Legends of NWOBHM & Godfathers of Thrash RAVEN to Kick Off Leg One of European Tour May 13th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 4, 2026
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RAVEN kicks off the first leg of their European tour on May 13th in Germany. Lead vocalist/bassist John Gallagher has message for all the Raven Lunatics…”Hey! Road tested and firing on all six as they say! After just finishing up a 40 date extremely successful North American run with many sold out shows – we are EXTREMELY excited to return to Europe and deliver the metal goods!!! Always great to see our friends in Benelux & Germany… and to return to Spain and Greece after many years – and our first ever show in Bulgaria!!! We can’t wait!!!”

Ticket info at ravenlunatics.com.

RAVEN Tour Dates

13/05 DE, Herford, Kulturwerk
14/05 NL, Heerlen, Nieuwe Nor
15/05 DE, Lingen, Alter Schlachthof
16/05 BE, Poperinge, Heavy Sound
17/05 NL, Ommen, Café Calluna
20/05 ES, Malaga, Core
21/05 ES, Barcelona, Sala Lennon’s
22/05 ES, Valencia, Sala Zulu
23/05 ES, Madrid, Sala Silikona
24/05 ES, Bilbao, Sala Groove
27/05 GR, Athens, Kyttaro
28/05 GR, Thessaloniki, Eightball
29/05 GR, Trikala, Andromeda
30/05 BG, Sofia, Live & Loud

About RAVEN

JOHN GALLAGHER: Lead Vocals, Bass
MIKE HELLER: Drums
MARK GALLAGHER: Guitar, Vocals

RAVEN are that rare thing in music, true originals – cut these guys with a razor and they will BLEED true heavy metal – a more intense live band does not exist on this planet!

Hailing from Newcastle Upon Tyne in North East England back in 1974 (yes – 46 YEARS ago!!!) the brothers Gallagher cut their teeth playing the pubs & clubs until solidifying their line up in 1980 with drummer Rob Hunter.

The trio went on to release three of the most influential metal albums of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) inspiring every band of that era and beyond. Basically, without Raven you just would not have thrash/speed metal…. after all, the band did give Metallica & Anthrax their first tours!

Following a tumultuous move to the USA, deals with Atlantic Records, indentured servitude and commercialism, Rob left the band in 1987 to be replaced by drummer extraordinaire Joe Hasselvander, who had made his name in cult doom band Pentagram, Savoy Brown and his own solo projects, adding a new dimension to the band.

In 2001, guitarist Mark Gallagher was involved in a near fatal accident – but fought his way back from the brink and the band proved they were stronger than ever! This renewed spirit and attitude was reflected in the title of their 2010 album “WALK THROUGH FIRE” and in the career overview DVD “ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP”.

2014 found the band opening for METALLICA (the band that RAVEN took on their first tour back in 1983) in Sao Paulo in front of 70,000 fans, and completing their finest album to date – ExtermiNation” which was released to universal acclaim from fans & critics alike in 2015!

After a serious heart attack in May 2017 Joe Hasselvander had to unfortunately bow out from the band.

While filling in on a number of shows, drumming phenomenon Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy) joined forces with the brothers Gallagher to lay waste to stages throughout the latter half of 2017…The chemistry between the three was undeniable – the addition of his prodigious technique & musicality instantly took the band up to a new level.

Following an insane 3 year blur of world touring the next RAVEN opus, “METAL CITY” was released into a pandemic scourged marketplace in September 2020, garnering both critical & popular acclaim as a game changing release for the band songs like “ Top of the mountain “ and the title track highlighted the deadly combination of the bands increasingly iconic songwriting along with Mike Heller’s nuclear propelled percussion excursions.

During the next few years the band delivered the metal goods across the globe .. themed tours covering their “WIPED OUT” and “ ALL FOR ONE” albums were a big success… the band were called on by old tour mates Metallica to help celebrate the life & legacy of Jon & Marsha Zazula (who managed both bands back in the early 80’s) at a tribute concert at the Hard Rock in Ft Lauderdale FL in November 2022.

Following a change of record label from SPV to Silver Lining in 2023; the band released their most searing album yet, the aptly titled “ ALL HELL’S BREAKING LOOSE” receiving universal acclaim from critics and fans alike. The following tour rolled into 2024, celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary as they toured across the globe from the UK to Europe, North America to South America, Singapore, Australia and Japan!

2025 saw the release of the 8 song EP “ CAN’T TAKE AWAY THE FIRE” raising the bar on metal mayhem one more time as a gift to the fans while the band work on preparing their next magnum opus!

Links to Website and All Socials
https://ravenlunatics.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ravenbandofficial
https://x.com/official_raven

SPELL Idealize the Past on New Single ‘Exquisite Corpse’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 4, 2026
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Photo by: Caitlin Delaplace

Vancouver-based metal band, Spell, today releases its new LP, ‘Wretched Heart‘, via Bad Omen Records. A shadow-drenched journey through desperation and defiance, ‘Wretched Heart‘ sees Spell transform heavy metal into something urgent and human – gothic, cinematic, and hypnotic. Spell’s strongest record to date, ‘Wretched Heart‘ is the follow-up to the band’s 2022 LP, ‘Tragic Magic‘, an album hailed as a celebration of “the mystique and darkness within hard rock and heavy metal“.

Purchase/stream ‘Wretched Heart‘ at this location.

In celebration, Spell has unveiled a beguiling video for its new song, “Exquisite Corpse“, which deftly blends infectious, arena rock melodies with theatrical, occult rock sensibilities. Equal parts shred and dread, “Exquisite Corpse” is a glorious example of the finely-honed meld of strident metal grit and devilishly catchy pop suss that Spell has made its own. Stream the video for “Exquisite Corpse“, created by Jamie Ward, at this location.

“It’s so easy to idealize the past and remember things in a way that was never really true,” says vocalist and bassist Cam Mesmer of the “Exquisite Corpse” lyrics. “Especially when we lose people, we can tend to think about them in a perfect way, and mourn the loss of an idealised imaginary person that never really existed in the first place“.

‘Wretched Heart‘ has met to radiant acclaim in the weeks leading to its release, the LP being hailed as “surely the most fun metal record of the year“, “Gothic, hypnotic, and thunderous“, “absolutely fantastic“, “a glorious heavy metal offering“, and “a strain of metal that falls somewhere between the early bat-eating years of the immortal Ozzy Osbourne and Opeth after it got tired of making hearse-black music for torching churches“.

‘Wretched Heart‘, in all its gory glory, embodies a very vital paradox – a record made by true believers who yearn for catharsis beyond. The oxymoron of anthems forged from steel, yet with a very human heart. Even the most cynical bystander will likely struggle not to be bewitched.

“Heavy metal can often be a regressive genre, almost by definition. But it doesn’t have to be!” emphasises Mesmer. “I think that getting set in your ways is death. I consider SPELL to be a heavy metal band, and therefore whatever music we make, will therefore be heavy metal, rather than the other way around, where you try to make your band fit into whatever narrow niche you think heavy metal is supposed to sound like“.

Spell‘s single, “Take My Life“, offers one of the most revealing entry points into the group’s latest chapter. The track stands as perhaps the starkest embodiment of the new album’s central tension – where classic heavy metal confidence collides with profound existential weight. As vocalist and bassist Cam Mesmer explains, “‘Take My Life’ is about an intimate encounter with death, and the power dynamics at play. Where I’ve had to make a decisive move, and been fearful, but others have given me confidence.”

“Take My Life” is a track that captures Spell at its most direct and dynamic. Stream a music video for “Take My Life“, directed by James Barry and Sean Edwards for Ramble Films, at this location.

The first track released from ‘Wretched Heart‘ was “Lilac“, an addictive and bittersweet track that channels both stadium-sized passion and wistful longing. Featuring a guest guitar solo by former Spirit Adrift, Carcass, and Angel Witch man, Tom Draper, “Lilac” dances with harmony-laden metal and synth-driven gothic chills. In the song, the titular flower forms an overarching metaphor for the ephemeral and transient forms of both nature and love. Stream a music video for “Lilac“, again directed by James Barry and Sean Edwards for Ramble Films, at this location.

“There are many things in life that disappear so quickly and will be gone immediately if we get preoccupied and forget to enjoy them and care for them” clarifies Spell vocalist/bassist Cam Mesmer before noting, “This song isn’t really about a flower“.

Spell is Cam Mesmer (vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, synthesizers), Al Lester, (vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums), Jeff Black (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Gabriel Tenebrae, (lead guitar, synthesizers).

Follow Spell on Facebook and Instagram.

Season of Mist Announces Reissue of BORKNAGAR’s “Winter Thrice”, Out July 10th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 4, 2026
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With major international tours and chart placements around the world, after more than 30 years, Borknagar remain a consistently evolving force. Starting with their self-titled beginnings, the band quickly pushed past the boundaries set by traditional black metal by encompassing prog, neofolk and hard rock. Their tenth album remains a true force of nature.    

Today, Season of Mist is proud to announce a reissue of Borknagar’s tenth full-length album Winter Thrice. With blinding blast beats, melodies as crisp as the first frost and Garm of Ulver joining forces with their seasoned vocal trifecta, the band summoned a perfect storm of blackened progressive metal.  

Winter Thrice will be reissued by Season of Mist on July 10, 2026. Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BorknagarShop

Tracklist

  1. The Rhymes of the Mountain (6:43)
  2. Winter Thrice (6:13)
  3. Cold Runs the River (5:51)
  4. Panorama (5:51)
  5. When Chaos Calls (7:02)
  6. Erodent (6:56)
  7. Noctilucent (3:54)
  8. Terminus (7:09)

Lineup
Øystein Brun – Guitars
Vintersorg – Vocals (harsh, clean, choirs),
Jens F. Ryland – Lead Guitars
ICS Vortex – Vocals (clean, choirs)
Lars A. Nedland – Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals
Baard Kolstad – Drums

Guest musicians
Kristoffer “Garm” Rygg – Lead Vocals on Track 2, Additional Vocals on Track 8
Pål “Athera” Mathiesen – Additional Vocals on Track 6
Simen Daniel Børven – Bass

Songwriting credits
Øystein Brun – Songwriting on Tracks 1-3, 5-8. Lyrics on Tracks 1,2,6.

Vintersorg – Lyrics on Tracks 3,5 and 7-9.
Lars A. Nedland – Songwriting and Lyrics on “Panorama”

Production credits
Øystein Brun – Producer
Jens Bogren – Mixing, Mastering

Cover art
Marcelo Vasco

KING ZEBRA Share New Single ‘Heart Without A Home’ with Lyric Video

Posted by metalshockfinland on May 4, 2026
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Photo by Zaida Haener

Swiss rockers King Zebra share their new single, “Heart Without A Home”, along with an official lyric video, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band commented: “Heart Without A Home” is the first ever King Zebra ballad. Acoustic guitar leading the approach is another first for the band. In the spirit of 80’s power rock, the arrangement and lyrics are a tribute to the human desire to be at peace & belong. It paints a sonic picture of the struggle between loneliness and coexistence, and the price paid for both.”

Stream “Heart Without A Home” HERE

Hailing from the picturesque city of Zurich, Switzerland, King Zebra is a melodic hard rock powerhouse that has been making waves in the international rock scene since their inception in 2017. 

Led by the charismatic frontman Eric St. Michaels, a seasoned veteran in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, the band has been on a relentless journey to redefine the genre with their electrifying sound.

Eric St. Michaels, originally from the vibrant rock scene of New Jersey, found a new home in Switzerland over two decades ago. His powerful and soulful vocals are best known from his time as the former lead singer of the renowned band China. With King Zebra, Eric has embarked on a new musical odyssey, taking his rich experience and passion for rock to new heights.

In 2019, the band gained international attention with the release of an EP. Since then, King Zebra has performed at festivals such as Rock the Ring alongside legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Uriah Heep, and Rose Tattoo, and opened stadium shows for Alice Cooper. 

In 2020, they released the album “Survivors”, produced by Oscar Nilsson (Crashdiet, The Halo Effect, Hank van Hell), which led to successful European tours and sold-out shows both abroad and in their home country.

In 2023, King Zebra signed a record deal with Frontiers Records. The following year saw the release of “Between The Shadows”, accompanied by a European tour with The Gems and a subsequent club tour in Switzerland. 

In 2025, the band performed at renowned festivals such as the Riverside Festival, shared the stage with Hammerfall and Kissin’ Dynamite, and joined Shakra as Special Guest for their 30th anniversary show at the legendary Z7 in Pratteln. Later that year, King Zebra returned to Bohus Studio in Gothenburg to work on new material.

As King Zebra continues to conquer stages and hearts around the globe, their mission remains clear: to keep the flame of Melodic Hard Rock burning brightly and to carry on the legacy of Rock ‘n’ Roll through their electrifying music and unforgettable live shows.

Line Up:
Eric St. Michaels
Roman Lauer
Jerry Napitupulu
Benjamin Grimm

Follow KING ZEBRA:
Website 
Facebook
Instagram

BANTORIAK Announce New Album “Vol. II”, First Single ‘Blu Bus’ Feat. Sergio Ch. Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 4, 2026
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Italian desert cult rock psychonauts BANTORIAK return to unveil their long-awaited new album “Vol. II”, set for release on June 19th, 2026 via CD, colored vinyl and digital formats on Argonauta Records. Seven years after their acclaimed debut Weedooism, the band opens a new sonic chapter, expanding their vision into a deeper and more immersive psychedelic experience.

Conceived as the solo vision of Izio Orsini (Rancho Bizzarro), BANTORIAK evolves on this new chapter into a collective ritual, bringing together longtime collaborators and fresh contributors. The result is a hypnotic blend of psychedelic doom, drenched in a warm, vintage 70s-inspired sound, where desert winds meet humid, mystic atmospheres and hard blues inflections.

To mark the announcement, the band unveils the first single “Blu Bus”, featuring the legendary Sergio Ch. of Los Natas and Soldati on lead guitar. The track stands as a manifesto of the album’s spirit: expansive, gritty and deeply evocative, channeling the raw essence of desert rock through swirling jams and magnetic grooves, LISTEN HERE https://tidal.com/track/517988755/u

“Vol. II” is  a shared experience shaped by a remarkable cast of musicians, including:
Dome La Muerte, Sergio Ch. (Los Natas), Marco Gambicorti (Rancho Bizzarro), Toto Barbato (The Cage, Snaporaz), Omar Tognotti, Giacomo Cerri (Vesta), Rosy Ninivaggi (Profanal), Valentina Erre, Jacopo Pannokkia, Filippo Del Bimbo (Supernaughty), Andrea Appino (Zen Circus), Mattia Cominotto (Green Fog Studio), Giacomo Vaccai.

From the scorching deserts of California to the dense, humid echoes of India, “Vol. II” unfolds through hypnotic jams, heavy riffs and a timeless psychedelic aura, confirming BANTORIAK as a unique voice within the European underground.

Tracklist
Vol II
Blu Bus
Ritualism
Liquid Brain
Kairot
La Muerte
Amanita
Karpura

Stay tuned for more music, pre-orders and upcoming announcements.

https://www.facebook.com/bantoriakDoom
https://www.instagram.com/bantoriak.ii/
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

THE BULLDOZER Take Grannies to Bingo on New Single ‘Kicking Grannies’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 4, 2026
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The Helsinki-based oi! punk band The Bulldozer unleash a fierce, old-school punk outburst with their new single “Kicking Grannies.” The track stomps firmly in the boots of bands like Cockney Rejects and Anti-Nowhere League.

Despite its title, the band is not actually kicking grannies.

“I’m not the one kicking grannies with my boots. Did you know most dangerous men wear suits,” goes one key line in the song.

Kicking Grannies tells the story of older women who still have plenty of fight left in them. The narrative features a rough-looking crowd escorting them to the pub for a game of bingo. At the same time, the track continues a familiar theme for the band: the real threat doesn’t always look like one, it often hides behind neatly dressed figures in positions of power.

Formed in 2023, The Bulldozer represent the SHARP movement (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) and combine oi! with traditional punk, spiced up with touches of ska and reggae.

The band’s previous release, Battle Scars EP, explored similar themes, tackling working-class frustration and social inequality. In particular, the track “Breathtakingly Ordinary Man” took aim at “men in suits” disconnected from the realities of everyday people.

The Bulldozer’s debut release was the Shit Drops Keep Fallin’ On My Head EP, released in 2024.

Kicking Grannies won’t be the band’s only release this spring. A four-track EP is set to follow at the end of May.

Kicking Grannies single: Spotify – Apple Music – Deezer – Tidal

The Bulldozer:

  • Jaska: Vocals
  • Ilkka: Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Marko: Bass, Backing Vocals
  • Jukka: Drums, Backing Vocals

More info: Facebook | Spotify