Today, Jared James Nichols is excited to announce a new run of UK release events in support of his upcoming fourth studio album, “Louder Than Fate”, out June 5, 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl, alongside a series of European dates supporting legendary rock icon George Thorogood.
Fresh off a string of intimate album launch appearances, Nichols will continue celebrating the release of “Louder Than Fate” with special fan events in the UK, including performances and signings at two of the country’s most beloved independent record stores.
In addition, Jared will join George Thorogood for a select run of high-profile European shows, bringing his explosive live performance to audiences across Belgium, Germany, France, and the UK.
Jared commented: “Like The Sones before him & Jack White after, George Thorogood is a ground breaker in taking the blues to the next level in popularity and innovation. I can’t wait to see him tear up the stage on this run. It’s an honor to support him on this tour.”
The full list of newly announced dates can be found below:
Release Events
June 5 – Kingston, UK @ Banquet Records June 7 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East (Performance & Signing)
Supporting George Thorogood
June 21 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique June 23 – Berlin, DE @ Uber Eats Music Hall June 26 – Paris, FR @ Bataclan June 29 – Wolverhampton, UK @ Civic Hall June 30 – London, UK @ Indigo at The O2
Produced and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour, Amon Amarth, Skindred, Steel Panther), with additional production by Roger Alan Nichols (Larkin Poe, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Hayley Williams of Paramore), “Louder Than Fate” captures Jared James Nichols at his most powerful and dynamic yet.
Blending thunderous riffs, soulful vocals, and raw emotion, the album showcases Nichols’ unmistakable style while pushing his songwriting and musicianship into exciting new territory.
From blistering hard rock anthems to emotionally charged moments of reflection, “Louder Than Fate” is a bold statement from one of modern rock’s most electrifying performers.
Since his breakout debut, Jared James Nichols has built a global reputation as a relentless touring artist and one of the most exciting guitarists of his generation, sharing stages with rock royalty while earning acclaim for his raw, no-pick playing style and unforgettable live shows.
“Louder Than Fate” is more than an album – it’s a celebration of authenticity, passion, and the enduring spirit of rock n’ roll.
1. Let’s Go 2. Ghost 3. Way Back 4. Bending Or Breaking 5. Killing Time * 6. Dust N’ Bones 7. Show Me * 8. Looks Like That Felt Good * 9. Runnin’ Hot 10. Pretend
“Killing Time” (acoustic version) Bonus Track Japan “The Death Of Love” (bonus track Digital)
Produced & Mixed by Jay Ruston Except * Produced & Mixed by Roger Alan Nichols
London metallers Negative Frame have released their new single ‘Sorrow & Solitude’,  a dark and emotive track showcasing the dynamic range of this exciting new band.
Vocalist Kesari Gorin commented on ‘Sorrow & Solitude’: “This song is about love and loss, trying to hold onto someone without losing yourself. Sometimes you can change so much to be with someone that you both end up unrecognisable. ‘Sorrow & Solitude’ is the most emotional song we’ve done, it’s something new for us showing a more vulnerable side. This track is about relationships and how they can fall apart, exploring feelings of grief and regret, but ultimately trying to do what’s best for both of you. When the fire burns bright you can only hold onto it for so long until you need to let go.”
Negative Frame will release their debut album in 2026, news coming soon.
Negative Frame are a London-based metallic hardcore band formed in 2017, emerging from the city’s DIY underground with a sound that fuses groove-heavy riffs, thrash intensity and punishing breakdowns. Originally brought together through skating and college life in North London, the band channelled frustration with everyday monotony into something far louder and more physical, quickly becoming known for their raw, high-impact approach. Drawing influence from acts like Acid Bath, Disembodied and Lamb of God, their music leans into dense, groove-led structures and visceral, emotionally charged vocals that hit as hard live as they do on record.
From early DIY tours and self-booked shows to sharing stages with hardcore heavyweights, Negative Frame have built their reputation on relentless live energy and a deep connection to the UKHC scene. Their debut releases and later material, including the Mercy Killing EP and singles like ‘Bad Blood,’ showcase a band evolving into a heavier, more intricate force while staying rooted in hardcore’s communal chaos—stage dives, mic grabs and all. With a growing following and a reputation for explosive performances, Negative Frame are part of a new wave pushing UK hardcore into darker, more aggressive territory without losing its sense of grit or fun.
Negative Frame are here to execute, haunting each listener with a passionate blend of hardcore to epic metal.
Negative Frame are: Kesari Gorin – Vocals Olly Coyne – Lead Guitar George Evil – Guitar Mark Maccutchan – Bass Luke Walker – Drums
Finnish atmospheric metal band Meret released their debut single ‘Breath of the Dying Sun’ on May 14th 2026. The track is taken from the forthcoming self-titled EP which is set to be released later in 2026 via Inverse Records. The band features familiar faces from the Finnish metal scene, and its members have experience playing in bands such as Hanging Garden, Shamrain, Crimfall, and Where’s My Bible.Â
“The songs are built from the emotions and darkness I carry within me. For me, this music is a way to unravel my inner world and bring to light things that are hard to put into words. The music moves between beauty, melancholy, and dark moods, but there is always light to be found beneath the surface.
The songs were born more from emotion than from a plan. Sometimes a single melody or mood opens up a whole world around the song” says, Toni Hinkkala.
–Composed, arranged & lyrics by Toni Hinkkala –Arranged by Mikko Kolari –Mixed by Pasi Löfgren –Mastered by Miro Kiiski –ISRC: FI3FC2601202 –Single cover by Petri Lampela
Meret, formed in 2025 in Heinola, is a atmospheric metal band built around strong melodies, melancholy and the contrast between hope and darkness. The band’s songs are born from personal emotions and an inner world. A place that cannot always be explained with words, but can be heard through the music.
Meret’s sound combines beautiful melodies, dark tones and dynamic songwriting where sensitivity and heaviness exist side by side. The music does not aim to be perfectly polished or calculated, but genuinely emotional and honest. The band builds its songs around powerful atmospheres. At times the music can feel hopeless and dark, yet beneath the surface there is always also light and hope. The band’s identity is strongly rooted in its own vision and personal expression.
Meret was born from the need to create music that feels real.
Line-up: Toni Hinkkala – Vocals & rhythm guitar Mikko Kolari – Lead guitar Pasi Löfgren – Bass guitar & backing vocals Janne Jukarainen – Drums
Italian symphonic death metal titans FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are storming New York City on May 15, 2026 for a show at The Palladium. To celebrate, they have teamed up with Handcraft Burgers & Brew, a top-ranked New York City restaurant. The “Opera Of Ruin Burger” features the following ingredients:
Smashed beef and sausage patty
Garlic aioli
Arugula
Tomatoes
Provolone cheese
Chili crunch
Parmigiano crisp
Balsamic glaze
Crispy bacon
Brioche bun brushed with garlic butter on top
This special, limited-edition burger is only available until May 15, so check it out at Handcraft Burgers & Brew before the show.
See FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE live at the following tour dates:
May 15 – Palladium Times Square – New York, NY May 16 – Buffalo RiverWorks – Buffalo, NY May 17 – Empire Live – Albany, NY May 18 – Theatre Beanfield – Montreal, Canada May 19 – Toyota Oakdale Theatre – Wallingford, CT May 20 – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom – Hampton Beach, NH
Following the recent release of their latest single “Threshold Of Hell” featuring Fernando Ribeiro of Moonspell, Spanish melodic death metal act BLOODHUNTER have unveiled a brand-new music video for their crushing cover version of Annihilator’s classic “Human Insecticide”!
The track will appear on the band’s highly anticipated upcoming studio album “Sons Of The Abandoned”, set for release on June 12 via ROAR – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music. In addition, BLOODHUNTER have announced a series of Spanish tour dates as special guest to CRYPTA. All upcoming shows can be found below!
Speaking about the single, guitarist Dani Arcos comments: “It’s a carefree, fun, and very raw song by Annihilator that I think fits well at BLOODHUNTER.”
Vocalist Diva Satanica adds: “A classic from this thrash band that it’s very convenient due to the current worldwide political events that was super hard to sing for me due to its speedy verses. I had a blast singing through it!”
Formed in Galicia, BLOODHUNTER have steadily carved their name into the international extreme metal scene through relentless touring, uncompromising sound and a clear artistic vision. Fronted by Diva Satanica, the band blends extreme metal aggression with melodic depth, groove and narrative ambition, forging a sound that is both ferocious and emotionally charged.
Since their inception, BLOODHUNTER have stood out for their conceptual approach and strong identity. Their music has always balanced brutality with atmosphere, drawing from themes such as ancient civilizations, power, human conflict and transcendence. Over the years, the band has evolved naturally, refining their songwriting and pushing beyond genre boundaries without losing their aggressive core.
“Sons Of The Abandoned”, produced by Tue Madsen, marks a turning point in BLOODHUNTER’s career. It is their most personal and honest album so far, shifting the focus inward to explore identity, vulnerability, personal struggle and the cost of pursuing one’s own path. For the first time, the lyrics speak directly from the heart, addressing inner demons, toxic environments, generational disconnection and the feeling of being lost in a world driven by individuality and superficial values. Musically, the album expands the band’s palette. Crushing riffs coexist with elegant grooves and striking melodic passages, while sharp contrasts define the songwriting: rage against beauty, speed against atmosphere, darkness against clarity.
With “Sons Of The Abandoned”, BLOODHUNTER solidify themselves as a band unafraid to evolve, challenge expectations and expose their own scars. This is not just another extreme metal album, it is a statement of identity, resistance and survival in a world that constantly demands compromise.
Tracklist: 1. The Devil’s Own 2. The Outspoken 3. Threshold Of Hell 4. Ephemeral Youth 5. Sons Of The Abandoned 6. No One Beats Death 7. Code Aeternam 8. The Path That Never Ends 9. The Night Is Darker Before The Dawn 10. Masters Of Deceive 11. Human Insecticide
BLOODHUNTER Live, with CRYPTA: June 12 – Madrid @ Revi Live June 14 – Mos @ Sala RebullĂłn June 15 – Vitoria @ Urban Rock Concept June 16 – Valencia @ Sala Rock City June 17 – Badalona @ Sala Estraperlo
Since 2013, when they first came rumbling down from the Blue Ridge Mountains, Bask have sounded like they belong to their very own time and place. On their LIT Music Award-winning, critically-acclaimed new album, the band take their homebrewed Heavy Americana to a new dimension. With The Turning, they pen a heavy, heady and heartfelt ode to their mountain home in the sky.
Today, Bask are excited to announce three shows with Elder. The Asheville natives will join the heavy psychedelic Massachusetts rockers in Richmond, Asheville and Atlanta during their upcoming North American tour.
“We are excited to join the almighty Elder this September”, Bask says. “Fans can also come out and see us later this month on our Midwest jaunt”.
May 28 – Dayton, OH @ Cosmos Joe Atomic Lounge [TICKETS] May 29 – Chicago, IL @ Live Wire [TICKETS] May 30 – Albion, MI @ Albion Malleable Brewing [TICKETS] September 9 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry* [TICKETS] September 10 – Asheville, North Caroline @ The Orange Peel* [TICKETS] September 11 – Atlanta, Georgia @ The Masquerade* [TICKETS]
Tracklist 1. Chasm (1:30) 2. In the Heat of the Dying Sun (4:57) ​3. The Traveler (4:06) [WATCH] 4. The ​Cloth (4:12) 5. Dig My Heels (5:33) [WATCH] 6. Unwound (7:02) 7. Long Lost Light (6:52) [WATCH] 8. The Turning (6:33)
Psychedelic rockers have wrangled with the laws of spacetime since time immemorial, but for Bask, the past half decade has felt like falling through a prolonged series of black holes.
Before the pandemic knocked 2020 for a loop, the band were all set to traverse North America’s dusty ol’ trail with kindred spirits Elder. Flash forward roughly four years and they were fixing to tour Europe when another disaster struck their idyllic mountain town. The climb to reach album number four wound up taking one hell of a trip. But on The Turning, Bask bring Heavy Americana to a whole new dimension.  Â
“The past five years have been challenging for all of us”, the band says. “So seeing this album finally come to light is therapeutic. The Turning is Bask at our finest. It’s our most cohesive and heartfelt effort, an ode to our mountain home in the sky”. Â
For as long as they’ve been together, Bask have called Asheville, North Carolina home. Â Drummer Scott Middleton and axeman Ray Worth were already jamming up a storm, when in 2013, they tag teamed with bassist Jesse Van Note and vocalist/guitarist Zeb Wright after the two arrived in The Land of the Sky. “We’ve been a band longer than we’ve been with our spouses”, Van Note acknowledges with a gold-toothed smile of appreciation. And yet, after 12 years in the same city, Bask still sound of their own time and place. Sharing bills with High on Fire, Black Tusk and Weedeater has led some metal archivists to peg them as stoners, though it was clear right away that these trailblazers were carved from a different neck of the woods. Â
“I’m quite sure I haven’t heard anything like it”, Metal Storm admired after filling up on Bask’s first full-length American Hollow. Second helping Ramble Beyond expanded the band’s homebrewed heaviness into crushing peaks and leaf-strewn valleys. “It’s tuneful, heavy, full of heart and soul and wanderlust” noted Invisible Oranges before adding, “and above all, a killer fucking rock album”. Â
“It’s really exactly what you want from a musical artist: a group of people creating their own sound that isn’t aping anyone”, Heavy Blog is Heavy sang in praise of the aptly titled III, which took a more snow-sheened path at the direction of Matt Bayles, who’s served as studio sherpa for Pearl Jam, Mastodon and Minus the Bear. “This is the kind of band you want to see grow”. Â
Bask continue to grow by literal leaps and conceptual bounds on The Turning. “I think that’s where the magic is for us”, Van Note muses. “We’re not put in a box”. Following a retreat to Echo Mountain Recording with producer Kenny Harrington, the band have returned with a concept album that truly straddles the fence between cosmic and country. “Zeb did a lot of work behind the scenes to help Kenny bridge the gap between the polish of our last record and the warmth of Ramble Beyond“. In the spirit of a Hollywood Western, the opening track sets a sizzling scene. Distant cries of trumpet stir beneath ominous drone, as if blown with the wind through a mountain chasm. Only then, like a lone ranger, does “In The Heat of the Dying Sun” appear over the blood moon horizon. “I was born to ride”, announces Wright with booming cleans as bass circles the wagons with the earthshaking force of an asteroid. Â
The Turning remains grounded in the natural-born sounds of Appalachia, which pokes its prickly head through the sludgier chords of “The Cloth” like a black bear swimming upstream. “We all like heavy music and half of us grew up around folk and bluegrass”, explains Wright, “but this album leans into that mix even further”. Despite starting with boots firmly planted in Tampa Bay death metal, lead single “Dig My Heels” strides through kudzu-covered fields of prog before bounding for the great beyond. “Scott called me out”, Worth laughs when asked about the song’s origins. “Instead of writing to my riffs like we’re known to do, his drumbeat took the reins on this one”. Â
“There’s nothing wrong with playing in 4/4”, Middleton admits, “but if you’re not exploring, then you’re missing out on a world of opportunity”. Â
While they’ve always been a tight-knit group, Bask’s immediate universe has also expanded. Granted, Jed Willis was already part of the band’s orbit, having helped put a bow on their last album. He’s also chipped in on tour with merch and driving duties, but The Turning welcomes him as an official member. “It’s hard trying to add someone when you’ve had the same four guys in a van for 12 years”, notes Van Note. Indeed, it’s a testament to their dyed-in-the-wool chemistry that the album’s initial thread was teased out in one go. Chugging riffs lock horns with a sideways galloping before folding seamlessly into pastoral space rock, though “Unwound” didn’t fully come together until laced with Willis’ aching bends of pedal steel. “He’s done a really good job of shining when we want that sound”.    Â
“These guys have become friends and brothers to me over the past decade or so”, Willis says. “We’ve shared rehearsal spaces, explored new sounds and collaborated on various side projects. Our music journeys have become intertwined, creating a solid and welcoming foundation that made my transition into the band feel like a natural next step for all of us”. Â
“When we started writing The Turning, the songs were twangy but also spacier and more psychedelic than anything we’ve done before”, adds Wright, who also performs as the band’s lyrical scribe. “And so I asked myself, ‘What does this feel like? What do all these things come together and make?” Â
The answer? How about a 40 odd minute, sci-fi opus that stretches not just across dimensions but generations in man’s never-ending quest for immortality. “Sorry, this is gonna get a bit heavy”, Wright warns before walking us through the ins-and-outs of Bask’s latest yarn. Whereas the band’s previous treks were inspired by tall tales, The Turning spools forth from their own fantastical imagination. The album’s spurred heroine, known simply as The Rider, has her extraterrestrial world turned upside down by “The Traveler”, a mysteriously ageless gunslinger who needs her help getting out of Dodge. “Don’t be frightened of me”, he pleads, though the breakdown’s doomy, organ-provoked premonition suggests his intentions aren’t so honorable. Maze-like twists are revealed at every self-referential turns as the star-crossed outlaws try and outrun the changing of the seasons. However, despite being admittedly “out there”, the album’s dwellings on family, aging, death and rebirth hit close to home. Â
“We’ve been through so much together. We were robbed in Sweden. A tire literally fell off our van while we were driving”, Van Note reflects. “Because of COVID, we didn’t get together as much, either. We’re also older now and there are challenges and responsibilities that come with that. I have two kids. Some of us have bought houses. We’ve all been through marriages and different relationships. For things to snowball on top of the band one after another, it kind of had us feeling like maybe this was the end of our era”. Â
In fact, The Turning was almost lost to the sands of time. Bask finished tracking just a few weeks before Hurricane Helene reached Asheville. “It was terrifying”, Worth remembers. “We had a hard time getting in touch with each other. I climbed a hill to get cell phone reception. One of the guys was still unaccounted for the day before we were supposed to leave for Europe”. While they feel fortunate to have sustained just a flooded practice space, the storm’s aftermath did seep into the album’s mixing and mastering sessions with Alan Douches. “It would be naive to think that a life-changing event didn’t color the overall tone”. With a wearisome gait, “Long Lost Light” drifts through a ghost town haunted by salooning piano and high, lonesome fiddle until it’s swept like sawdust into the void. Â
“It’s the heaviest and most challenging song”, Wright says about the album’s emotional centerpiece. Though not the last song written for The Turning, it became the missing piece almost by design. “We worried it was going to be too hard for us to listen back to”, Van Note shares, a sentiment that Worth echoes. “You can feel the pain in every note”. But fellow Asheville native Franklin Keel helped them turn the tide with his deeply melancholic churns of cello. “The way Franklin bends the note, right as things get heavy”, Van Note points out, ” it acted like a release for us”. Â
When pressed, Wright stops short of concluding that The Turning has a happy ending.  “Honestly, it’s almost in spite of that”, he responds in reference to the surprise family reunion that sets its final showdown in motion. If we’re left with a cliffhanger, then the myriad ways in which the albums keeps us guessing are perhaps fitting. After all, much like their hometown, the band are just starting to feel as if things are turning around. “Cleaning up our practice space was such an emotional experience. It was heart-wrenching but also heartwarming at the same time. It led us to re-appreciate each other and our community”. Just as our heroine discovers her hidden powers, the title track ends with the newly mounted five-piece stampeding toward the next frontier. “I danced through age and fire”, Wright belts, backed by everything Bask have always stood for: mountainous bass, tumbling drums, blazing leads, and a sunburst of pedal steel. Â
“Music is an emotional outlet, but at the end of the day, it’s also a way for us to hang out with our best buds”, the band says. “The Turning was a challenge, but we weathered the storm and came out the other side with a beautiful album that sounds like Bask”. Â
Line-up:
Jesse Van Note – Bass Scott Middleton – Drums Ray Worth – Guitar Zeb Wright – Guitar/Vocals Jed Willis – Pedal Steel
Guest musicians Clay White – Trumpet Franklin Keel – Cello Alex Taub – Piano, Hammond B3 Organ
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 ) 