görlitz (drums).

NARGAROTH Premiere New Album “Apocalyptic Steel”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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NARGAROTH, the German black metal project of Rene “Ash” Wagner, premiered their new album yesterday. A tribute to Judas Priest, Accept, Deicide, Obituary, Motörhead and other legends who shaped Ash’s identity as a metalhead, Apocalyptic Steel arrives fast, dirty and on its own terms.

“Apocalyptic Steel, radically different as it is, seems like a very appropriate expansion of Nargaroth’s catalog”, New Noise writes in a 5/5 review. “Ash now digs further back into the crux of what he loves”.

Listen to Apocalyptic Steel on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel.

Apocalyptic Steel was released on June 26 on Season of Mist: Underground Activists. Order: https://orcd.co/nargarothapocalypticsteel

Apocalyptic Steel was tracked over a single weekend in September 2014 at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California, with Mike Williams (Mummification) on guitar and bass, and Phil Cancilla (Malevolent Creation, Hank Williams 3) on drums. Left on a hard drive in the United States while Era of Threnody, took priority, Nargaroth’s upcoming new album resurfaced years later. Drums were re-recorded at Skeleton Key Studios in Las Vegas in July 2022, and vocals were recorded alongside the mixing and mastering at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025, with engineer Jens Forster. Twelve years after its original sessions, Apocalyptic Steel is finally here.

Nargaroth will celebrate the release of Apocalyptic Steel on June 26 with an exclusive album release show in Bochum Germany at Matrix. Presented by Redback Promotion and Season of Mist, during this special evening, Ash and his bandmates will perform two full sets: one filled with classic songs from the band’s 30-year history and another premiering Apocalyptic Steel in full. Fans can meet the band prior to the show during a meet-and-greet session.

Get tickets: www.redback.deinetickets.de.

Tracklist:

Intro (00:34)
Steel Apocalypse (03:58)
Twisted Steel (03:37)
I Drink Alone (04:26)
Metalheart (04:17)
Dresden (04:21)
Shelter the Faithless (06:27)
Man of Mayhem (06:15)
Requiem Germania (05:10) [WATCH]
Full runtime: 39:07

NARGAROTH is the sole vision of Rene “Ash” Wagner, forged in Saxony in 1996 and driven by nearly three decades of raw, uncompromising German black metal.

Apocalyptic Steel is a record that refused to stay buried. Tracked in a single weekend at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California, in September of 2014, the album sat forgotten on a hard drive in the United States while Era of Threnody took priority. Years later, the recordings resurfaced. Drums were re-recorded in Las Vegas, vocals and mixing completed at AMP Studios in Duisburg, and twelve years after its first sessions, the album is finally here. This is not a vault curiosity. It is Nargaroth at its most direct: nine tracks of filthy, unadorned metal built on the attitude of old Judas Priest, Accept, Deicide and Obituary. From the predatory menace of “Twisted Steel” to the band-name-studded battle cry of “Metalheart”, from the unflinching historical weight of “Dresden” to the aching Germanic longing of “Requiem Germania”, this is an album that has nothing to prove and wastes nothing on pretence. Recorded fast, recorded dirty, and finished on its own terms.

Recording Line-up:
Ash — Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Mike Williams (Mummification) — Guitar, Bass
Phil Cancilla (Malevolent Creation, Hank Williams 3) — Drums

Current Line-up:
Ash — Vocals
Fernando Cortez (Hacavitz, Ash Nazg Burz, Through Torment) — Guitar
Julio Rodas — (Dreamlore, Tim-Ripper-Owens) — Guitar
Pavulon (Vader, Belphegor, Decapitated, VLTIMAS) — Drums

Production Credits:
Instruments recorded during a weekend session in September 2014 at Trident Studios in Pacheco, CA (Juan Urteaga).
Drums were re-recorded in July 2022 at Skeleton Key Studios in Las Vegas, NV, USA (Rylie Ellen Wechta from Sound Horizon Production).
Vocals recorded at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025 (Jens Förster).
Mixing, and mastering took place at AMP Studios in Duisburg, Germany, between February and April 2025 by Jens Förster.

Cover Art:
Cover artwork was hand-drawn and created by Felipe Mora.
CD artwork by Anne-Kristin G.
Additional artwork in the CD booklet are a homage to classic Metal album covers and was done by Jenglot Hitam.

Photography:
David Perga, photography in CD booklet.

Follow Nargaroth:
Bandcamp: https://nargaroth.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialnargaroth/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nargaroth.official/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NargarothChannel
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/nargaroth/1087036045
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0aIcU4OHpKl7lpcRQp32Eo
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/12064
Tidal: https://stage.tidal.com/artist/7687559

KING ZEBRA Unveil New Video Single ‘A Love I’ve Never Known’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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Swiss rockers King Zebra are pleased to unveil their new single and official video, “A Love I’ve Never Known”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band stated: “Some hearts know where they belong and some have to search for love seemingly their whole life. “A Love I’ve Never Known” is a rip-roaring power rock ride dedicated to those who keep on believing they’ll find true love.”

Stream “A Love I’ve Never Known” HERE

Hailing from the picturesque city of Zurich, Switzerland, King Zebra is a melodic hard rock powerhouse that has been making waves in the international rock scene since their inception in 2017.

Led by the charismatic frontman Eric St. Michaels, a seasoned veteran in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, the band has been on a relentless journey to redefine the genre with their electrifying sound.

Eric St. Michaels, originally from the vibrant rock scene of New Jersey, found a new home in Switzerland over two decades ago. His powerful and soulful vocals are best known from his time as the former lead singer of the renowned band China. With King Zebra, Eric has embarked on a new musical odyssey, taking his rich experience and passion for rock to new heights.

In 2019, the band gained international attention with the release of an EP. Since then, King Zebra has performed at festivals such as Rock the Ring alongside legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Uriah Heep, and Rose Tattoo, and opened stadium shows for Alice Cooper.

In 2020, they released the album “Survivors”, produced by Oscar Nilsson (Crashdiet, The Halo Effect, Hank van Hell), which led to successful European tours and sold-out shows both abroad and in their home country.

In 2023, King Zebra signed a record deal with Frontiers Records. The following year saw the release of “Between The Shadows”, accompanied by a European tour with The Gems and a subsequent club tour in Switzerland.

In 2025, the band performed at renowned festivals such as the Riverside Festival, shared the stage with Hammerfall and Kissin’ Dynamite, and joined Shakra as Special Guest for their 30th anniversary show at the legendary Z7 in Pratteln. Later that year, King Zebra returned to Bohus Studio in Gothenburg to work on new material.

As King Zebra continues to conquer stages and hearts around the globe, their mission remains clear: to keep the flame of Melodic Hard Rock burning brightly and to carry on the legacy of Rock ‘n’ Roll through their electrifying music and unforgettable live shows.

Line Up:
Eric St. Michaels
Roman Lauer
Jerry Napitupulu
Benjamin Grimm
Manu Judge

Follow KING ZEBRA:
Website
Facebook
Instagram

SYMETRIA Release New Single + Lyric Video ‘The Game’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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Hard rock/metal band SYMETRIA have unveiled their powerful new single, “The Game,” available now through Curtain Call Records, alongside an official lyric video. Recorded at SoundMine Studio in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, “The Game” was produced and mixed by acclaimed producer Dan Malsch.

“The Game is really about the two games of life,” explains the band. “The finite game is one you can play to win, and then it’s over. The infinite game is different. It’s played so that existence can continue and future generations have a game left to play. If not enough people are participating in that infinite game, everything eventually falls apart, and there are no games left to play at all.”

The accompanying lyric video brings the song’s themes to life, highlighting the tension between competition, purpose, and the enduring struggle to preserve what matters beyond ourselves.

Symetria has hit their 10 year mark running full steam ahead with a new EP All or Nothing releasing summer of 2026 on Curtain Call Records. This marks Symetria’s 3rd release, and their second with Curtain Call. Behind that comes a support lineup that makes it hard to deny the bands presence is growing both locally and on a national scene.

The band will be in New Jersey on Saturday, June 27th with an appearance at The NJ Metalfest XI. A show that has itself grown to be one of the NJ underground metal scene’s premier annual events. After that they make their triumphant return to Reverb in Reading PA on Saturday, July 25th as the sole local opener for this summers first leg of the Metal Church tour.

A few short weeks later on Friday August 14th at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, Symetria is in the company of an impressive list of local and national talent selected to support the Coal Region Music Fest. This is an event put on annually to raise funds and awareness to the local veterans support agencies in the region.

Then comes a huge road trip out to Bloomville, Ohio, where Symetria gets to stretch their legs for the Smoking Cole’s Bike Rally an 8 Day event where the band lands themselves a Saturday night slot opening for the legendary Lita Ford. After that run of 4 shows Symetria makes their first appearance in Allentown PA in 8 years at the Allentown Arts Gallery.

The band then wraps up it’s current schedule with their 2nd straight appearance on B’N’R fest Saturday November 7th in Birdsboro PA a local Reading area music festival that brings together some of the longest running local and regional acts in the eastern PA music scene. The band has plans in the works to tour for the first time with intentions of late summer or fall of 2027.

STREAM “The Game”: https://orcd.co/pnqdaow

For More Information Please Visit: Instagram – Facebook – TikTok – YouTube

SPEED STROKE Release New Video ‘Glorious Breakdown’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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Speed Stroke has released a video for “Glorious Breakdown”, first single taken from the new album “Damage Control” to be released on August 21 by Scarlet Records.

Hitting rock bottom and finally freeing yourself from the shackles of sanity is exactly when the gears of liberation start to turn. Reaching that ultimate breaking point could take the smallest inconvenience, or just another episode of bad luck stalking you. It is that one last drop of gasoline that ignites your inner Destructomania, a chaotic explosion that exorcises all built-up frustrations and finally makes you feel glorious in the wreckage.

video by Filippo Cinotti

“Damage Control”:

Fourth record for the uncompromising Italian hard rock stallions;
mixed and mastered by Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse) at Mass Destruction Production (Eclipse, Sinner, Primal Fear);
featuring Dario Capacci (Trick Or Treat) on drums;
featuring Giorgia Colleluori (Sinner, IT’sALIE) on vocals on “Blessed By Misery”;
cover & artwork by the painting master Claudio Elias Scialabba;
FFO: H.E.A.T, Backyard Babies, Hardcore Superstar, Crashdïet, W.A.S.P., D-A-D, Skid Row;

“Damage Control” tracklist:

1 Glorious Breakdown
2 Heart Of The City
3 Damage Control
4 State Of Shock
5 Italian Coglione
6 In Flames
7 Blessed By Misery
8 All For The Weak End
9 Walls
10 Chain Reaction

Total running time – 38:29

Speed Stroke master the art of hard rock through a personal approach that perfectly blends the Scandinavian sleaze rock modern edge and the glorious legacy of the 80s street metal scene.

Top-notch songwriting, hit after hit, all killers-no fillers: that’s the recipe for a proper collection of hard-hitting and yet melodic tunes.

«Control the damage done to contain it or inflict controlled damage to break the chains of comfortable stasis?»: this is the question “Damage Control” sparks in the listener, delivered through a hurricane of dynamite-like riffs, jaw-breaking solos, and raw screams of rage and liberation.

By both glorifying the panic of the unknown and demonizing the safety of the comfort zone, the new Speed Stroke album presents the ultimate fight-or-flight dilemma, fueling the fire of change.

Speed Stroke:
Jack – vocals
D.B – guitar
Michael – guitar
Fungo – bass
Maddy – drums

BELUSHI SPEED BALL Release New Lyric Video for ‘All Pete’s Exes’, Feat. Guitarist Pete Lee

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 27, 2026

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Louisville crossover thrash maniacs BELUSHI SPEED BALL have unleashed the official lyric video for “All Pete’s Exes,” one of the standout tracks from their recently released album, Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s. The song features former GWAR guitarist Pete Lee and arrives alongside an ongoing fundraising campaign supporting Lee as he continues his battle for justice and health.

Equal parts lightning-fast crossover thrash and absurd storytelling, “All Pete’s Exes” immortalizes one of the band’s favorite real-life memories: a legendary visit to Pete Lee’s house in Dallas that quickly descended into the kind of surreal chaos only BELUSHI SPEED BALL could turn into a song.

Regarding the video, vocalist Vinny Castellano comments:

“We are so excited to drop our newest lyric video for our latest single, ‘All Pete’s Exes!’ Featuring the man himself, former GWAR Flattus Maximus, Pete Lee on guitar. The song details the legendary time Pete hosted Belushi Speed Ball at his house in Dallas, and had a harem of women cooking us food and pouring drinks for the boys. Featuring artwork by Ariz Fazri depicting the Law, Judge Pete, which coincides with T-shirts featuring the same design available on our Bandcamp. All profit from sales go to helping Pete in his battle for justice and health. The video was phenomenally animated by Andrea Mantelli.“

Released earlier this month, Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s finds BELUSHI SPEED BALL continuing to blur the line between blistering crossover thrash, pop culture satire, and complete mayhem. Packed with neck-breaking riffs, tongue-in-cheek humor, and the band’s trademark anything-goes attitude, the album has further cemented their reputation as one of underground metal’s most unpredictable and entertaining acts.

Purchase the Judge Pete charity t-shirt: HERE

Purchase Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s: https://belushispeedball.bandcamp.com/

StreamToxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s: Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The 80’s Track List:

1. I Ought Not Know
2. How Tough Am I?
3. That’s a Mighty Fine Wayne Gretzky
4. What’s Funnier Than 24?
5. All Pete’s Exes
6. Kellaway’s Wife
7. D.E.N.N.I.S. System
8. It’s a Green Day (You Know… Still Like Stocks)
9. Terminator Lava Factory
10. I’m Not Your Buddy, Guy
11. Belushi Speed Ball
12. Captain Planet Still Can’t Stop Us

About BELUSHI SPEED BALL:

Belushi Speed Ball is a Kentucky-based band founded in 2013 as a studio project amongst friends with a penchant for cliché crossover thrash. Their first live performances came soon after, enthralling a rapidly growing fanbase with a uniquely interactive brand of theatrics and unorthodox approach to releases and merch.

Dubbed “one of the funniest fucking things I have heard this year” by The Needle Drop’s Anthony Fantano, Belushi Speed Ball are inspired by bands from Toxic Holocaust and Anthrax to Gwar and Municipal Waste, to whom they simultaneously play homage and satirize a mean comment from a fan in their song “Ripping off Municipal Waste”, which was voted one of Leo Magazine’s top 20 songs of 2022. With a reputation for both trashing venues and meticulously cleaning them up after each individually themed performance, Belushi Speed Ball are masters of executing the unthinkable. From playing out of a Mad Max-esque moving van and starting Terminator-inspired 300-person Nerf gun fights to releasing entire albums in N64… or Furby… formats, nothing is sacred as they continue evolving as, in the words of Metalsucks, “a freakshow of blistering thrash dedicated to laughing its ass off at blistering thrash.”

Belushi Speed Ball Lineup:

Vinny Castellano – Vocals
Brian Desper – Additional Vocals
Jamison Land – Guitar
Derrek Tipton – Guitar
Nathan Roger – Guitar
Justin McClure – Bass
Ben Cotton Drums