Released yesterday, Mystification Zine presents an exclusive stream of “Under Sadistic Law”, the merciless debut EP from Sweden’s rabid death-thrash metal crew ZADISM.
From the blackened mines of Bergslagen and rising from the ashes of the now‑defunct band Maniak, Sweden’s ZADISM emerge as an unholy force bent on obliterating restraint.
Guided by the spirit of the early Brazilian underground (you know the ones – disfigured riffs, filthy production, uncompromising aggression) and the savage blueprint laid down by the German thrash metal pioneers at the dawn of the scene, this duo brings a sound steeped in raw violence and fury.
Their debut EP “Under Sadistic Law”, out 21 November via De:Nihil Records and Dala Destroi Records, is a concentrated dose of extremity: short, brutal and unrelenting. ZADISM don’t just honour the relics of the past: they inject them with fresh, virulent energy and drag them screaming into the present.
Tracklist:
01. Ernestine 02. Victims of the Sadistic Whip 03. Under Sacred Soil 04. Chapel of Scum 05. Coprophilian Nightmare
Italian death metal collective SKULLD will release their highly anticipated new album, “Abyss Calls to Abyss”, on January 30th, 2026 via Time To Kill Records. The record marks a decisive step forward in the band’s evolution, expanding their uncompromising sound into a work of rare intensity and depth.
Rooted in the raw aggression of old-school Swedish death metal and infused with the grit of crust punk and hardcore, “Abyss Calls to Abyss” channels both ferocity and purpose. Yet beneath the surface of blast beats and corrosive riffs lies a profound lyrical and conceptual dimension, one that merges feminist and pagan themes, esoteric reflection, and socio-political awareness into a cohesive, cathartic whole.
Across eight tracks, SKULLD explore the abyss as both an inner and outer dimension: a place of dissolution and regeneration, death and renewal, where individual and collective struggles mirror one another. Written and recorded in 2025, the album captures the band at their most inspired and urgent, balancing sheer aggression with moments of melody and introspection.
With “Abyss Calls to Abyss”, SKULLD reaffirm their place as one of the most compelling voices in Italy’s extreme metal underground: fearless, defiant, and entirely their own.
“‘The Blink’ is a sonic spell cast by two legendary figures: Circe, the sorceress, and Scylla, the abyssal monster. Enemies by fate, sisters by curse, bound by the love that turned them into eternal damnations.
The song is an explosion of fury and feminine power, where magic intertwines with vengeance, and the voice becomes a storm.
Through razor-sharp verses and mythological imagery, The Blink tells the tale of revenge from the betrayed, turning men into swine, words into spells, and the blink of an eye into a curse. It’s an act of creation and destruction, a scream rising from the depths to the shore, where the shadow of the goddess and the monster merges with the sea.
One single blink — and everything disappears”.
Tracklist:
1. Healing the Wound 2. The Blink 3. Accabadora 4. Wear the night as a Velvet Cloak 5. Le Diable and The Snake 6. Mother Death 7. Drops of Sorrow 8. Sacred Fires
For fans of: Entombed, Dismember, The Crown, Trap Them, Martyrdöd
SKULLD formed in Romagna, Italy, in 2019 with the ambitious goal of blending old-school Swedish death metal with shamanic and esoteric overtones, all rooted in a strong feminist, anti-fascist, and anti-racist stance. Hailing from cities such as Cesena, Forlì, Bologna, Imola, and Milan, the members of the band have deep roots in the DIY punk and hardcore scene — a defining element of their artistic identity.
In 2020, they released their debut EP “Reinventing Darkness”, a DIY co-production with various Italian and international labels, distributed throughout the underground network. The lineup featured Pamela (vocals), Monti and Rappo (guitars), Ciufs (bass), and Teo (drums). The songs, fast and razor-sharp, combine Scandinavian death metal with crust and stenchcore, evoking dark and pagan atmospheres. The EP was well received for its raw and original sound, as well as for its lyrical themes — most notably the track “Satanic Feminism”, which explicitly ties death metal to political and gender awareness.
On March 20th, 2024, the band released their first full-length album “The Portal Is Open” via the French label World Eater Records. Recorded in Imola and mixed/mastered by Ulf Blomberg at Hobos Studio in Lund, Sweden, the album features eight tracks merging death and black metal with hardcore/crust influences and punk-infused vocals. The lyrics delve deeper into the concepts introduced on their debut, exploring pagan traditions, mythology, feminine archetypes, and esoteric and literary references.
In 2024, guitarist Moqi joined the band as a live replacement for Rappo, who had relocated to Berlin. He later became the sixth full-time member, contributing to the writing and recording of the band’s latest effort, “Abyss Calls To Abyss”.
The technical chameleon and guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert today announces his new album, WROC, which will be released on 27 February via Music Theories Recordings. To celebrate, he has revealed the music video for Go Not Thither, which you can watch HERE.
WROC, which stands for “Washington’s Rules of Civility,” could very well be the guitar superstar’s most outlandish offering to date. Using George Washington’s Rules of Civility as a conceptual homing beacon, Gilbert has dared himself to think outside the box and use an etiquette guide dating back to the late 1500s as his main source of inspiration.
He may have wielded a cordless power drill for supersonic tremolo picking and used a slide to summon the voice of Ronnie James Dio in the past. Still, this latest recording is the sound of a musician defiantly broadening himself into new uncharted horizons for his first vocal album since 2016’s “I Can Destroy.”
“Go Not Thither” pairs throbbing vibe pedals with regal harmonies, classic metal riffage and ZZ Top boogie blues. Talking about the song, Gilbert muses, “Hundreds of years ago, everyone must have been walking around kicking the earth. They kicked the earth so much that a rule had to be invented to put a stop to it! Another rule in the song, “Play not the peacock,” is more difficult to follow. I know this, as I can’t resist playing guitar solos while wearing a tricorn hat.”
The idea for the album came to him on the flight home from the last show of Mr. Big’s final tour, where the group bid farewell to a packed house at Tokyo’s Budokan Arena.
“I don’t know why it came into my head,” he shrugs. “But I love using lyrics to build melodies. I think I was looking for my own Bernie Taupin – who writes all the lyrics for Elton John. Neil Peart is another example, as he wrote the lyrics for Rush, while Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee composed the music. I wanted to find my own Bernie or Neil, because while lyric writing is something I’ve certainly done, it’s not really my favorite part of the process. So, I got George Washington to be my Bernie Taupin!”
On further investigation, it became clear that the first president of the United States of America had simply copied an English translation of the “Rules Of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company And Conversation” as a school writing exercise, inadvertently becoming its most widely credited author. Its lineage, however, can be traced even further back to a 1595 French etiquette manual written by the Jesuits.
As someone who has vividly shaped the role of the electric guitar in rock music, Paul Gilbert knows a thing or two about which rules to follow — and when to break them. In Mr. Big, he was responsible for pioneering pop rock anthems that saw the group top charts and headline arenas around the world. In Racer X, he pushed the electric guitar to its furthest limits, in a more metallic direction, leaving listeners and audiences mesmerized by how his compositions could be so technically thrilling and tastefully musical at the same time. As a solo artist, he’s traversed both instrumental and vocal-led sonic landscapes that have crossed over from blues, classical and jazz to straight-up rock.
So, for Gilbert, there was palpable excitement in resurrecting these 16th-century guidelines for the hyper-advanced social order of today’s world. “I’ve never had such a good time writing songs in my life!” he admits.
The album was recorded live over four days at The Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon, with Nick D’Virgilio on drums, Doug Rappoport on guitar, and Timmer Blakely on bass. Paul recorded additional vocals at home to sweeten the tracks, but the core energy comes from the live band jamming face to face.
It all kicks off with “Keep Your Feet Firm And Even,” which is based on a Washington rule that Paul finds personally challenging. The hook-laden “Speak Not Evil Of The Absent,” saw Gilbert molding unique phrasing to deliver a rule that’s now 430 years old. “Some of these rules are easy to follow, and others… I don’t know if I could ever do them! But it’s certainly aspirational to think about them,” says Paul.
“I’m really excited to play this music live and see how people enjoy it,” adds Gilbert. “I would say WROC is one of the most musical and listenable albums I’ve ever done. It’s much more than just guitar licks that came from my fingers. The music came from my sense of melody. I’ve been enjoying that pure connection more and more. I feel like this is the most successful journey I’ve made to my Inner Melodic Generator… thanks to the inspiration from George Washington and those who went before him. They were my Bernie Taupins. Overall, the process was so enjoyable, and you can hear that joy in the tracks.”
Track listing
Keep Your Feet Firm and Even
Show Not Yourself Glad (At the Misfortune of Another)
After the previously-released first album single “No Gods, No Chains,” and just returning home from tour with Wolfheart, Full House Brew Crew keep pushing forward. Today the band unveils the official music video for their latest single “Free Fall”!
The track offers another strong preview of their upcoming studio album Glasgow Grin, set for release on February 6, 2026 through ROAR – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music. The pre-sale is available at:https://fhbc.rpm.link/glasgowPR
About the new single, the band says “it’s jagged, real, and cuts deeper than it should. If you’re after perfection, keep scrolling. The bad doesn’t hold back!”
With their forthcoming and highly anticipated studio release Glasgow Grin, the Greek groove metal heavyweights return with serious force. Led by frontman and guitarist Vagelis Karzis, who plays in Wolfheart and previously performed with Rotting Christ, Full House Brew Crew prepares to unleash their unmistakable sound on both loyal fans and new listeners.
Glasgow Grin reflects the band’s current violent state of mind: pure aggression and power throughout. “We let ourselves loose and did what felt natural to us, not trying to push the songwriting in any direction other than what fits best for the song,” says Karzis. For the first time, the band worked with Finnish sound engineer Saku Moilanen at Deep Noise Studios, who mixed and mastered Glasgow Grin.
Lyrically, Vagelis digs deep into internal struggles, day-to-day battles, and personal injustices — always channeling tension and anger. “Like always, the band is moving towards a direction that feels best for us. That is the main reason we always evolve, we make changes, we take risks and that excites us. We created many albums and each represents a different musical state. Glasgow Grin is our proudest piece of work so far. We worked more like a team and didn’t hold back for any mainstream reasons.”
[Artwork by VisionBlack – Nikos Stavridakis]
Glasgow Grin Track Listing:
Glasgow Grin
No Gods, No Chains
The Tear
The Other Side
Free Fall
Rain
From The Gutter
Distant Star
Crawling
Reign of Terror
Full House Brew Crew is: Vagelis Karzis – Vocals / Guitars Spiros Dafalias – Bass Giorgios Tzatzakis – Guitars Chris Borméy – Drums
Finnish rockers Temple Balls are excited to announce the release of their new self-titled studio album, out on February 20, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Following the latest single “There Will Be Blood”, the band now share the new single “Soul Survivor”, along with an official video.
The band talked about the new single, by saying: “Soul Survivor was the first track we picked from our archives and started working on. It kinda kicked off the game of writing this new album. Lyric wise, ‘Soul Survivor’ traverses somewhere in the bases of a human mind”.
“Will we leave something behind and what exactly will it be? Self-examination could drag you into deep waters, yet that’s where the big fish swim. Poking your inner self could turn up diamonds or dirt. The most important thing is that you keep on poking”, they added.
Temple Balls are back with a brand-new self-titled album, continuing the sonic evolution started with their latest work, “Avalanche”, and delivering an even more personal and refined sound. Once again produced by Jona Tee, the album boasts anthemic choruses, high-energy guitar work, and a thunderous rhythm section – classic Temple Balls, but bolder and better.
The band commented: “After releasing four albums, it felt like we have found ourselves a preferred sound and a way to write our music. The northern darkness brings, depending on the listener, its bitter or tickling side taste into our way of interpreting hard rock. So naturally, it’s about a time to release an album carrying our divisive band’s name”.
This new release takes no prisoners. It’s a statement of intent: Temple Balls are here to stay, and ready to expand their global fanbase with a sound that’s bigger, louder, and more powerful than ever.
Over the past several years, Temple Balls have stayed busy both in the studio and on stage. Having opened for legendary acts such as Sonata Arctica, Queen, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep, Temple Balls has proven it can command stages of any size, from large festival arenas to small club venues. With their electrifying live shows, the band energizes the audience and always leaves fans convinced of their raw talent and unstoppable energy.
The band’s first official single, “Hell And Feelin’ Fine”, was released in September 2016 and quickly received substantial airplay on Finnish Radio Rock. Their debut album, “Traded Dreams”, was recorded at Karma Sound Studios in Thailand in May 2016 and released on February 24, 2017. Produced by Tobias Lindell, known for his work with Europe, Mustasch, and H.E.A.T., the album laid the foundation for the band’s rise in the melodic rock scene.
The fall of 2017 began with a sold-out tour across Finland alongside Battle Beast. That year also marked the band’s debut in Japan, followed by an intense five-day tour of Ukraine. After their Japanese shows, readers of the country’s leading rock magazine, Burrn!, voted Temple Balls as “the second brightest hope”. At the same time, they were also honored as the Newcomer of the Year on Masa Ito’s Rock TV, marking a significant breakthrough on the international stage.
The band’s second album, “Untamed”, was released on March 8, 2019, and was quickly praised by leading music outlets like Soundi and Burrn! magazines. After its release, the band traveled across Europe as special guests of Sonata Arctica, further solidifying their reputation as a powerful live act.
“Pyromide”, the band’s debut on Frontiers and their third album overall, was a true showcase of melodic hard rock, launching them onto the international stage. Produced by the well-known Jona Tee, the album is filled with catchy hooks, pounding rhythms, and anthemic rock ’n’ roll delivered just as it was meant to be. In May 2022, the band kicked off a three-week European tour with Swedish melodic metal giants H.E.A.T., then continued to energize audiences across Finland throughout the summer festival season.
The band released their fourth studio album, “Avalanche”, in November 2023. Praised by both fans and media, the album not only made it onto the Finnish charts but also solidified the band’s reputation as one of the most exciting acts today. Following the release, the band excited audiences with a series of shows across Finland and internationally during the summer festival season, culminating in a successful UK tour in November 2024.
In 2025, the group primarily focused on recording a highly anticipated new album while continuing to engage audiences at select performances, both domestically and internationally, including a festival appearance in Switzerland.
“Temple Balls” Tracklist:
1. Flashback Dynamite 2. Lethal Force 3. Tokyo Love 4. There Will Be Blood 5. We Are The Night 6. Hellbound 7. Soul Survivor 8. The Path Within 9. Stronger Than Fire 10. Chasing The Madness 11. Living In A Nightmare
Line Up: Arde Teronen – Vocals Jimi Välikangas – Bass Jiri Paavonaho – Guitar Niko Vuorela – Guitar Antti Hissa – Drums
PIL & BUE (eng: Arrow & Bow) – GIVING IN: Let’s head north, way above the arctic circle in Norway. Pil & Bue’s album “You Have Chosen Darkness” is set for release on February 27 via their own Label and DIGER Distribution, offering a foretaste of their emotive, alternative rock, with the new single ‘Giving In’.
The tune has great momentum. This is music that should be played loud! It addresses doubt and fear, not as weaknesses, but as driving forces. It’s about acknowledging who you are, persevering through darkness, and never giving in. It’s about the great battle that goes on in the battlefields of the mind.
BIO: Pil & Bue is a two-piece, consisting of Petter Carlsen (the arrow) and Goeran Johansen (the bow). Their philosophy is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When they perform live, they sound like a full-blown band. “
The band’s raw and melodic music quickly struck a note with Hollywood director Tommy Wirkola, who included the Pil & Bue single “You Win Again” in his now cult-status movie “Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival January 2014.
Also, their single “Fire” from their second album “Forget the Past, Let’s Worry About The Future” is featured on the end credits of Wirkola’s Hollywood/Netflix blockbuster “What Happened To Monday” (2017).
Petter has collaborated with German post rockers Long Distance Calling as the singer on their 2016 album “Trips”. The band Weather Systems, involving Danny Cavanagh of Anathema, also features Petter Carlsen’s voice on their new album “Oceans Without a Shore” from 2024.
Their latest album “Special Agents” was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in 2024.
Credits: Music by Petter Carlsen & Goeran Johansen / Pil & Bue Lyrics by Petter Carlsen Produced by Ariel Joshua Sivertsen & Pil & Bue Recorded at Kysten Studio, Tromsø, Norway, June 2025 Distribution: Diger Distro P&C 2025 Petter Carlsen
ISRC: Single “Giving in” (RADIO EDIT) – NOCUE2601071 Giving In – NOCUE2601070
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 ) 