Italian death metallers CHRONIC HATE will release their highly anticipated new album, “Defeating The Oblivion Of Life“, on May 29th 2026 via Time To Kill Records.
The first single “The Wrong” is now streaming HERE.
The band comments:
“The lead single and opening track of our new album, ‘Defeating The Oblivion Of Life’, kicks off with deeply personal lyrics that resonate with anyone feeling out of place in today’s world of forced conformity and hypocritical respectability. Take pride in being an outsider! This track is our manifesto: pure rage, pure death metal, pure defiance”.
Born from a band seasoned by over two decades of experience, the album clearly draws inspiration from the classic ‘90s death metal sound, with a nod to bands like Monstrosity and early Sinister, while updating these influences just enough to create a record that goes beyond mere homage. The songs are built around intricate, well-constructed riffs, impressive technical skill without descending into empty showmanship, and a subtle atmospheric layer that occasionally hints at blackened currents.
“Defeating The Oblivion Of Life” inaugurates a significant new chapter for CHRONIC HATE. The album thrusts listeners into the extreme spirals of death metal through a mature fusion of different influences and compositional approaches. Its sound is driven by a solid and devastating production, achieved in the tradition of the genre with 100% acoustic drums and real amplifiers.
Lyrically, the album is an act of rebellion against a world that seeks to condemn our lives to oblivion, submerging us in distractions and waste, reducing us to a dehumanized herd. The songs alternate between crude, direct verses and more intimate, lacerating, and personal passages, delivering undeniable emotional power and authenticity.
Tracklist:
1. The Wrong 2. Blastphemy 3. Mass Distraction Program 4. Regurgitated Brains 5. Despair… In Sorrow 6. Subjugated Minds 7. Born To Appear 8. Handcuffed 9. Chronic Hate
Formed in 2001 in Northeast Italy, CHRONIC HATE have built a strong presence in the European metal scene, performing alongside bands such as Obituary, Suffocation, Misery Index, Destruction, Hideous Divinity, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra, Severe Torture, Nero di Marte, Sadist, Impiety, Noctem, Tortharry, Doomas, and many more. They have appeared at festivals including Tolminator Metalfest 2024 (Slovenia), Gothoom Fest 2023 (Slovakia), Morphing Fest 2023 (Czech Republic), Metaldays Fest 2015 (Slovenia), Eresia Metalfest 2019 (Italy), as well as several smaller events across Italy, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovenia.
Line-up:
Andrea – Vocals Daniele – Guitars / Backing Vocals Massimo – Guitars Marco – Bass Nicolas – Drums
After crushing crowds with Sanguisugabogg, Despised Icon and Corpse Pile, next month, Defeated Sanity are hitting the road on their first U.S. headlining tour in support of their latest Billboard-demolishing album Chronicles of Lunacy. During this run across both U.S. coasts, the innovators of brutal death metal will perform Chronicles of Lunacy in its entirety, along with other fan favorites from their discography. Joining them on all 27 dates are Inferi and Organectomy.
As they gear up for the start of their U.S. tour next month, today, Defeated Sanity are releasing a new drum playthrough. While the song brings Chronicles of Lunacy to a horrifying end, “Heredity Violated” further cements their place on the throne as the most technically advanced band in brutal death metal.
“This song was based on a Latin-type rhythm and fused with a brutal riff”, Defeated Sanity drummer Lille Gruber says. “It also has a cool dotted note verses even cymbal thing going on”.
The drum playthrough for “Heredity Violated” was created by Obscenery Films.
Defeated Sanity 2026 U.S. Tour Dates with Inferi and Organectomy + Excrescence, Scasm and Horrific Vision on select dates
April 16 – Anaheim, CA @ Parish (HOB)* [TICKETS] April 17 – Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55* [TICKETS] April 18 – Santa Rosa, CA @ The California* [TICKETS] April 19 – Sacramento, CA @ Starlet* [TICKETS] April 21 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon* [TICKETS] April 22 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s* [TICKETS] April 23 – Boise, ID @ Shredder* [TICKETS] April 24 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Ace’s High Saloon* [TICKETS] April 25 – Denver, CO @ HQ* [TICKETS] April 27 – Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade* [TICKETS] April 28 – West Chicago, IL @ Social Club+ [TICKETS] April 29 – Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle+ [TICKETS] April 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop+ [TICKETS] May 1 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall+ [TICKETS] May 2 – Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz+ [TICKETS] May 3 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro+ [TICKETS] May 4 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones+ [TICKETS] May 5 – Jacksonville, FL @ The Albatross+ [TICKETS] May 6 – Tampa, FL @ Orpheum+ [TICKETS] May 7 – Orlando, FL @ Conduit+ [TICKETS] May 8 – Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar+ [TICKETS] May 9 – Houston, TX @ Pub 529^ [TICKETS] May 11 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links^ [TICKETS] May 12 – Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live^ [TICKETS] May 13 – Lubbock, TX @ Jakes^ [TICKETS] May 15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Nile Underground^ [TICKETS] May 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar^ [TICKETS] * Excrescence + Scasm ^ Horrific Visions
Tracklist 1. Amputationsdrang (2:30) [WATCH] 2. The Odour Of Sanctity (3:36) [WATCH] 3. Accelerating The Rot (3:22) [WATCH] 4. Temporal Disintegration (5:52) [WATCH] 5. Extrinsically Enraged (4:09) [WATCH] 6. A Patriarchy Perverse (4:16) 7. Condemned to Vascular Famine (6:00) [WATCH] 8. Heredity Violated (3:48)[WATCH] Total runtime: 33:35
DEFEATED SANITY is unequivocally one of the most unique, boundary-pushing and crucial bands in the history of extreme death metal. Their music is as technically coherent as it is mind-bending and memorable. Endlessly replay-able and full of discovery, their maze of riffs and musical passages is inspired by infamous classic bands in the extreme metal genre, while also heavily steeped in jazz and progressive classical elements.
The band consists of four members. They’re led by drummer Lille Gruber, who’s the son of deceased co-founding member Wolfgang Teske. Gruber is joined by bandmates Jacob Schmidt (bass), Josh Welshman (vocals) and Vaughn Stoffey (guitar).
As well as being the drummer of Defeated Sanity, Gruber is the multi- instrumental, songwriting mastermind behind the band’s deep and compelling catalogue of songs and compositions. He possesses a bag of tricks seen nowhere else in the genre, and a musical prowess which is on full display throughout their new album Chronicles of Lunacy.
“We love experimenting”, explains drummer and founding member Lille Gruber. “But we realized that some of our oldest fans might have gotten lost after our last couple of albums. With the new one, we wanted to focus more on neck-snapping brutality”.
Chronicles of Lunacy punches you right in the face. Press play and “Amputationsdrang” already has you pinned to the mat beneath its non-stop blasts. Get comfortable, too, because Defeated Sanity don’t let the album up for air until the very end of Track 4. But turns out, acting like knuckle-dragging cavemen isn’t so easy for a band that has a Mensa-level maestro like Gruber at the controls.
At the tender age of six, Lille Gruber picked up heavy guitar and drums. Inspired by killer American BDM bands like Disgorge, Monstrosity and Brodequin, the German wunderkind recorded the band’s first demo alongside his father, Wolfgang Teske. Since Wolfgang’s passing in 2010, Gruber has taken on the bulk of the composing for Defeated Sanity. Whether he’s hammering his snare, pinging between cymbals or riding a colossal groove, The Chronicles of Lunacy flows like a never-ending stream of filth.
“Lille’s drumming is just ridiculous”, Jacob Schmidt says. Schmidt – who toured with Obscura behind Cosmogenesis – joined as the other half of Defeated Sanity’s chaotic rhythm section for the band’s beloved second album. His nimble, belching bass give the new album’s lead single “The Odour of Sanctity” a dizzying bounce. “He’s the face of the franchise, so we’re never going to abandon those head-scratching moments that set Defeated Sanity apart”.
Indeed, Chronicles of Lunacy isn’t Defeated Sanity for dummies. Heck, the lyrics are wrapped up in the twisted ways that delusions can rot the human psyche. This heady concept was made flesh by none other than Jon Zig. Drawn in painstaking detail by his wicked right hand, the album’s cover shows that the birth of some ideas look an awful lot like a gory and sex-crazed nativity scene.
“Each song on Chronicles deals with a different form of mental corruption”, Josh Welshman says”. “Odor” stinks of religious fanaticism. “A Patriarchy Perverse” cracks open the mind of co-ed killer Ed Kemper, while “Extrinsically Enraged” practically foams at the mouth with squealing hammer-ons. “That one’s more literal”, says Welshman with a hearty laugh. “It’s about contracting rabies”. If it weren’t for Disposal of the Dead / Dharmata, then Defeated Sanity would’ve chewed through as many vocalists as they have albums, but after a brutal showing on their last one, Welshman is back with more guttural vengeance. His growls ooze from the pit of his gut on “Temporal Disintegration”, stomped out like the innards of a cockroach by the gravity-defying slams.
While it still hits from every odd angle, Chronicles of Lunacy does draw a jagged red line back to Defeated Sanity’s brutal origins. After all, the band now share a label with their namesake. In true, DS fashion, the first song written for this album was “Heredity Violated”, a headbanging grand finale that never stops chugging. “This album isn’t as tough on the brain as the last two”, says new guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, whose chunky riffs whip “Accelerating the Rot” into the fastest song in the band’s canon. “It’s rawer and more straightforward, which gets back to what fans love about Psalms of the Moribund“.
To dig up the sheer brutality that long-time fans have come to crave, Defeated Sanity returned to Thousand Cave Studios. New York City’s most vile underground hotspot also served as the excavation site for the Billboard-charting The Sanguinary Impetus, which shoveled a fresh layer of dirt over the “polished” production of Passages into Deformity. But the band encouraged producer Colin Marston to get down and dirty with Chronicles of Lunacy. “We still wanted some of the high fidelity that you hear on modern death metal records”, Schmidt says, “but this album has the same crushing low-end as Psalms or Chapters of Repugnance“.
The band execute this two-headed approach to monstrous effect on “Condemned to Vascular Famine”. At just under six minutes, the song delivers the longest ass beating on Chronicles of Lunacy. At times, all four members sound like they’re climbing up the walls in separate asylums, but after slipping in a brief nod to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the band come slamming down into the album’s ugliest breakdown.
“That’s one of our favorites”, the band says. “It lands at a crossroad of the DS sound that we ended up with on Chronicles of Lunacy. Even though it gets pretty fucking weird at times, there’s still an emphasis on heavy, straight-up slamming”
None of their albums are ever going to follow a straight line, but on Chronicles of Lunacy, Defeated Sanity return to sheer brutality.
Lineup Josh Welshman – Vocals Vaughn Stoffey – Guitars Jacob Schmidt – Bass Lille Gruber – Drums
Guest musicians Danny Nelson and Paolo Paguntalan provide backup vocals on “Amputationsdrang” and “Accelerating the Rot”
Recording Studio Thousand Caves Studio in January 2024.
Production Recorded, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston. Produced by Colin Marston and Defeated Sanity.
Cover Art Artwork by Jon Zig Title lettering by Liz Schmidt Layout by Alex Eckman-Lawn
BANGALORE CHOIR have released a video for their new single “I Never Meant To” from the album Rapid Fire Succession: On Target Part II on BraveWords Records. The video was created by Andy Susemihl.
David Reece talked about the new single, “This song musically was written by Mario Percudani and myself, I wrote the lyric. The idea lyrically comes from a divorce where the children are forced to take sides between parents, which sadly happens more often than people think. The song is about healing and rebuilding relationships, taking ownership of failures and working towards what’s most important. Love and forgiveness.”
The album RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION: On Target Part II landed on a number 2025 year end lists:
#2 – Top 15 Albums of 2025 – Steve O’s Music Madness, Wild Dogs Radio #2 – Top Albums of 2025 – Metalshop 101 Radio #5 – Top 35 Albums of 2025 – The Metal Command Show #6 – Top 15 Albums of 2025 – Tom Elke, Allfather Metal #8 – Top 20 Albums of 2025 – Brendon Snyder #8 – Top Albums of 2025 – Samuele Mannini, MelodicRock.it #10 – Top Albums of 2025 – Yuri Picasso, MelodicRock.it #10 – Top 10 Albums of 2025 – Breezy Bird, KNAC #11 – Top 20 Hard Rock & Metal Albums of 2025 – Metal Nights with the Metal Coach #15 – Best of 2025 Top 30 – The Music Gods #23 – Top 50 Albums of 2025 – Power Zone Top Albums of 2025 – MetalTalk
RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION: On Target Part II Tracklisting:
Act 1
01 How Does It Feel 02 Driver’s Seat 03 Love And War 04 I Never Meant To 05 I’m Headed For 06 Bullet Train 07 Swimming With The Shark 08 The Light
Act 2
09 Prisoner 10 The Beauty 11 Sail On 12 Trouble With The Truth 13 Still The Same 14 Blinded By Fire In The Sky 15 Rock Of Ages 16 Mending Fences
David Reece: Vocals Diego Pires: Lead and Rhythm Guitars Eric Juris: Lead and Rhythm Guitars Andy Susemihl: Lead, Rhythm Guitars & Backing Vocals Mario Percudani: Lead, Rhythm Guitars & Backing Vocals Riccardo Demarosi: Bass and Backing Vocals Nello Savinelli: Drums
Guest appearances: Jimmy Waldo: Keyboards Ferdy Doernberg: Keyboards
Engineered by Riccardo Demorossi Mixed and Mastered by Thomas Mergler @Tom’s Soundranch
Swedish glam rockers LIPZ are thrilled to unveil their new single and official video, a new rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
Lipz take on Paula Abdul’s iconic hit and flip it on its head. “Stripping the song down to its core and rebuilding it with roaring guitars and arena-sized energy, we’ve transformed the pop classic into a bold, hard-hitting rock anthem while keeping the unforgettable melodies intact”, they commented.
The Lipz saga started in 2011, with the visionary Klintberg brothers, Alexander (vocals, guitar) and Koffe (drums), and guitarist Conny Svärd. The band’s journey took a transformative turn when Alexander assumed the role of frontman, paving the way for their distinctive sound.
Lipz’s musical journey began with the release of their debut single, “Ghost Town”, in September 2012, followed by the EP “Psycho” three years later. The quest for a stable bass player added a unique twist, leading to a three-year adventure to complete their debut album. Undeterred by challenges, Alexander took on bass duties, exemplifying the band’s unwavering dedication to their craft.
In a ground-breaking move in 2023, Lipz joined forces with Frontiers Records, marking a pivotal moment in their musical odyssey. Their latest album, “Changing The Melody”, was released in March 2024, ushering the band in a new era of glam rock on the global stage.
Renowned for their infectious energy and sonic brilliance, Lipz are rising as trailblazers in the realm of glam rock.
Line Up: Alex K Klintberg – Lead vox/guitar Jonatan Berg – Guitar/backing vox Koffe K Klintberg – Drums/backing vox Taneli Armas – Bass/backing Vox Follow LIPZ: Facebook Instagram
Creatures of the Night, rejoice! While the days are getting longer CEMETERY SKYLINEembark on another quest spreading nocturnal splendour and more “Nordic Gothic”.
Today marks the release of the first out of three remixes of fan favourites from contemporary dark electronical artists. With CEMETERY SKYLINE drawing influences from late 80s and 90s goth metal and rock they were curious what new artists from this vital scene could bring to their music.
First is French multi-instrumentalist Kabbel who mixes the darkness of extreme music and industrial with modern pop influences for a melancholic version of “In Darkness” that is lit by dimmed neon lights. Stream the song on all digital platforms.
“Nordic Gothic (Deluxe Edition)” comes with a full bonus disc with unreleased and rare songs and versions that came together since the original release of the album like the (so far) one of a kind semi acoustic session that the band played in New York City as well as the afore mentioned remixes. The music is accompanied by a booklet with behind the scenes and live photos from their first gatherings as a band.
Markus Vanhala comments: “We’ve been having so much fun in this misery called ‘Nordic Gothic’ that we just decided to release it again! As you notice, we recorded some more songs during the original sessions, so here’s the full ‘Nordic Gothic’ saga shining in the dark. Unreleased material, the standalone single releases, NYC acoustic live tracks that show a different side of the songs as well as something completely different: the remixes by outside artists! This should be a pretty cool deluxe edition with a disc full of unreleased material. N-joy!”
The track listing of “Nordic Gothic (Deluxe Edition)” reads as follows:
CD1
Torn Away
In Darkness
Violent Storm
Behind The Lie
When Silence Speaks
The Darkest Night
Never Look Back
The Coldest Heart
Anomalie
Alone Together
CD2
Nothing From This World
I Drove All Night
Dream Delusion
One Another
The Coldest Heart (Live Semi Acoustic 2024)
Behind The Lie (Live Semi Acoustic 2024)
Torn Away (Live Semi Acoustic 2024)
In Darkness (Kabbel Remix)
Torn Away (ghostbells remix)
Violent Storm (Gost Remix)
Come May 6th they will embark on a run of dates in Finland with support coming from Sweden’s finest gothic metal changelings TRIBULATION. Afterwards they are heading to Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland for a short tour that is supported by ROYAL SORROW.
Fellow bats shouldn’t miss the chance to be engulfed by “Nordic Gothic” on the following shows:
John Smith & Kaaoszine present: CEMETERY SKYLINE with Special Guests TRIBULATION
06.05. Turku – Logomo 07.05. Tampere – Tavara-Asema 08.05. Kuopio – Sawohouse 09.05. Oulu – Tullisali 10.05. Helsinki – Tavastia
CEMETERY SKYLINE support ROYAL SORROW
12.05. Stockholm – Debaser 13.05. Gothenburg – Pustervik 14.05. Copenhagen – Beta 15.05. Hamburg – Bahnhof Pauli 16.05. Berlin – Hole44 17.05. Lucerne – Konzerthaus Schüür 18.05. München – Backstage 20.05. Stuttgart – Im Wizemann 21.05. Frankfurt – Das Bett 22.05. Essen – Turock
Japan dates:
13.09. (JP) Osaka – Varon 14.09. (JP) Tokyo – Space Odd
The album “Nordic Gothic” was released to much acclaim last year. Revisit all their videos released so far:
Cemetery Skyline is: Vocals: Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect, Grand Cadaver) Guitars: Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, I Am The Night) Keyboards: Santeri Kallio (Amorphis) Bass: Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir, Witchery, ex-Entombed/Entombed A.D., Firespawn and many more) Drums: Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Abbey)
From the dark underbelly of Dublin’s thriving heavy music scene, crossover outfit Droptune return with their most explosive statement to date. Their new single ‘Louder Than War‘ arrives independently on March 27, delivering a powerful and uncompromising call to arms against injustice.
Blending the incendiary spirit of rap and metal, Droptune have rapidly carved out a reputation as one of Ireland’s most exciting emerging acts. Drawing influence from the raw protest energy of Rage Against the Machine and the industrial weight of Nine Inch Nails, the four-piece fuse down-tuned riffs, punishing rhythms and razor-sharp lyricism into a sound that is both confrontational and deeply resonant.
Featuring acclaimed Irish hip hop veteran Richard Lewis, formerly of The Elements and The Animators, ‘Louder Than War‘ pushes the band’s sonic identity even further. The track is a visceral collision of heavy grooves and politically charged delivery, underscored by a message that speaks directly to a generation demanding to be heard.
Frontman Adam Swords explains: “We’re not just playing music. We’re expressing anger, hope, and a demand for change. ‘Louder Than War‘ is about giving a voice to the voiceless and amplifying what others try to silence.”
Formed in 2023 and comprised of Adam Swords, Ciaran Maloney, Conor O’Neill and Leon Guilfoyle, Droptune have built significant momentum in a short space of time. Their debut single All Calm surpassed 20,000 streams on Spotify, bolstered by strong support across major Irish radio stations and airplay on Kerrang! Radio in the UK.
The band continued their ascent with ‘Reaper’, a blistering and unflinching critique of global political unrest. Recorded at Dublin’s Track Mix Studio, the track showcased their ability to combine sonic intensity with meaningful commentary, cementing their reputation for substance as well as power. That momentum has since expanded on an international scale. Droptune’s music has reached audiences across the UK, Europe, Australia and the United States.
With ‘Louder Than War‘, Droptune sharpen their message and amplify their impact. The single encapsulates the band’s core ethos: resistance against injustice, unity through sound, and the belief that music can ignite real change.
This is more than just a release. It is a statement of intent.
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 