For three decades, Theodor Bastard have bridged the traditions of the old world with the new. Now, five years removed from their last full-length journey, the Karelian pioneers of electro-folk are beginning a new venture that reconnects with their earliest roots.
Today, Theodor Bastard are releasing their first single in five years. While written specifically for the award-winning Russian crime drama The Method, “Nebo” offers an initial glimpse at the band’s upcoming ninth studio album. Yana Veva’s vocals continue to twirl with the fragility of snow, but the way the song’s beat rolls like smog recalls their early electronic experiments with World Music.
“We leaned on analog synthesizers, most notably the Soviet-era Polivoks and modern Arturia MiniBrute”, says Theodor Bastard’s founding member Fedor Svolotch. “Our recent albums have focused more on acoustic and ethnically-inflected textures. Returning to analog gear felt like coming home to a language we missed”.
Theodor Bastard were commissioned to write “Nebo” for the third season of The Method’, which premiered on Kinopoisk last Friday, December 12. The song plays during the show’s end credits and will soundtrack one of its pivotal scenes.
Theodore Bastard’s latest album Volch’Ya Yagoda, along with the recently reissued Vetvi and Oikoumene, are available now through Season of Mist.
Theodor Bastard take listeners to unexplored and other worlds. From the cold and twilight realms of the marshy swamps of taiga and mossy tundra, to unexplored places where the earthly plane and the spiritual world are separated only by a thin ghostly veil. For over twenty years Theodor Bastard have been known for their amazingly serious attitude to the world beyond that very frontier.
Theodor Bastard is one of Russia’s most unusual bands representing the electronic Karelian neofolk genre. Also elements of dark wave and trip hop are present in the band’s music. The message doesn’t carry out everyday problems and is mainly focused on mythology and shamanism. The hallmarks of the band are the unique and bewitching lead vocals of multi-talent Yana Veva and the impeccable sound producing skills of Fedor Svolotch, founder of the band who created the band 20 years ago.
From album to album, Theodor Bastard carefully and masterly combine many different exotic and traditional instruments. The special northern atmosphere of their albums is created with Nordic nyckelharpa and jouhikko, primeval flutes created from tree roots and shamanic percussion.
“We live in the north of Russia in Karelia, which has a difficult fate” states band leader Fedor Svolotch. He continues: “This is a harsh northern region with unpredictable nature, with spruce and pine forests. Bears are found here. Moose and hare come straight to my house. In Karelia there are beautiful cliffs and clear lakes with fresh water. These are our personal places of power, the places where stones and winds are talking to us. Singing for us a songs of the northern harsh nature”.
Theodor Bastard consists of seven musicians, turning their performances into a dark magic act that sends the audience back to Northern musical traditions, to the Karelian and the Russian folk. The musicians use a lot of electronic devices, ethnic instruments and hand-made instruments from stones, human bone and the roots of Karelian birch.
In addition to their eight studio albums, Theodor Bastard have composed soundtracks for the dark horror video game “Pathologic 2” and “Life is Feudal: MMO”. They have performed at Castlefest, Dark Bombastic Evening and other major European festivals and have received two prestigious Russian music awards: The Golden Gargoyle, as the best Russian band in the World Music genre, and the Russian World Music Award for their contribution to the development of ethno-music.
Their latest single, “Nebo”, appeared in a key scene during the third season of the Russian crime drama The Method. It will also appear on the band’s upcoming ninth album.
“Nebo” recording line-up: Alexander Starostin (Fedor Svolotch) – Synths, Guitars, Drum and Synth Programming, Sound Design Yana Veva – Vocals, Synths
Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Revolution Saints) releases today “You Can Give”, the new single and official video taken from the fourth album of his solo project Joel Hoekstra’s 13, “From The Fade”, out on February 27, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Hoekstra stated: “’You Can Give’ is a heavy, riff-driven track. Although some of the riffs could be described as metal, it still falls under the category of melodic hard rock. Vinny Appice and Tony Franklin do an amazing job laying out a strong, creative foundation. Girish Pradhan delivers a powerful, emotional vocal performance while Derek Sherinian and Jeff Scott Soto provide the perfect complimentary parts on keys and backing vocals respectively. Lyrically, the song is based on music itself singing to me and essentially highlights what can be the downside of an attempt to maintain a strong work ethic”.
Joel commented: “The songs were built from the guitar riffs up. Most of the riffs were written during the time I was filling in with Accept, so there is a heavier edge to this album overall. That being said, the album still would be more accurately described as melodic hard rock, not straight-up metal”.
“As always with the Joel Hoekstra’s 13 albums, I wrote the style of music that inspired me to pick up the guitar and tried to focus on SONGS for you to enjoy, not overly self-indulgent guitar solos”, he continued. “HUGE thanks to Vinny Appice, Tony Franklin, Derek Sherinian, Girish Pradhan and Jeff Scott Soto for bringing the songs to life! I hope you all enjoy ‘From The Fade’ as much as I enjoyed making it!”
Joel Hoekstra’s 13 returns with its fourth studio album, “From the Fade” – a dynamic collection of 10 brand-new tracks that combine soaring melodies, thunderous riffs, and the high-level musicianship fans have come to expect.
Once again, guitarist and composer Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) is joined by an elite cast of rock veterans: powerhouse drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), legendary bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), virtuoso keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo), and rising vocal sensation Girish Pradhan (Girish and The Chronicles, The Nail).
“From The Fade” delivers a blend of classic hard rock and modern melodic metal, characterized by tight arrangements, technical precision, and emotionally charged performances. Each track reflects Hoekstra’s signature songwriting – rooted in tradition but pushing the genre forward with a fresh and contemporary sound.
This is more than just a studio project; it’s a statement of intent from one of rock’s most respected guitarists and his band of world-class collaborators.
New York guitarist Joel Hoekstra currently plays for Whitesnake and Trans Siberian Orchestra. Joel is also well-known for his work with: Cher, Night Ranger, the Broadway show Rock of Ages, his fill in work with Foreigner, Accept, his annual sets on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, recording projects like Revolution Saints, Iconic, viral collaboration videos with the likes of Dino Jelusick, Arnel Pineda, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and his acoustic shows with Brandon Gibbs.
Exhibiting a knack for music education, he has also been a frequent columnist for Guitar World Magazine, taught at Musician’s Institute, Rockstars of Tomorrow, Guitar Workshop Plus and often been a counselor at Rock N’ Roll Fantasy Camp.
Over the years, Joel has released three instrumental solo albums and three critically acclaimed albums with his side project Joel Hoekstra’s 13. Most recently, he was the guest guitarist on Dancing with the Stars (Hair Metal Episode) and played with Cher at her Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction and the SNL 50 Homecoming Concert.
“From The Fade” Tracklist:
1. You Can Give 2. The Fall 3. Lifeline 4. Will You Remember Me 5. Misunderstood 6. Start to Fight 7. All I’d Do 8. Free To Be 9. The End Of Me 10. Quite The Ride
Line Up: Joel Hoekstra – guitars Girish Pradhan – lead vocals Vinny Appice – drums Tony Franklin – bass Derek Sherinian – keyboards Jeff Scott Soto – backing vocals
JOE BONAMASSA returns with Vol. IV of B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, unveiling five new songs from the landmark centennial tribute. Out now via KTBA Records, the latest volume continues to widen the project’s reach, pairing fresh arrangements with powerful performances from artists across blues, rock, and soul. The full 32-track album arrives February 6th, with new songs rolling out monthly.
CBS Mornings aired a special feature highlighting both the scope of the album and Bonamassa’s long personal connection to B.B. King. The segment pairs a wide look at Joe’s career with archival footage from his childhood opening slot for King and recent performances that trace how those early encounters shaped the reverence driving the passion behind B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100.
Producers Bonamassa and Josh Smith were drawn to the standout track “When Love Comes to Town” from the beginning. “We knew early on we wanted to include this U2 song in an effort to span the breadth of B.B.’s entire career,” Smith explains. The arrangement came into focus once they decided that Shemekia Copeland would take on King’s vocal lines. “She absolutely crushed it,” he said.Smith adds that inviting Myles Kennedy to sing the Bono parts and bringing Slash in on guitar was Joe’s idea, and the result became one of the project’s defining collaborations. “It turned into such a standout,” he exclaimed, praising the chemistry across all three guests and offering a “shoutout to Alan Hertz for the amazing mix.”
“Don’t Answer The Door,” featuring Marcus King, carries a deep connection for Smith. “This song was tracked already thinking about Marcus King,” he says. Years earlier, Marcus had sung the tune unprompted during a jam session with Smith and Kirk Fletcher, a moment that stuck with him. The team recorded the Blues Is King arrangement with that memory in mind, and Smith says he delivered in every way. “He absolutely slayed it. BB’s vocal is so incredible on the original and Marcus really sang the hell out of it and of course played amazing,” he says. “Just a massive standout.”
“Ain’t Nobody Home,” with Jade MacRae and Robben Ford, highlights Smith’s vision for pairing complementary stylists on material he has always loved. “This has always been a favorite track of mine,” he says, noting that the team wanted a song where a featured singer and a featured guitarist could each bring something distinct. “We couldn’t have done any better than Jade and Robben,” Smith adds. He calls MacRae “a tremendous singer and artist” whose performance anchors the track, and says it is an honor to have Ford involved. “He is one of both Joe and I’s all time favorite players and he played amazing.”
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram brings his fire to “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss,” a song that helped set the tone for the entire project. “This was the first song we tracked, the first song we pitched and the first artist to deliver,” Smith recalls. He sensed immediately that the tune would resonate with Kingfish, and that instinct proved right. “He said it was one of his favorites. Kismet,” Smith says. For him, Kingfish represents a vital piece of the blues future. “Christone is one of the most important artists in the blues today,” he adds. “He absolutely killed this track.”
This month’s collection closes with “You Upset Me Baby” featuring Chris Cain, an artist both Smith and Bonamassa deeply admire. “Joe and I both felt it was important to have Chris Cain be a part of this project,” Smith says. “We knew how much Chris reveres B.B.” Cain delivered a performance that reflects that admiration, combining soulful singing with guitar work that Smith describes as “amazing.”
With Vol. IV, the album’s expanding roster now includes more than thirty guest appearances across the first four installments, featuring artists such as Buddy Guy, Gary Clark Jr., Keb’ Mo’, Warren Haynes, Jimmie Vaughan, Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Larkin Poe, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Pat Monahan, and Aloe Blacc.
Photo credit: TT News Agency – Alamy
The idea for Blues Summit 100 took shape when Bonamassa realized that no major centennial tribute had been announced for King’s 100th birthday. With full support from the Estate of B.B. King and The B.B. King Music Company, he and Smith set out to create a wide-ranging celebration of King’s legacy with an intergenerational cast of musicians. Each artist was encouraged to record a song that held specific meaning for them, creating a portrait of King’s influence that connects past and present. Bonamassa has described the project as a mission rooted in deep respect for King’s legacy. “When B.B. was alive and active, he was the blues. You only get one shot to do this correctly.”
B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 will be released digitally, as a double CD, and as a triple LP vinyl (180 gram) set. New tracks will continue to arrive monthly through February 2026.
The new volume lands as Bonamassa continues an active global touring schedule. His 2026 U.S. Spring Tour brings him to theaters and arenas nationwide before he launches a major European run anchored by two nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall. His 2026 U.S. Summer Tour, on sale TODAY, spans amphitheaters across the country with select dates featuring Gov’t Mule, JJ Grey & Mofro, and rising blues artist D. K. Harrell.Tour dates and ticket information are now available at jbonamassa.com/tour-dates.
Disc 1: 1. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss feat. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram 2. Don’t Answer The Door feat. Marcus King 3. To Know You Is To Love You feat. Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks 4. Let The Good Times Roll feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Noah Hunt 5. Sweet Little Angel feat. Buddy Guy 6. When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around) feat. Larry McCray 7. When Love Comes To Town feat. Slash, Shemekia Copeland & Myles Kennedy 8. The Thrill Is Gone feat. Chaka Khan & Eric Clapton * 9. Watch Yourself feat. Jimmie Vaughan 10. Why I Sing The Blues feat. Bobby Rush 11. Sweet Sixteen feat. Jimmy Hall & Larry Carlton 12. Don’t You Want A Man Like Me feat. Larkin Poe 13. I’ll Survive feat. Keb’ Mo’ 14. Heartbreaker feat. Trombone Shorty & Eric Gales 15. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere feat. George Benson 16. Chains And Things feat. Gary Clark Jr.
Disc 2: 1. How Blue Can You Get feat. Warren Haynes 2. You Upset Me Baby feat. Chris Cain 3. Ghetto Woman feat. Ivan Neville 4. Night Life feat. Paul Rodgers 5. Ain’t Nobody Home feat. Jade MacRae & Robben Ford 6. Bad Case Of Love feat. Joanne Shaw Taylor 7. Never Make A Move Too Soon feat. Dion 8. Three O’Clock Blues feat. Marc Broussard 9. Think It Over feat. Train & Chris Buck 10. It’s My Own Fault feat. Kim Wilson 11. Every Day I Have The Blues feat. D.K. Harrell 12. Please Accept My Love feat. John Nemeth 13. So Excited feat. Aloe Blacc 14. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer feat. Dannielle De Andrea 15. Playin’ With My Friends 16. Better Not Look Down feat. Kirk Fletcher
JOE BONAMASSA TOUR SCHEDULE
U.S. SUMMER TOUR 2026 (NEWLY ANNOUNCED) June 26 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts w/ special guest JJ Grey & Mofro & D.K. Harrell June 27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ocean Casino Resort June 28 – Newark, NJ – New Jersey Performing Arts Center July 29 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap w/ Gov’t Mule* July 31 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater w/ Gov’t Mule August 1 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule August 3 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent August 5 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater w/ special guest JJ Grey & Mofro August 7 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion* August 8 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule August 9 – Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre w/ Gov’t Mule August 12 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL* August 14 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium* August 15 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino w/ Gov’t Mule August 16 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater w/ Gov’t Mule August 19 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Civic Center August 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater August 23 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *On sale in early 2026
U.S. SPRING TOUR 2026 February 21 – South Bend, IN – The Morris Performing Arts Center February 23 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theatre February 25 – Madison, WI – Overture Center for the Arts February 27 – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance Theater February 28 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre March 2 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts March 4 – Springfield, MA – Springfield Symphony Hall March 6 – Westbury, NY – Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair March 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center March 8 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts March 10 – Reading, PA – Santander Performing Arts Center March 11 – Virginia Beach, VA – Sandler Center March 13 – Durham, NC – DPAC March 14 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena March 17 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Auditorium March 19 – Huntsville, AL – VBC Mark C. Smith Concert Hall March 20 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater March 21 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound
March 25-29, 2026 – Miami, FL – Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea XI + April 10-12, 2026 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sound Wave Beach Weekend + +Sold Out
EUROPE TOUR 2026 April 22 – Hamburg, DE – Barclays Arena April 24 – Rotterdam, NL – Rotterdam RTM Stage April 25 – Paris, FR – La Seine Musicale April 27 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU – Luxembourg Rockhal April 29 – Mannheim, DE – SAP Arena May 1 – Chemnitz, DE – Stadthalle Chemnitz May 2 – Nürnberg, DE – PSD Bank Nürnberg Arena May 3 – Zürich, CH – Hallenstadion May 6 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall May 7 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall October 21 – Helsinki, FL – Veikkaus Arena October 23 – Stockholm, SE – Stockholm Avicii Arena October 24 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Spektrum October 25 – Gothenburg, SE – Göteborg Partille Arena October 27 – Copenhagen, DK – K.B. Hallen København October 29 – Rostock, DE – Stadthalle Rostock October 30 – Berlin, DE – Uber Arena October 31 – Dortmund, DE – Westfalenhalle November 4 – Milan, IT – Unipol Forum November 6 – Toulouse, FR – Zenith Toulouse Metropole November 7 – Barcelona, ES – Barcelona Sant Jordi CLub November 8 – Madrid, ES – Madrid Palacio Vistalegre
ABOUT JOE BONAMASSA Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15x Blues Music Award Nominee (4-time winner), he achieved his 29th No.1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his highly acclaimed 17th studio album Breakthrough, which has been described as his most adventurous and genre-defying album to date. Only in his 40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 50 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party.
A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it’s in the studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall, Robert Jon & The Wreck and others for his independent labels Journeyman Records and KTBA Records, and has also launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide. Visit http://www.jbonamassa.com for more information.
Italian blackened atmospheric death metal project Frostmorner is proud to announce its official signing with Wormholedeath. The collaboration will see the worldwide release of Frostmorner’s debut album, Orbital Kaos, scheduled to drop on February 13, 2026.
Founded by Mario and rooted in Sicily, Frostmorner began its journey in 2019. What started with the support of other musicians soon evolved into a fully solo project, allowing Mario to build a sound that reflects his vision without compromise. Over the years, Frostmorner has caught the attention of magazines, fanzines, and radio stations, opening the door to collaborations and conversations with artists across the extreme metal world.
“Orbital Kaos” marks the first full-length chapter of Frostmorner and showcases the project’s foundation: a blend of blackened intensity, atmospheric layers, and death metal grit. The album pulls inspiration from Nile, Hypocrisy, Belphegor, and Death, while weaving in modern influences from Lorna Shore and Rings of Saturn. Its thematic core draws from a lifelong fascination with Lovecraft, mythology, space, and horror.
The album’s title captures its essence. Each track stands on its own, shaped by its own narrative and energy, yet all orbit around the central concept of Kaos. The result is a record built on fragmentation, unpredictability, and tension: an audio universe where no two moments land in the same place.
Tracklist 1 – Pillars of Creation 2 – Necromorph 3 – Kronvs 4 – Demiurge 5 – Arra Agga Bandar 6 – Gorgone 7 – Claymore 8 – Eclipse 9 – Orbital Kaos
Check out the official album teaser for Orbital Kaos:
BURNING BLACK, flag bearers of Italian Heavy Metal since 2003 and known for albums such as Prisoners Of Steel, MechanicHell, Remission Of Sin and Resilience Of A Broken Heart, proudly announce the official addition of acclaimed bassist ALBERTO RIGONI to their lineup.
Rigoni, born in Montebelluna in 1981, boasts a remarkable international career. He was a member of the prog-rock band Twinspirits, currently plays with BAD AS, co-produced the first Vivaldi Metal Project and has taken part in many other projects. Since 2008 he has released 14 solo albums, collaborating with artists such as Jordan Rudess, Gavin Harrison, Marco Minnemann and Goran Edman. His latest work, Nemesis Call, is already available via Eclipse Music and RockShot Records. He is currently working on a new album together with legendary bassists Michael Manring and Stuart Hamm.
The band wishes to warmly thank Nikk Damian, bassist since 2017, for his artistic contribution, dedication and the years of shared journeys. His presence will always remain part of Burning Black’s history.
Known for a powerful and melodic sound that blends classic metal roots with modern influences, Burning Black are already writing their next album and planning new live dates to introduce the new lineup to fans and continue the promotion of their latest release.
“We only had a few rehearsals, and I immediately felt at home, both personally and musically. There’s an incredible atmosphere between us, and I’m honored to be part of this historic band! We’re ready to rock the stages!!” says Alberto Rigoni.
New singles, videos, and the official tour dates will be announced soon.
Milwaukee Metal Festival 2026 is pleased to now reveal the headliner day splits! ACID BATH will conquer Friday, followed by KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on Saturday with newly added headliner MINISTRY to close out the weekend! In addition, the festival has announced over 20 new additions, which can be found below!
General ticket sales will launch on Monday, December 15 @ 10:00 A.M. CST, which includes all single day, 2-day, and 3-day ticketing options and can be found HERE.
The festival will now take place June 5 – 7, 2026, with the pre-party kicking off on June 4! The festival will take place once again at The Rave/Eagles Ballroom.
Co-organizer Jamey Jasta comments, “2026 is shaping up to be our best year yet and we’re just getting started! More bands, more stages, more vendors, more food, more signings, it’s gonna be the best weekend EVER! See you in the good the land!”
The current lineup is now as follows with more TBA:
ACID BATH KILLSWITCH ENGAGE MINISTRY OBITUARY POWERTRIP AGALLOCH AFTER THE BURIAL ALL SHALL PERISH NAILS IRON REAGAN HAVOK NUNSLAUGHTER HIRAX INTEGRITY PRONG INTERNAL BLEEDING UADA DEADGUY MASTER WEEKEND NACHOS MORTA SKULD POLKADOT CADAVER SWORN ENEMY BELUSHI SPEEDBALL INCITE CASKET ROBBERY DUSK JEFFREY NOTHING BRICK BY BRICK DEAD BY WEDNESDAY HUMAN ARTIFACTS THANATOTIC DESIRE EYES OF THE LIVING MISERY STRIKING 13 TRIP TO THE MORGUE DARK HORSE PROPHET
& OVER 40 MORE ARTISTS / BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Stay tuned for the next wave of bands – you don’t wanna miss this!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 