Hell was full, so we came back. On a day known for the return of spirits, the most legendary demon of rock radio is returning to the FM dial. Plugging in at midnight on Halloween, Friday, October 31st, 2025, the iconic KNAC call letters will be resurrected, replacing Highway Rock, and launching a new era of Pure Rock for a new generation of rock and metal fans.
The opening hours will be loaded with archival clips, insane highlights, and the legendary voices that made KNAC infamous in the first place. Expect familiar air-checks, notorious IDs, and those “did they really just say that?” moments KNAC fans still talk about. Then, just as your speakers start melting, the new era of KNAC kicks in; fuel-injected with the latest from Five Finger Death Punch, Bad Omens, and The Pretty Reckless, slammed between Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, along with tastes of Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, and Poison.
“KNAC was never just a station; it was a lifestyle, a brotherhood, and a giant middle finger to boring radio,” said Gonzo Greg Spillane, Highway Radio’s President of Rock. “Bringing it back means unleashing that energy on a whole new generation while giving the old guard their soundtrack back. And no, we’re not asking for permission.”
The reanimated Pure Rock format will have a massive and immediate footprint, blanketing the critical I-15 corridor from Southern California to Las Vegas. The KNAC network will be heard on:
96.9 KNAC-FM (Lenwood/Barstow/Victorville, CA)
94.9 KHDR-FM (Baker, CA)
99.7 KHYZ-HD3 (Mountain Pass, CA / Las Vegas, NV)
And streaming worldwide to the faithful at knac.fm and knac.com
The new KNAC is anchored by station voice Rich Van Slyck; music news and personality bits are delivered throughout the day and night by Gonzo as well as Mel Rox, who has previously been heard on KOMP/Las Vegas, and the late KSJO/San Jose. Expect to hear additional contributions from legacy KNAC air personalities like Thrasher, Jack Trash, and more. Sunday nights get extra loud with Charlie Kendall’s Metalshop, LA Lloyd’s Rock 30, and Full Metal Jackie.
About KNAC: Originally launched in 1986 on 105.5 FM in Long Beach, CA, KNAC became the definitive Southern California home for hard rock and heavy metal. Known for its raw, unfiltered style and deep connection to the rock community, KNAC helped break countless bands and built a global fan base.
About Highway Radio:
Highway Radio has, for over four decades, delivered continuous coverage across more than 40,000 square miles of the Mojave’s Interstate 15 and I-40; targeting travelers on their way to Las Vegas and Laughlin. Founded on Howard Hughes’ visionary concept from the late 1970s, Highway Radio continues to thrive under the stewardship of Heftel Broadcasting, combining the reach of a major-market network with the intimacy and relevance of roadside radio.
Once again, this year, Cryptopsy are reminding the world why they are the most vile band in death metal. The underground legends have graced the cover of Decibel, snatched the honor of Metal Injection’s Artist of the Month and cracked the Billboard charts with their critically-acclaimed new album An Insatiable Violence.
Now, fresh off a U.S. tour with Nile, Cryptopsy are giving metalheads everywhere a glimpse at the insatiable vileness that they’re bringing to stages across Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. Filmed by hate5six during a recent stop at Underground Arts in Philadelphia, this new live video shows the band ripping through fresh cuts off An Insatiable Violence and the JUNO Award-winning As Gomorrah Burns, as well as setlist staples from None So Vile.
“A massive thank you to Nile, The Last Ten Seconds of Life, Cognitive, our amazing crew and every fan who came out and supported us on this amazing tour. Your energy and support means the world to us”, says Cryptopsy’s vocalist Matt McGachy. “If you want to experience the chaos up close, now’s the time to grab tickets to our upcoming tours of Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. We’ll see you in the pit!.
“Huge thanks to hate5six for capturing this memorable experience in Philadelphia”, McGachy continues. “I’ve been a huge fan of his work for years and am stoked to now be a part of his creative content”.
Watch Cryptopsy live at Underground Arts in Philadelphia on the hate5six YouTube channel:
Cryptopsy 2025 Asia, New Zealand & Australia All So Vile Tour Dates
November 28 – Dubai, AE @ P7 Arena, Media One Hotel [TICKETS] November 29 – Delhi, IN @ Fandom [TICKETS] November 30 – Bangkok, TH @ Mr. Fox Livehouse [TICKETS] December 2 – Taipei, TW @ Jack Studio [TICKETS] December 5 – Shanghai, CH @ Cave Art Venue [TICKETS] December 6 – Shanghai, CH @ Cave Art Venue [TICKETS] December 7 – Tianjin, CH @ 20 Years of the Music Scene [TICKETS] December 8 – Seoul, KR @ JS Art Hall [TICKETS] December 11 – Tokyo, JP @ WWWX [TICKETS]* December 12 – Tokyo, JP @ WWWX [TICKETS]* December 14 – Auckland, NZ @ Double Whammy [TICKETS] December 15 – Wellington, NZ @ Vallhalla [TICKETS] December 17 – Canberra, AU @ The Base [TICKETS] December 18 – Brisbane, AU @ Crowbar [TICKETS] December 19 – Sydney, AU @ Crowbar [TICKETS] December 20 – Melbourne, AU @ Croxton [TICKETS] * w/ Defiled
Cryptopsy All So Vile European Tour 2026 with special guests 200 Stab Wounds, Inferi and Corpse Pile
January 15 – Germany, Hannover @ Béi Chéz Heinz January 16 – Germany, Dortmund @ Junkyard January 17 – Belgium, Antwerp @ Zappa January 18 – UK, Southampton @ Engine Rooms January 19 – UK, Bristol @ The Fleece January 20 – UK, Glasgow @ Slay January 21 – UK, Nottingham @ Rescue Rooms January 22 – UK, Manchester @ Club Academy January 23 – UK, Plymouth @ The Quad Theatre January 24 – UK, London @ O2 Academy Islington January 25 – The Netherlands, Nijmegen @ Doornroosje January 26 – Germany, Hamburg @ Logo January 27 – Sweden, Stockholm @ Kollektivet Livet January 29 – Norway, Oslo @ Goldie January 30 – Denmark, Copenhagen @ Pumpehuset January 31 – Germany, Leipzig @ Hellraiser February 1 – Germany, Berlin @ Hole44 February 2 – Poland, Warsaw @ Proxima February 3 – Czech Republic, Prague @ Rock Cafe February 4 – Austria, Vienna @ Szene February 5 – Hungary, Budapest @ Barba Negra February 6 – Germany, Munich @ Backstage February 7 – Italy, Milan @ Legend Club February 8 – Switzerland, Aarau @ KiFF February 9 – France, Lyon @ Club Transbo February 10 – Spain, Barcelona @ Wolf February 11 – Spain, Madrid @ Revi Live February 12 – Spain, Portugalete @ Groove February 13 – France, Toulouse @ Metronum February 14 – France, Nantes @ Le Ferrailleur February 15 – France, Paris @ Petit Bain
Metalheads who are chomping at the bit for An Insatiable Violence can further their appetite by revisiting Cryptopsy’s hallowed catalogue. Since signing with Season of Mist in 2024, the band have reissued their 1993 demo Ungentle Exhumation, revered debut Blasphemy Made Flesh, the widely-worshiped None So Vile, their triumphant self-titled and The Book of Suffering Tome I + II, which is now available for the first time on one combined LP.
More than 30 years into their storied career, Montreal death metal innovators Cryptopsy return with their ninth studio album, An Insatiable Violence, set for release on June 20, 2025 on Season of Mist.
Revered in extreme metal circles for such groundbreaking classics as 1994’s Blasphemy Made Flesh and the 1996 magnum opus None So Vile, Cryptopsy find yet another gear on An Insatiable Violence, which further solidifies the band’s place in the upper echelon of death metal. Coming out of the pandemic, the band dedicated themselves to staying on top of their game more than ever before, with the intention of consistently putting out a new record every two years. That started with 2023’s acclaimed As Gomorrah Burns, and continues 21 months later with An Insatiable Violence.
“We had to write the majority of An Insatiable Violence while on the Death to All tour, which was something we’d never done before”, vocalist Matt McGachy says. “Flo [Mounier, drums] and Chris [Donaldson, guitar] really put their hats on. It was a feat”.
“Ever since COVID our focus is clearer, a lot of work gets done faster, and we push each other to get it done.”, Mounier says.
In addition to featuring some of the fastest passages Cryptopsy has ever recorded – keen listeners will even hear the odd gravity blast from Mounier, a rarity from the virtuoso drummer – the controlled chaos of their signature sound is offset by well-timed passages that ease off the gas pedal enough to allow listeners to come up for some air. That dynamic rage on An Insatiable Violence in turn makes the more aggressive moments hit even harder, which is immediately noticeable on the harrowing “Until There’s Nothing Left” and the chugging closing track “Malicious Needs”. Olivier Pinard anchors “Fools Last Acclaim” with stunning authority (keeping pace with Mounier is an unenviable task) while Donaldson offsets gnarly, atonal riffs with melodic passages throughout the record. “It’s a continuation of As Gomorrah Burns,” McGachy says, “We really wanted to make a groovy record, and we think we’ve done it.”
It seems as though nothing is scarier than real life right now, and An Insatiable Violence is a commentary on today’s society as though filtered through the transgressive, countercultural perspectives of J.G. Ballard and David Cronenberg.
“It all came to me in a dream in August 2023,” elaborates McGachy. “I woke up, I took my phone, and I wrote down the title of the record. It’s about a person that wakes up every day and fixes a machine. Tinkers with it, tries to make it better all day long, sweating in the sun, and then at night, they strap themself into this machine and the machine tortures them, and they love it. Then they wake up the next day and fix it again to make it more efficient, to keep harnessing it, and then just keep doing it over and over again.
While fantastically twisted, An Insatiable Violence mirrors our toxic relationship with social media. “We’re continuously trying to feed this algorithm of the machine while it’s totally tearing us apart socially and psychologically”, McGachy continues. “’The Nimis Adoration’ is about mukbang, these Korean people that eat too much food on the Internet. Piles and piles of food. A poor girl died on a live cam”.
At the center of the album is the mind-boggling percussion skill of Mounier, arguably the most imposing Canadian drummer not named Peart, who dominates such standout tracks as “Dead Eyes Replete”, “Fools Last Acclaim”, and “Embrace the Nihility”. “I look at Flo as an Olympic athlete,” says McGachy. “I want to push this guy to go a lot faster than Cryptopsy’s previous releases. We have so much more to give, and I wanted just drain it all out of him while he’s still at the top of his game, because he is. He’s crushing.”
“I mix up a lot of a physical activity, like resistance training into the drumming,” Mounier says. “I recently developed new techniques that make it easier to go even faster, so I tried to push that on this album. My focus is now more on dynamics and the touch of the snare, a certain snap of the snare, a rim shot on the snare, the toms, a light touch or a hard touch. Live, I can really let go, you know, give the sound guy a hard time,” he adds with a laugh.
For McGachy, who has always boasted a powerful, guttural death growl, the rigors of touring have enabled him to evolve as a vocalist, and he turns in a revelatory performance on An Insatiable Violence. In addition to ear-scraping screams that rival George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, McGachy unleashes the deepest, filthiest death growls of his career. “Gomorrah was the first album that I recorded with my full false chord scream, which is something that I’d only just touched on The Book of Suffering: Tome II in little sections,” he says. “We did at least 140 shows since Gomorrah. I exclusively did my false chords during all the songs that we performed on None So Vile and Blasphemy Made Flesh. And then, when we did go into the studio for An Insatiable Violence, Chris would be like, ‘Deeper, you must go deeper!’”
Another fearsome vocalist from Cryptopsy’s lore pops back into the booth on An Insatiable Violence. “When we were recording the vocals for ‘Embrace the Nihility’, Chris had the idea of ending the song with the same vocal pattern as the end of ‘…and Then It Passes’”, McGachy remembers. “We figured if we were going to rip ourselves off, then we may as well get the real thing. We were honored that Mike DiSalvo accepted. We are all huge fans of Cryptopsy’s DiSalvo era. His vocals on this album are an ultra Easter egg for our fans”.
In addition to the effusive praise As Gomorrah Burns received from within the metal scene, the 2023 album achieved a first for Cryptopsy: earning them their first ever JUNO Award in 2024 for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year. “We had little-to-no expectations of winning” says McGachy. ”We didn’t even go to the ceremonies because we were on tour in Europe with Atheist. On the day we found out that we won, we had a crazy 18-hour drive from Derby to Germany, plus a ferry ride. But we still partied for 48 hours. Flo bought an expensive bottle of champagne”.
Cryptopsy recognize that not every death metal band sticks around long enough to win a Canadian Grammy 30 years into their career. The cover art for An Insatiable Violence was created by the late, great vocalist Martin Lacroix. “The album artwork has got to be one of the most important things to us!”, the band says. “Martin Lacroix was one of our vocalists, one of our great friends and one of the nicest people that anyone could have the privilege to meet. We really wish he was here with us to share this moment. His perfect smile would say it all! Rest in peace brother”.
With Cryptopsy’s latest career renaissance showing no signs of slowing down, the recent accolades are only the beginning. An Insatiable Violence reaches a new peak in a career loaded with them.
Lineup Flo Mounier – Drums Matt McGachy – Vocals Christian Donaldson – Guitar Oli Pinard – Bass
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Studio Christian Donaldson’s Studio
Production, Sound & Mixing Engineer Christian Donaldson
Guest Musicians Mike DiSalvo performs vocals on “Embrace the Nihility”
Hammerheart Records have announced the reissue of two remastered Evoken classics, Shades Of Night Descending (1994) and Embrace The Emptiness (1998), which will see the light of day on 16th January, 2026.
Doom metal, perhaps the most varied of all the metal genres, has been crossing over with plenty of other genres, and surprisingly often, the crossbreeding has been fertile. While the “funeral” brand of doom metal sounds like something that lacks the genetics to successfully breed with other metal genres, its nihilism works surpringly well when blended with slowed down death metal. Among the masters of that gruesome fusion are Evoken from the United States.
Shades of Night Descending is the first recording by Evoken, released in 1994, and for a debut recording, it is a surprisingly mature creation. The later works of Evoken have a thicker wall of sound and plenty of production tricks in them, but the deviations from the basic formula introduced here have been essentially more polishing that actual rethinking of the format.
Perhaps the music is of the same funeral death/doom metal variety as found on the later albums, all the way to the excellent Antithesis of Light (2005) and A Caress of the Void (2007), but the unrefined production on Shades of Night Descending, with its barren character and almost heavy-handedly echoing soundscape, brings out the nihilism of funeral doom more effectively than the more professional production jobs of the later albums.
The atmosphere on this recording is bleaker, even less forgiving, and perhaps even more desperate and repulsive in a positive sense than what can be found on A Caress of the Void. Even the considerably melodic guitar part in ‘Towers of Frozen Dusk’ and other sweeter spots on the demo have a taste of ash and feel of pumice in them; Evoken walks on a musical lava field here, and manages to paint the true meaning of funeral doom in slow death metal colours on the canvas.
With their debut album Embrace The Emptiness (1998), Evoken issued forth the modern wave of funeral doom with the cleaner sound. Though they were a little late bringing out their debut full-length in 1998 when Skepticism and Esoteric already belted out two albums each, Evoken’s Embrace the Emptiness is still very inspirational.
Put on Embrace the Emptiness, shade your windows, turn off the light, lie down in bed and let yourself get overwhelmed with emotions. Drift away in your mind and just let the feelings of solitude hit you. An utterly dark album that every fan of funeral doom/death metal should own.
Track-list: 1. Intro 2. In Graven Image 3. Shades of Night Descending 4. Towers of Frozen Dusk 5. Into the Autumn Shade 6. The Hills of Arctic Stillness (Demo 1996)* 7. Embrace the Emptines (Demo 1996)* 8. Outro (Demo 1996)* 9. Among the Whispering Spirits (Demo 1997)* 10. Outro (Demo 1997)* * CD bonustracks
Track-list: 1. Intro 2. Tragedy Eternal 3. Chime the Centuries’ End 4. Lost Kingdom of Darkness 5. Ascend into the Maelstrom 6. To Sleep Eternally 7. Curse the Sunrise
The debut album from Belgian death metallers ABYSMAL DESCENT, “Dismal Thoughts”, is now streaming in full exclusively via Death Metal Promotion. A monolithic statement of death metal, the record stands as a jagged and menacing work: cold, unyielding and built on unshakable foundations.
“Dismal Thoughts” will be officially released tomorrow, on October 31st, 2025, through Nuclear Winter Records.
From the depths of Brussels’ death metal underground rises ABYSMAL DESCENT, a new entity forged from the ashes of Dehuman and strengthened by the twisted visions of R.S., L.L. (Putrid Offal, Echo Solar Void, Terrifiant) and M.D. (Echo Solar Void). Soon joined by R.M. (Neptunian Maximalism) and A.L. (Saqra’s Cult), the band completed a sinister line-up dedicated to conjuring a harrowing requiem of death metal.
Their debut full-length, “Dismal Thoughts”, will be released via Nuclear Winter Records on October 31st, 2025 – a suitably unholy date for this descent into sonic darkness. Drawing inspiration from legendary forces such as Immolation, Morbid Angel, and Incantation, the album weaves a tapestry of gloom and malevolence, crushing riffs and abyssal atmospheres.
“Dismal Thoughts” is a testament to death metal’s most oppressive traditions: a record that drips with menace, channeling both the cavernous weight of old-school brutality and the suffocating dread of modern extremity. It is a soundtrack to decay, despair, and the shadows that loom ever closer.
Prepare to be engulfed.
Tracklist:
01. Discordant Calls 02. Labyrinth of Distress 03. Death Rope 04. Dismal Thoughts 05. Obscured Visions 06. Fragmented Soul 07. Abyss of Despair 08. Imaginal Horror
Line-up:
Laye Louhenapessy – Drums Martin Dozot – Guitar Rafaël Sellekaerts – Guitar Romain Martini – Bass Adrien Luxen – Vocals
One of the most intriguing rising names in Finnish metal, Rioghan, begins a new cycle with the release of “Chapter I: Frozen“, the first single from their upcoming ‘Frozen EP’. Known for their blend of modern metal, gothic melancholy, and cinematic atmosphere, Rioghan transforms Madonna’s 1998 hit into a darkly ethereal experience that bridges fragility and crushing heaviness.
The song serves as the first chapter of a story that will continue through the band’s upcoming original material. The ‘Frozen EP’, set for release next spring, will feature five tracks – each accompanied by its own music video. Rioghan worked again with their long-time collaborator Aarni Visuals, and like always, the results are breathtaking.
“We’ve continued our usual way of releasing a new EP after an album. However, this time there’s only one cover song. We were planning a fourth cover EP and wanted to include our own version of Madonna’s ‘Frozen’. But as we began working on it, Valtteri and Teemu started developing a broader narrative idea based on the song – something that could extend into a full EP”, vocalist Rioghan Darcy comments.
“So, we decided to abandon the idea of cover EP entirely, and dive into this alternative path that we could shape into something truly our own. ‘Chapter I: Frozen’ lays the foundation for a heart-melting story rooted in the theme of the ‘Kept’ album.”
This year has been an eventful one for Rioghan. Their sophomore album ‘Kept‘, released in February, debuted at #6 on the Finnish physical album chart and received glowing reviews internationally. Following the release tour, Rioghan joined Finnish alternative pioneers SARA for a show at Helsinki’s Ääniwalli and marked their first-ever festival appearance at the legendary Nummirock.
The momentum continues through the end of the year. On October 31st, Rioghan will perform at the H-18 Halloween event at Science Center Heureka, followed by a show at John Smith Frozen Festival in Jyväskylä (November 28th). Both performances will be special acoustic shows, offering audiences a new perspective on Rioghan’s world – intimate, mesmerizing, and emotionally powerful.
Rioghan is: Vocs – Rioghan Darcy Guitar – Teemu Liekkala Guitar – Tero Luukkonen Bass – Antti Varjanne Keys – Aleks Toppari Drums – Valtteri Revonkorpi
Chilean Blackened Thall outfit ATER is proud to unleash their gripping new single, “Venus.” The track serves as the first glimpse into the band’s upcoming full-length album, ‘Everlasting,’ set for release in 2026 and produced by acclaimed producer Dan Lancaster (Bring Me The Horizon, Muse). The new track arrives alongside an official music video, available below.
“Venus” captures ATER’s signature fusion of blackened ferocity and modern thall precision, blending dissonant atmospheres, punishing rhythms, and melodic undercurrents that reflect the band’s continued evolution. The single marks a bold new chapter for the Chilean collective, pushing their sound into deeper emotional and sonic territory while maintaining the visceral power that has defined them since their formation.
Founder and frontman Fernando Bühring comments:
“New single and video ‘Venus’ dropped today! Catch us on the road this fall for the Morbidfesttour with Possessed, Terrorizer, Massacre, and Nightfall. Merry Samhain from all of us at ATER — see you in the pits!”
Kicking off next month, ATER will be touring Europe as part of Morbidfest alongside Possessed, Terrorizer, Massacre and Nightfall. The tour will begin on November 24th in Warsaw, Poland at Progresja and conclude on December 19th at La Machine Du Moulin Rouge in Paris, France. For the full list of dates, please see below.
Founded by composer and multi-instrumentalist Fernando Bühring, ATER is a Chilean dark-metal band from the city of Santiago. Formed in 2010 but really began to be active in 2018 with the release of their debut album ‘Eternal Gray Spiral.’ The band is known for their dark, emotive sound and captivating live performances.
ATER’s sophomore release ‘Somber’ was released in 2024 and catapulted the band into the global metal scene. The band has been touring extensively in support of the album and participated in many international tours with bands such as Cradle of Filth, Patriarkh, Hate, Venom Inc. and many more. This album is known for its sheer heaviness and dense ambient elements.
In 2025 the band released the single “The Fall” which has become one of the band’s most popular tracks and best live show moments.
Currently, ATER is working with producer Dan Lancaster on their upcoming album ‘Everlasting’ which will be released in 2026.
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 ) 