ARION Release New Single And Music Video ‘Into The Fire’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo credit: Ville Juurikkala

Finnish melodic metal powerhouse ARION continue the rollout for their forthcoming fifth studio album with the release of their brand-new single and music video, “Into The Fire”, out now via RPM. Following the explosive first taste delivered by “Hurricane”, the band return with another high-energy anthem that combines towering melodies, crushing riffs, and an emotionally charged message about courage, trust, and stepping into the unknown.

Built around furious riffs, huge arrangements, intense vocals and a fiery guitar solo, “Into The Fire” captures the moment of overcoming fear and finding strength through connection. Guitarist and songwriter Iivo Kaipainen explains: “A jump into the unknown may feel scary, yet sometimes there’s no option but to go. If only there was someone to help you make that decision, to take that leap and jump with you: You close your eyes, take their hand and now you feel strong enough. That’s what ‘Into The Fire’ is about.” The result is a powerful melodic metal track that further showcases ARION’s ability to blend modern heaviness with arena-sized hooks and heartfelt storytelling.

Stream: https://arion.rpm.link/firePR

About ARION

ARION are among Finland’s most exciting modern melodic metal exports. Known for their high-impact songwriting, technical skill and engaging stage presence, the band continues to bridge the gap between classic and modern metal.

Over the years, ARION have toured extensively across Europe and Japan with acts such as Dream Theater, Gloryhammer, Battle Beast, Bloodbound and Sonata Arctica. They have also collaborated with renowned vocalists including Elize Ryd (Amaranthe), Noora Louhimo and Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum / Kamelot).

With tens of millions of streams to their name, including the standout track At The Break Of Dawn surpassing 20 million streams and achieving gold status in Finland, ARION have firmly established themselves as one of the most important new wave metal export acts from the country. Their continued evolution and international presence underline their growing importance in the global metal scene.

ARION is:
Lassi Vääränen – Vocals
Iivo Kaipainen – Guitar
Topias Kupiainen – Drums
Arttu Vauhkonen – Keys
Georgi Velinov – Bass

Connect With ARION:
Website | https://arion.fi/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/OfficialArion/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/arionfinland/
X | https://x.com/arion_band
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/0c09mxGbMHuFLpPJMY6JdA

HEEZER Unveil Darker Side of Upcoming “Stereolith” Album with New Single + Animated Music Video ‘Let It Burn’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
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Finnish fuzz rock quartet Heezer is preparing for the release of its sophomore full-length album Stereolith, due out on August 13. The self-released record has already been previewed with the gritty groove of “Horse” and the energetic “This Town”, which surprised listeners with melodic hooks borrowed from pop punk. Pre-orders for the album are now available through Levykauppa Äx, with both CD and vinyl editions on offer.

Today, the spotlight turns to the darker and heavier side of the album as Heezer releases “Let It Burn”, accompanied by a striking animated music video.

“We originally planned to make a simple lyric video, but somehow the song felt like it deserved a proper visual story,” recalls bassist Antti Vesikko. “I came up with the idea of telling the song’s dark narrative through a comic without speech bubbles. At one point, with other work stuff piling up and no free time, I started building the project with AI. Thankfully, I came to my senses, scrapped the whole thing and decided it still wasn’t time to let artificial intelligence take the wheel. We brought in Amet Komik Studio to illustrate the story, and I edited the video to follow the dynamics and structure of the song. The result turned out beautifully and fits ‘Let It Burn’ perfectly.”

“We’ve always included slow and heavy songs on our releases, and ‘Let It Burn’ showcases that side of the new album really well,” says drummer Ville Häsä. “The demo was recorded in my home studio. Sami played through the structure on guitar while shouting cues for section changes on the fly. We had the demo together after just a couple of takes, but I didn’t yet realize the full picture. Once the bass and vocals were added, I understood what a great and wonderfully dark song it was. It ended up sounding very close to what you hear on the album. Personally, I love the Soundgarden-inspired bridge section.”

Singer-guitarist Sami Kääriäinen adds:

“The verses, written by Antti, deal with mental struggles and the twists and turns of the mind, while the choruses offer a rather straightforward solution: let it all burn. The lyrics can be interpreted in many ways, though. Once again, Heikki Pöyhiä delivered some absolutely brilliant backing vocals.”

“Stereolith” tracklist:
1.  Horse
2.  This Town
3.  Stone I Am
4.  Let It Burn
5.  Moonshine
6.  Mountain
7.  Crazy
8.  The Van
9.  Desert

Heezer stand firmly behind their professional DIY mindset and they’ve taken major steps forward in their evolution – from stronger songwriting to a higher production level. The band’s sharpened approach shines through in a powerful and distinctive result. Still, their main principle remains unchanged: making music has to stay fun, now and in the future.

Heezer have been steadily winning over audiences both on streaming platforms and on stage. See band live this summer:

3.7. Playhouse Bar, Helsinki w/ Monsternaut (FIN), I Am Low (SWE)
4.7. Bar Kotelo, Tampere w/ Atomic Annie (FIN), Le Mondays (SWE)
17.7. Stereolith-album pre-listening party, Kuluma Pub, Imatra (+ live-stream)
7.8. Patruuna Fest, Imatra
14.8. Nirvana, Turku 

Heezer line-up:
Sami Kääriäinen – vocals, guitar
Ville Räsänen – guitar
Antti Vesikko – bass
Ville Häsä – drums

More info: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

VOLUCRINE Release Self-Titled Single & Music Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
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Photo by Marko Orava

Finnish modern metal band Volucrine are set to release their fifth album via Inverse Records on September 25th 2026. The third single and music video ‘Volucrine’ is unleashed today and it’s available on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/volucrine-st 

–Composed & lyrics by Jupe Velin
–ISRC-code: FI3FC2655104
–Single cover by Jupe Velin

The band’s mastermind Jupe Velin comments:
Looking back, we as a band have come full circle. Our new album returns to its roots 15 years later, exploring the journey a person must take when ending a long-term relationship, and in that context, our new title track VOLUCRINE shines as a thematically central pillar. Often, bitterness and bad blood remain after a breakup, but personal growth remains a false hope if you take those feelings along as companions on your journey. The song tells of the struggle to reclaim sole dominion over one’s own state of mind. The lyrics convey such a powerful sense of empowerment and a certain sense of hope that we decided to name the song after our band.

As a composition, “Volucrine” is as quintessentially Volucrine as it gets. You can hear familiar echoes from the days of our more melodic and straightforward production. Technical riffs are, of course, doled out as usual, but the focus is on keeping the “engine running” all the way to the end with a suitably rocking vibe. Our current lineup is full of handsome fellas, so we decided to maximize everyone’s screen time in the music video and create something new at the same time. In my opinion, the execution supports our undeniable live energy and gives a good preview of how it will be channeled at upcoming shows:

August 15 – Barska Rocks 2026, Lahti Market Square
October 2 – House of Rock, Kouvola
October 3 – The Van, Kotka
October 16 – Bar 15 Basement, Seinäjoki

Watch music video of the first single, ‘Golem’: https://youtu.be/bb9rVOdwLwo
Listen to the second single ‘Talk’: https://push.fm/fl/volucrine-talk

Chapter V: Renewal Track list:

  1. Borderline
  2. Rendered Obsolete
  3. Moving Mountains
  4. Volucrine
  5. Golem
  6. Heavy
  7. Another Mile
  8. Swans
  9. Drift
  10. The Future That Never Was
  11. Renewal
  12. Talk
  13. The Sum Of Changes

Composed & lyrics by Jupe Velin

BIOGRAPHY:

VOLUCRINE are a Finnish alternative metal collective, who released their debut album in 2011. Four albums, two EP’s and countless live shows later, the band’s personal style has been honed to its peak, still emphasizing bold testing of boundaries within their genre. The band has a strong focus on their lyrics, which, due to their deeply personal nature, give Volucrine’s music a human voice.

After the ETNA LP (Inverse Records 2024), which garnered a lot of positive attention worldwide, the band is finally ready to present new material from their upcoming album, which will be released in the fall. With the theme of rebirth, we can expect the unexpected from this album as a great circle is closed.

Line-up:
Jupe Velin – Vocals
Joni Kyynäräinen – Bass
Jani Aalto – Drums
Marko Orava – Guitar
Erik Lindroos – Guitar

https://www.facebook.com/volucrineband
https://www.instagram.com/volucrineofficial
https://volucrine.bandcamp.com

Legendary Author STEVE ROSEN Returns with New Book “The Original Punk – Jeff Beck Stories: From Yardbird To The Guitar Show”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
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In 2023, Steve Rosen wrote “Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen”. Tonechaser was based on Rosen’s 26-year friendship with the iconic guitarist. Tonechaser is now in its 3rd printing.

Steve Rosen has been a legendary rock journalist during a career lasting 50 years. He has written for Guitar Player, Guitar World, Classic Rock, Mojo, Playboy, Los Angeles Times and many other prestigious publications. He has written biographies on several artists including Black Sabbath, Randy Rhoads, Free/Bad Company, and others.

Now Steve has turned his attention to his long time admiration for the legendary Jeff Beck… the new book entitled:

“THE ORIGINAL PUNK – JEFF BECK STORIES: FROM YARDBIRD TO THE GUITAR SHOP”

Adds Steve;

“I have been working on the book for about seven months and I am excited to say I have finally completed it!

I first met Jeff back in 1973 when he was working with Beck, Bogert & Appice and subsequently interviewed him three more times including our final conversation in 1989. So the book covers his earliest pre-Yardbirds days and runs through his 1989 release, Guitar Shop.

The records he recorded during that period were in my estimation far and away his most important and creative albums: the Yardbirds albums;; the pair of Jeff Beck Group albums (Truth and Beck-ola); Blow by Blow; and the recordings that followed up until Guitar Shop.

I was also lucky enough to interview many musicians he played with and other key figures in his career including Keith Relf (singer for the Yardbirds); Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja (drummer and rhythm guitarist for the Yardbirds respectively); Stevie Wonder; Stanley Clarke; Max Middleton (keyboardist); Jan Hammer; Les Paul; Pete Townshend; Jimmy Page; John Paul Jones; Ronnie Wood; and many others”.

The book is a 6″x9″ hardback with roughly 360 pages. There are 16 pages of color and black-and-white photos containing some historic and never-seen-before shots.

You can find the book on Steve’s website: https://www.tonechaserbook.com/
You can also find the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H4H8C65D

Those of an old school persuasion can also find the book in your local bookstore or big chain bookstores. Simply go in, ask for The Original Punk by Steve Rosen and they can order either a softback or hardback for you. The book is available virtually everywhere on the planet.

BLACK DOOR Announces Sophomore Album “In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam” + Shares Title Track

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by G.M.

Dutch black metal project BLACK DOOR is pleased to announce the impending release of its sophomore full-length, ‘In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam,’ due on August 28 via Wolves of Hades.

Following the spectral path unveiled on its debut album, BLACK DOOR returns more fierce and haunting than ever before. ‘In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam,’ a work steeped in nocturnal mysticism, sepulchral grandeur, and the lingering echoes of eons. To celebrate, BLACK DOOR is now unveiling the vampiric title track, which can be found at THIS LOCATION.

BLACK DOOR mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Vestibulum comments, “I am honored to present to you the name bearer of Black Door’s sophomore record ‘In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam.’

“Harnessing the manifold nature of fire, this composition highlights the dying flame of old legacies, casting its shadow on this world as well as illuminating its last disciples.

“The fire’s embers signify a potency, a resurgence not embodied by necromancy, by raising a faltered legacy as living undead, yet rather as spark for a new tomorrow, forged by promethean fires rising stalwart towards a reinvigorated future.

“In humble gratitude for your time, I remain. What is termed sin is an essential element of progress. Without it the world would stagnate, or grow old, or become colourless.’”

Pre-orders will be announced soon!

The cover art was created by Grave Bastard and can be found below along with the tracklist.

Tracklist:

  1. Grand Opening of the Carnival of Damned Spirits (00:57)
  2. In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam (06:29) [LISTEN]
  3. The Stale Humid Mist (04:22)
  4. Entrancement in Dusk, Quintessence of Nightfall (05:37)
  5. Sinister Musings of a Lamenting Spectre (04:44)
  6. Wrested from the Behest of Mortality (04:51)
  7. Under the Yoke of an Older Spite (07:05)
  8. An Alignment Foreboding, Written in Pandoric Embers (00:43)
  9. Forged by Promethean Fire (07:27)
    Full running time: 00:42:16

Following the spectral path unveiled on its debut album, Black Door returns more fierce and 

haunting than ever before. ‘In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam,’ a work steeped in nocturnal mysticism, sepulchral grandeur, and the lingering echoes of eons.

In the ‘Shadows of a Funerary Gleam’ delves further into the dimensions between life and death, nostalgia and oblivion. From the spectral procession of it’s haunting introduction to the Promethean revelations that conclude the album, these compositions unfold as chapters of a singular journey through the funerary mist of forgotten kingdoms inhabited by restless specters

Drawing inspiration from the black legions and vampiric romanticism, Black Door refuses to be confined by simple nostalgia. Beneath its veil of blackened melancholy lies a flame that illuminates both as a beacon and warning; a fading light that guides the listener through stale humid mists, crepuscular awakenings, lamentations of dying ages, and confrontations with powers older than mankind itself. Whether invoking liches wrested from mortality, ancient celestial names whispered from the abyss, or the tragic gift of Promethean fire, Black Door weaves together a mythology of spiritual yearning and cosmic resignation.

To be released by Wolves of Hades on August 28 on LP, CD, MC & Digital, ‘In the Shadows of a Funerary Gleam’ stands as a fully realized expression of the project’s evolving vision, one that balances haunting melody, strife, nocturnal atmosphere, and triumphant darkness with a reverence for the mysterious and the eternal.

Lineup:
Vestibulum – All instrumentation & Vocals

Live Lineup:
Vestibulum – Vocals, Guitar
N. – Guitar
M. – Bass
B. or I. – Drums

For Fans Of: Lamp of Murmuur, Devil Master, Spectral Wound, Ebony Pendant

Album Credits:
All music, lyrics and performance by Vestibulum
Logo by Viral Designs
Mixing, photography and layout design by G.M.
Mastered by William Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios
Cover art by Grave Bastard

Links: BANDCAMP – EU SHOP – US SHOP – FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – BLUESKY – YOUTUBE

BLIND WATCHMAKER Release “Behold The Event Horizon” with Full Album Visualizer

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 26, 2026
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BLIND WATCHMAKER is a solo heavy metal project that began in 2024 by musician/ songwriter Ray Howland, and originates from Brooklyn, Michigan, USA.

While the core of the music is grounded in thrash, BLIND WATCHMAKER is also influenced by a variety of other metal sub-genres, including black metal, cosmic metal, and death metal.

Watch the full album visualizer for Behold the Event Horizon:

BLIND WATCHMAKER is: Ray Howland – guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards, and drum programmer.

BLIND WATCHMAKER discography includes:
Atheos (2024)
Shadows Over Elysium (2025)
The November Witch (Single, 2025)
Behold the Event Horizon (2026)

Bandcamp: https://blindwatchmaker1.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562406193966
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BLINDWATCHMAKER2024