Triple Co-Headline: DESPISED ICON, SUFFOCATION & CARNIFEX Unite for ‘Death Dominion Tour’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Eric Sanchez

Canadian deathcore pioneers DESPISED ICON and New York death metal legends SUFFOCATION are joining forces this fall for a massive triple co-headline tour alongside deathcore juggernauts CARNIFEX. The 20-date ‘Death Dominion Tour’ presented by IMPERICON FESTIVAL kicks off on October 29th in Munich and concludes on November 20th in Karlsruhe, featuring GATES TO HELL as special guests.

DESPISED ICON comments: “Excited to finally return to Europe after two years and hit the road with our longtime friends in Carnifex and Suffocation. We’ll be covering every era of the band, from our new record Shadow Work all the way to The Healing Process. See you this Fall.”

SUFFOCATION state, “Can’t wait to rip some stages with our old friends and brothers Despised Icon and Carnifex! This will be a hell of a slamming family reunion!! Can’t wait to see you all out there and we have some surprises planned for you guys so keep an eye out!”

Purchase tickets here: https://lnk.to/DEATHDOMINION26

Confirmed dates for the DESPISED ICON, SUFFOCATION, CARNIFEX (Co-Headlining Tour)
with special guests GATES TO HELL are:
29.10.26  DE  München @ Backstage
30.10.26  DE  Essen @ Weststadthalle
31.10.26  NL  Haarlem @ Patronaat GZ
01.11.26  BE  Antwerp @ Kavka Zappa
03.11.26  UK  London @ Electric Brixton
04.11.26  UK  Birmingham @ O2 Institute
05.11.26  UK  Manchester @ Academy 2
06.11.26  UK  Sheffield @ Corporation
07.11.26  UK  Bristol @ Electric Bristol
09.11.26  FR  Paris @ La Machine du Moulin Rouge
10.11.26  FR  Lyon @ La Rayonne
11.11.26  IT  Milan @ Legend
12.11.26  AT  Vienna @ Arena
13.11.26  HU  Budapest @ Barba Negra
14.11.26  DE  Leipzig @ Felsenkeller *
15.11.26  CZ  Prague @ Meet Factory
17.11.26  PL  Warsaw @ Proxima
18.11.26  DE  Berlin @ Columbia Theater
19.11.26  DE  Hamburg @ Gruenspan
20.11.26  DE  Karlsruhe @ Substag

Order Shadow Work: https://despisedicon.bfan.link/shadow-work

Shadow Work Tracklisting:
1. Shadow Work
2. Over My Dead Body
3. Death Of An Artist
4. Corpse Pose
5. The Apparition
6. Reaper
7. In Memoriam
8. Omen Of Misfortune
9. Obsessive Compulsive Disaster
10. ContreCoeur
11. Fallen Ones

Shadow Work was produced by the band’s own Alex Erian and Eric Jarrin, while Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY, SHADOW OF INTENT, SIGNS OF THE SWARM) handled mixing and mastering. The album marks a significant chapter for a band whose core lineup has remained largely unchanged since its inception. It’s a deeply introspective record that reflects both personal growth and the turbulence of the world around us. The artwork for the album was created by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, THY ART IS MURDER, CAVALERA).

DESPISED ICON’s line-up is:
Alex Erian | Vocals
Steve Marois | Vocals
Eric Jarrin | Guitars
Ben Landreville | Guitars
Sébastien Piché | Bass
Alex “Grind” Pelletier | Drums

GOZU Release New Single ‘Corinthian Leatherface’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Ed Kost

“Corinthian Leatherface” is the latest single from Boston stoner/fuzz rock outfit GOZU. The track comes off their long-awaited new full-length, Gozu VI, set for release on May 15th through Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records.

Comments GOZU singer/guitarist Marc Gaffney, “We wanted something that molded our love for Queens, Queen, and Motown harmonies. Lyrically, I needed an outlet and this was an amazing vehicle to add NOS [Nitrous Oxide] to.”

Stream GOZU‘s “Corinthian Leatherface” HERE.

Watch GOZU‘s previously released video for “Banacek” HERE.

“We wanted something that really moved and hit a nerve,” says Gaffney on composing the band’s sixth studio album. “I was pretty roughed up emotionally while writing. I played guitar more in the past two years than ever before. I would work, go to the gym, come home, eat and then play guitar until I went to bed.”

The end result is eight action-packed tracks, produced and mixed by Benny Grotto at Boston’s Mad Oak Studios. Emotion is writ loud and large for the band that’s been praised for their “deep grooves, thick riff mechanics, soulful melodies,” and for creating a “musical stew that intoxicates the listener, sweeping them into another aural universe.”

Gaffney has spoken about the band’s, “maturity mixed with a childlike enthusiasm to play music,” and Gozu VI‘s songs are proof positive. “I think this is more of a soulful, straight forward, guitar-driven album. Lyrically, this took on a whole different feel, and it wrote itself.”

With Gozu VI, the lineup’s melding of intense, fuzzy ’70s-inspired riffs, rich, catchy, grunge-esque vocal melodies, and a touch of oldschool stoner psychedelia has reached a zenith. Categorize them how you will. “We don’t mind if people think we’re stoner, doom, heavy, easy listening with a touch of cayenne pepper. I feel we’re just a heavy soulful band,” Gaffney notes. “We play music that people can shake their ass to and lyrics that are honest and deal with human nature.”

Gozu VI will be released digitally. Find pre-orders at: blacklightmediarecords.com/gozu

In celebration of the release of Gozu VI, GOZU will join New York stoner/doom metallers Restless Spirit for a US co-headlining tour. The journey begins on May 24th in Providence, Rhode Island and runs through June 27th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Tickets on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.

GOZU w/ Restless Spirit:
5/24/2026 Alchemy – Providence, RI
5/26/2026 Photo City – Rochester, NY
5/27/2026 Centennial Hall – Erie, PA
5/29/2026 The Green Door – Lansing, MI
5/30/2026 Reggies Music Joint – Chicago, IL
5/31/2026 7th St Entry – Minneapolis, MN
6/02/2026 The Record Bar – Kansas City, MO
6/03/2026 HQ – Denver, CO
6/04/2026 The DLC @ Quarters Arcade Bar @ Salt Lake City, UT
6/05/2026 The Shredder – Boise, ID
6/06/2026 The Funhouse – Seattle, WA
6/07/2026 High Water Mark – Portland, OR
6/09/2026 Cafe Colonial – Sacramento, CA
6/10.2026 Humdinger Brewing – San Luis Obispo, CA
6/11/2026 Knucklehead – Los Angeles, CA
6/12/2026 PC’s Lounge – Sierra Vista, AZ
6/16/2026 The Lost Well – Austin, TX
6/17/2026 Siberia – New Orleans, LA
6/18/2026 Eastside Bowl – Nashville, TN
6/19/2026 Bogg’s Social & Supply – Atlanta, GA
6/20/2026 New Brookland Tavern – West Columbia, SC
6/21/2026 Chapel Of Bones – Raleigh, NC
6/23/2026 The Camel – Richmond, VA
6/24/2026 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
6/25/2026 Gold Sounds – Brooklyn, NY
6/26/2026 Nikki Lopez – Philadelphia, PA
6/27/2026 Middle East Upstairs – Cambridge, MA

GOZU:
Marc Gaffney – vocals, guitars
Joseph Grotto – bass
Doug Sherman – lead guitar
Seth Botos – drums

https://www.gozubandboston.com
https://www.facebook.com/GOZU666
https://x.com/GOZU666
https://www.instagram.com/gozu_band_boston
https://gozu.bandcamp.com
https://www.blacklightmediarecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlacklightMediaOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/blacklightmediaofficial

MASQUERAGE Release Second Single & Music Video ‘The Devil To Pay’ from Upcoming Sixth Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Seidi Koivusalo/Jälkimedia

Masquerage, led by Kimmo Perämäki—known from Spiritus Mortis and Celesty has released a new single, ‘The Devil To Pay’ from their upcoming sixth album Atomic Spies.

The band comments:
“When nothing seems to go right, the coffee spills and the day spirals out of control again. The Devil To Pay is a heavy metal strike about those moments when setbacks swell into full-blown chaos in the depths of your mind.

This track stares the devil in the eye — and plays it into the ground.

Be careful. The devil is lurking for you too!”

The Atomic Spies album will be released on May 29, 2026. The U.S. and European versions will be released by Stormspell Records (USA) while the Scandinavian version and digital release will be handled by Inverse Records (Finland).

LISTEN to ‘The Devil To Pay’ single on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/masquerage-the-devil-to-pay

–Composed by Kimmo Perämäki
–Lyrics by Marko Ylä-Häkkinen
–Mixed & mastered by Kimmo Perämäki
–ISRC: FI3FC2655503
–Single cover by Kimmo Perämäki

Also WATCH ‘Waves’ music video: https://youtu.be/s8RuP849_lc

Atomic Spies Track list:

  1. On The Edge Of Beliefs
  2. Atomic Spies
  3. The Devil To Pay
  4. In The Vault
  5. By Design
  6. Everfrost
  7. The Healthiest Man To Die
  8. Pain Of Punishment
  9. Waves

–All music written by Kimmo Perämäki
–All lyrics written by Marko Ylä-Häkkinen
–Produced, recorded, mixed, mastered by Kimmo Perämäki.
–Album cover art by Saija Lehto

Masquerage is a Finnish melodic metal band founded in 1998, blending elements of AOR, heavy metal, and power metal into its distinctive sound. The band was formed by cousins Kimmo Perämäki (Spiritus Mortis, Celesty) and Marko Ylä-Häkkinen.

In its early days, the band operated under the name Unchained, and in 1999 the lineup was completed by keyboardist Mika Maunus. At their very first rehearsals as a trio, Marko introduced Mika to Kimmo with the words: “Here’s Mika, our new keyboard player. Can’t really play anything, but he learns fast.” Well, the credentials were clearly sufficient, and Mika was in. This core trio—Perämäki, Ylä-Häkkinen, and Maunus—laid the foundation for Masquerage’s early sound and released the band’s first two demos.

In 2000, the band changed its name to Masquerage, reflecting the roles and masks people wear in different situations—and what may lie beneath them. This theme has remained a strong element in the band’s lyrics ever since. That same year, bassist Mikael Kontolampi joined, and the band began moving more deliberately toward a professional direction.

The early 2000s were marked by active live performances and several demo releases.

In 2004, the lineup expanded with a second guitarist, Jukka Viitasaari, and with this formation Masquerage released its debut album Work-Holic-Fool (2005) in collaboration with Soultonics. Its follow-up, Moonlight Time (2008), was released independently.

In 2009, Viitasaari stepped aside, and the four-piece lineup released their third album Backstabber in cooperation with 57Records.

In 2014, longtime bassist Kontolampi departed, and Kimmo and Marko began collaborating with the U.S.-based Stormspell Records—a partnership that would shape Masquerage’s future releases.

Bassist Ossi Raiski joined the band in 2015, after which Masquerage reactivated and released the albums Breaking the Masks (2016) and Hangman’s Revelations (2018) through Stormspell Records.

The COVID-19 pandemic briefly slowed the band’s activity, but in 2024 Masquerage returned to working on new material. The new album entered production in 2025, resulting in the band’s sixth studio album, Atomic Spies, set for release on May 29, 2026, in collaboration with Stormspell Records and Inverse Records.

Masquerage continues its determined journey toward a firmly established position in the melodic heavy rock and metal scene—combining strong melodies, infectious hooks, and thematically rich lyrics.

Line-up:
Kimmo Perämäki – Guitar & Vocals
Ossi Raiski – Bass
Mika Maunus – Keyboards
Marko Ylä-Häkkinen – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/masquerage.official
https://www.instagram.com/masquerageband
https://masquerage.bandcamp.com

EARTHBLOOD Release New Single ‘Hatchet in Hand’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Earthblood

Earthblood’s new single “Hatchet in Hand” is continuing in the same footsteps as the previous EP, embracing the more melodic Heavy Metal soundscape, but still tightly holding on to the bands key characteristics like: The fuzz guitar rumbling, the dirty bass growls and the drums beating like thunder. The song tells about a man with an axe.

Listen to ‘Hatchet in Hand’ single: https://push.fm/fl/earthblood-hatchet

–Composed and lyrics by Jere Halonen, Joel Notkonen & Niko Kauhanen
–Cover art by Niko Kauhanen
–Mix and master by Owe Inborr of Wolfthrone Studios
–ISRC: FI3FC2682002
–Label: Inverse Records

Earthblood was founded in the spring of 2023 by a group of friends, fusing elements of dirty and gritty Sludge with the fast tempos and riffing of genres such as Thrash and Death metal.

They humorously describe this sonic wall of sound as Thunder Ape metal.

Earthblood’s first EP titled “Primal Fury” was released by Inverse records in the September of 2023.

Not wasting any time, the second EP bearing the name “Witchburner” was released in April 2024.

Now after two years, the apes of the Earthblood have returned with two thunderous singles “Ape Warrior” and “Hatched in Hand” which is set to be released on April 16th 2026. They continue the mighty and powerful soundscapes of both previous EP’s.

Line-up:
Vocals/Guitar: Jere Halonen
Vocals/Bass: Joel Notkonen
Drums/Backing Vocals: Niko Kauhanen

https://www.facebook.com/band.EARTHBLOOD
https://www.instagram.com/earthbloodband
https://earthbloodfinland.bandcamp.com

STEFANIA SISTU Releases Suspended Sonic Journey with New Single ‘Passengers of a Timeless Place’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 17, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Photo: Stefania Sistu and Daniele Pireddu

STEFANIA SISTU releases today her new single “Passengers of a Timeless Place”, now available on all digital platforms via Volcano Records & Promotion, accompanied by a suggestive concept visualizer video on YouTube.

With this new track, Stefania Sistu moves within a sonic landscape that blends metal and rock into an intense and evocative dimension, recalling the atmospheres of bands such as Evanescence, Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil.
“Passengers of a Timeless Place” is a suspended sonic journey, an emotional crossing that transcends the boundaries of time and space, leading the listener into an inner dimension shaped by memory, identity and transformation. The voice, the central element of the composition, guides the listener through dense and layered soundscapes, where melody and power merge into a dynamic balance. The track unfolds through a progressive structure that alternates intimate moments with more powerful openings, creating a musical narrative built on contrasts and emotional tension.

Composed and produced by bassist and multi-instrumentalist Daniele Pireddu, a key figure in the project, and written by Stefania Sistu herself, the single marks a further step in the artist’s journey, confirming a strong stylistic identity and a well-defined sonic vision. The concept visualizer accompanying the release enhances the meaning of the track, translating its sense of suspension and journey into images, offering an immersive experience that strengthens the connection between music and visual imagination.

Listen to “Passengers of a Timeless Place” on Spotify, Apple Music and all major digital platforms, and watch the official concept visualizer on YouTube:

Further info at
http://www.volcanopromotion.com
http://www.facebook.com/stefania.sistu

Two Titans of Classic Rock FOGHAT & NAZARETH Unite for U.S. Tour Starting April 30th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 16, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

FOGHAT and NAZARETH unite for a tour of the U.S. beginning April 30th. Straight from the heart of the British blues-rock invasion, Foghat and Nazareth represent two powerhouse forces that helped define — and continue to drive — the sound of classic rock.

Roger Earl/Foghat

“Foghat and Nazareth! What a great show that’s going to be! Two rock and roll bands that have done lots of shows together over the years.  We haven’t worked together for a while but we plan on having a really good time! Both bands come from the same era of rock and roll,  and still going strong after 50 or 60 years of being on the road is a fucking miracle!  I’m really looking forward to it and so should you! We just keep on rockin’!  See you out there!”

Pete Agnew/Nazareth

“We’ve shared stages with a lot of great bands over the years, but teaming up with Foghat is something special,” says Pete Agnew Nazareth bassist. “They’ve got that same raw, no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll spirit we’ve always believed in. Night after night, it’s going to be a celebration of the music that brought us all here-loud, proud, and straight from the heart. Fans are in for one hell of a ride.”

FOGHAT – Formed in 1971 when Lonesome Dave Peverett and Roger Earl left Savoy Brown, Foghat built their legacy on a high-energy blend of blues, boogie, and no-nonsense rock ’n’ roll. With eight Gold records, along with Platinum and double-Platinum success, their music has stood the test of time while never losing its edge. Today, the band continues to tour and record, and their momentum hasn’t slowed—proven by their 2023 album Sonic Mojo, which hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart and remained in the Top 10 for an incredible 34 weeks. Though they’ve faced the loss of members including Lonesome Dave Peverett, Rod Price, and Craig MacGregor, founding drummer Roger Earl still leads the charge, keeping Foghat’s signature sound alive and louder than ever with bandmates that are just having a great time playing rock n’ roll music!  And the fans are loving it!!

NAZARETH – Hailing from Dunfermline, Scotland and formed in 1968, Nazareth rose to global prominence in the 1970s with a sound that was both gritty and deeply melodic. With iconic hits like “Love Hurts,” “Hair of the Dog,” and “This Flight Tonight, Nazareth became a staple of classic rock radio and a major influence on generations of rock and metal artists. Decades into their career, the band continues to tour worldwide, delivering powerful live performances that celebrate their rich legacy while proving their music remains as vital and electrifying as ever.

Together, Foghat and Nazareth deliver a live experience steeped in history, energy, and authenticity. Decades into their careers, both bands continue to tour the world, proving night after night that real rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t fade—it evolves, endures, and still knows how to shake the stage.

Check out the tour itinerary below.

April 30 – Duluth, MN
May 2 – St. Charles, MO
May 6 – Akron, OH
May 8 – Welch, MN
May 9 – Rockford, IL
May 14 – St. Petersburg, FL
May 15 – Mt. Dora, FL
May 16 – Immokalee, FL
May 20 – Shippensburg, PA
May 22 – Cincinnati, OH
May 23 – Gary, IN

Tour dates and ticket links: http://www.FOGHAT.com/tour

http://www.foghat.com
http://www.facebook.com/Foghat
http://www.twitter.com/FOGHAT
http://www.instagram.com/foghat_official
http://www.youtube.com/user/FOGHATMUSIC