Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to Blind Guardian singer Hansi Kürsch about the bands upcoming tour and new music.
Watch the interview below.
Legendary German power metal band BLIND GUARDIAN has announced its long-awaited return to North America with a headlining tour set for fall 2025. The band will perform across the United States and Canada, bringing their celebrated album “Somewhere Far Beyond” to life on stage. The band decided to re-record Somewhere Far Beyond while preparing for its tour.
The tour will kick off on November 19 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will make stops in major markets, including New York, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles and more, before concluding on December 13 in Los Angeles, CA, at The Wiltern.
After their North American “Somewhere Far Beyond” concept tour (late 2025), Blind Guardian plans to take a break to focus on songwriting and family life. Hansi told THE METAL VOICE we will spend 2026 composing and aim to release a new album in early 2027, followed by another tour later that year. He continued “The band wants to take their time rather than rush we go for quality. Give us 2026 to compose songs. Give us the beginning of 2027 for maybe finishing the production and releasing the album, and then another tour hopefully at the end of 2027.”
“There won’t be a new album coming out after the tour directly because we have to compose the album. We will take that momentum after North America and do the break, which everyone in the band is desperately looking for. We traveled around the world twice, I think, and it is about time now to really keep our focus on songwriting and on family life. We all want that privacy back for a while, not for too long, but I think give us a year, maybe one and a half, and then you’ll have your new album As said, I believe it’s in the tradition of what Blind Guardian stands for and maybe has a bit of the more melodic, old-fashioned style, but I cannot promise it. It’s just a feeling.”
When asked about the musical direction of their future album. Hansi explained that after the massive orchestral scope of Legacy of the Dark Lands, they felt they had gone “as big as we can go. ”The next record will likely “strip things down” and focus more on classic, melodic, and old-fashioned Blind Guardian style, more direct and energetic, less orchestral. He called The God Machine (2022) a “hybrid” that bridges their early sound with modern production, and said the new album will probably continue that trajectory, more straightforward, but still epic. “”However, he admitted that once the band gets into the studio, the creative direction often evolves naturally: “We don’t have that much control where the journey finally leads us.”
BLIND GUARDIAN 2025 tour dates with ENSIFERUM and SEVEN KINGDOMS:
Nov. 19 – Ft Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live Nov. 20 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum Nov. 21 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade Nov. 22 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground Nov. 24 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Nov. 25 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza Nov. 26 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Nov. 28 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS Nov. 29 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre Nov. 30 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora Theater Dec. 02 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre Dec. 03 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater Dec. 05 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre Dec. 07 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot Dec. 09 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Market Dec. 10 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater Dec. 12 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre Dec. 13 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
On January 16th, blackened deathcore quintet Ov Sulfur will release their sophomore album, Endless, via Century Media Records. Propelled by the vocalizations of frontman Ricky Hoover, Ov Sulfur pushes the boundaries of their deathcore origins on this upcoming record, simultaneously embracing black metal while exploring a surprising degree of melody that never dilutes their genre-decimating approach. Watch the video for the new single “Wither” below (the group’s first track to feature ONLY clean singing!).
Vocalist Ricky Hoover and guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson split lead vocals on “Wither” since the song is about the passing of their grandparents, to whom it is dedicated (in addition to bassist Josh Bearden’s late father).
Chase Wilson (Guitar/Vocals) comments: “We know ‘Wither’ is different and that it’s not the norm for bands like us to do a song like this, but we felt we had to honor our families and in doing so created something very special to us in the process. “I had a lot I wanted to say about my grandparents’ passing, as I was very close to them and had a multitude of different emotions I needed to express. Ricky allowed me the honor of splitting singing duties on this song with him, as we joined each other in grief and mourning.
“My grandfather worked as an MC back in the days of Sinatra, The Rat Pack and artists like that. It was always his dream to make it in show business and be on a record some day. It’s bittersweet we were able to make it happen for him after his passing (he’s the voice clip at the end of the song). I wish he was around to hear it.”
Ricky Hoover (Vocals) comments: “My grandmother was the glue that held my family together.
“She was the strongest person I’ve ever known and had the ability to forgive those who wronged her, a quality I wish I had. She was truly the best example of what being a good person is.
“She watched my siblings and I almost every day while my parents were at work, so we were always incredibly close. “I used to call her on my way home from work, fill her in on things and just talk. Now I still find myself calling everyone I know on the drive because of how much I miss the talks we had. “After she died I had so many nights spent awake alone wishing I could share in the belief I’d see her or hear her voice again: hours desperately trying to give myself the false hope I would. Eventually, I reached the cold realization that I never would. Some nights I still find myself lost and trying to lose myself in that hope…or delusion. “The voicemails (of her wishing me a Merry Christmas or that she hopes I have a good show) were something I couldn’t even force myself to listen to until the day I recorded this song. I sent all the ones I had into the studio prior to me going. These were the ones chosen. She always said she wished I sang more in my music, so that’s what I did. I wish she was around to hear it.”
On their upcoming sophomore album, Ov Sulfur delve deeper into the darkened sonic landscapes that defined the Las Vegas quintet’s 2023 landmark debut, The Burden Ov Faith. Catapulted by the return of ex-Suffokate vocalist Ricky Hoover, Ov Sulfur take a more metaphorical approach to the disdain for religion that drove their previous material. What would actually happen if eternal life existed? Eternal doubt, longing, grief, fear and more would drive humans mad. The message comes through loud and clear atop Leviathvn’s pummeling drums, with guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson’s gravelly singing complementing Hoover; the vocal attack is pushed further live by latest additions bassist Josh Bearden and guitarist Christian Becker, bringing their performance to the next level.
The vocal dynamics and melodic choruses are extended to the max on Endless; songs like the hard rocking “Wither” and ballad “Endless//Loveless” are a logical extension to the band’s realization that Ricky could belt with the best of ’em.
“I was originally only going to sing a soft intro to ‘Earthen’ on our last album,” reveals Hoover. “Once Chase and our vocal producer [for that album] Morgoth heard it, we reworked a bunch of stuff for me to sing more. That’s pushed further here. Chase even taught me to do falsetto in-studio (he actually took a video on his phone where I looked genuinely shocked I hit the notes because it was so new to me).”
Wilson expands on the vocal growth: “There is a lot of vocal interplay between the two of us, hinted at on ‘The Burden Ov Faith‘s ‘The Inglorious Archetype,’ inspired by Alice In Chains‘ Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell. You can hear that on ‘Evermore,’ and we practically split ‘Wither’ down the middle; the song is about us both losing grandparents, so it’s super personal.”
That dynamism is helped along by vocal features from Johnny Ciardullo (Carcosa), Josh Davies (Ingested) and Alan Grnja (Distant), joining Ov Sulfur’s illustrious guest list that includes Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage, Light the Torch), Alex Terrible (Slaughter to Prevail) and many more.
Endless track-listing
Endless//Godless
Seed
Forlorn
Vast Eternal
Wither
Evermore
Dread (feat. Josh Davies of Ingested)
Bleak (feat. Johnny Ciardullo of Carcosa)
A World Away (feat. Alan Grjna of Distant)
Endless//Loveless
Having already proved themselves as a formidable live act, touring with the likes of Lorna Shore, Signs of the Swarm, and Nekrogoblikon, Ov Sulfur will be back on the road again this November/December – this time for an extensive North American trek with Ingested, Distant, Cell, and Crucifiction. See below for all dates!
Ov Sulfur tour dates w/ Ingested, Distant, Cell, Crucifiction
Nov. 6, 2025 – Fresno, CA @ Full Circle Brewing Co. Nov. 7, 2025 – Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Nov. 8, 2025 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s Nov. 9, 2025 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon Nov. 11, 2025 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre Nov. 12, 2025 – Kelowna, BC @ Distrikt Nov. 13, 2025 – Calgary, AB @ Dickens Nov. 14, 2025 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room Nov. 15, 2025 – Saskatoon, SK @ Black Cat Nov. 16, 2025 – Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre Nov. 18, 2025 – Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre Nov. 19, 2025 – Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade Nov. 20, 2025 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Stache Nov. 21, 2025 – Kitchener, ON @ The Hub Nov. 22, 2025 – Ottawa, ON @ 27 Club Nov. 23, 2025 – Quebec City, QC @ La Source De La Martiniere Nov. 25, 2025 – Columbus, OH @ The King of Clubs Nov. 26, 2025 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground Nov. 28, 2025 – Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Nov. 29, 2025 – Nashville, TN @ The End Nov. 30, 2025 – St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag Dec. 2, 2025 – Wichita, KS @ Wave Dec. 3 – 2025 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Beer City Music Hall Dec. 4, 2025 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad Dec. 5, 2025 – Mesa, AZ @ The Rosetta Room Dec. 6, 2025 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
Ov Sulfur line-up: Ricky Hoover – vocals Chase Wilson – guitars, vocals Leviathvn – drums Josh Bearden – bass Christian Becker – guitars
From releasing three brand-new tracks to touring across their own country with the title in blind sight, Japanese band coldrain have kept anticipation high. Now, the quintet has finally unveiled their new EP “OPTIMIZE” – a 5-track release delivering the band’s very own message against a polished and streamlined world. A message for living not as someone’ s copy, but as one’ s true self – imperfect, unfiltered, and alive. Written by the members Y.K.C and Masato, mixed by Sam Guaiana and mastered by Mike Kalajian, “OPTIMIZE” delivers an emotion filled experience, charged with energy across genres. The EP includes the band’s latest single releases “INCOMPLETE”, “CHASING SHADOWS”, and “FREE FALL”.
Listen to “OPTIMIZE” HERE &watch the EP trailer HERE
Tracklist:
OPTIMIZE
CHASING SHADOWS
DIGITOLL
INCOMPLETE
FREE FALL
Next month, coldrain will bring their “OPTIMIZE” tour to the UK and Europe, performing in a total of 17 cities. The tour will be supported by Revnoir, and NOISEMAKER.
Additionally, the band has been confirmed as one of the support acts for Electric Callboy’s “TANZNEID WORLD TOUR” tour in Australia for September 2026, alongside Ice Nine Kills.
04.09.2026 AU-Perth RAC Arena 06.09.2026 AU-Adelaide Adelaide Entertainment Centre 08.09.2026 AU-Melbourne ROD Laver Arena 10.09.2026 AU-Sydney Qudos Bank Arena 12.09.2026 AU-Brisbane Riverstage
About coldrain
coldrain is a five-piece rock band from Nagoya, Japan, blending post-hardcore, alternative metal, and soaring melodies with English vocals and global appeal. Since their debut in 2008 with Fiction, they’ve built a fierce reputation through relentless touring and emotionally charged performances. Their international rise began in 2013 with European tours and major festival appearances, establishing them as Japan’ s premier heavy music export. In 2022, they released their seventh album Nonnegative and headlined their largest national tour to date. They continued to make waves with Vengeance, the 2024 anime theme for NINJA KAMUI, and by hosting the massive BLARE FEST. 2023 in their hometown. Now signed to Century Media Records, coldrain is poised to leave an even greater mark on the global rock and metal scene.
British metal heavyweights CONJURER released yesterday their incredible third album, Unself, via Nuclear Blast Records. In celebration of the day, the quartet have also revealed the video for focus track ‘All Apart’.
CONJURER‘s co-vocalist and guitarist Dani Nightingale states:
“I approached this song with the idea in mind of the first bricks that make up the metaphorical wall someone might put (or find) between them and their surroundings, the world they inhabit, both physical and metaphysical. For many people in a similar or comparable position to mine, those initial instances of disassociation and alienation begin at school, when one is first integrated into a social and educational environment with their peers and those who watch over them.
“I can’t describe what it’s like to be vilified for behaviours and traits that are just normal and natural to you, but because no-one understands you – not even yourself – you’re forced to adhere to things you don’t understand and become something you’re not.”
CONJURER will be touring Unself across the UK and Europe in November. UK dates will be supported by Pijn and Death Goals.
Oct 28 – La Bulle Cafe – Lille (France) Oct 29 – Point Éphémère – Paris (France) Oct 30 – Le Grillen – Colmar (France) Oct 31 – Werk Kultur Lokal Baden – Baden (Switzerland) Nov 1 – Ziggy Club – Torino (Italy) Nov 2 – Alchemica Music Club – Bologna (Italy) Nov 4 – Backstage – München (Germany) Nov 5 – Juha West – Stuttgart (Germany) Nov 6 – Doornroosje – Nijmegen (Netherlands) Nov 09 – Damnation Festival, Manchester (CONJURER only) Nov 11 – The Joiners, Southampton Nov 12 – The Underworld, London Nov 13 – Strange Brew, Bristol Nov 14 – Asylum, Birmingham Nov 15 – Cathouse, Glasgow
Iranian metalcore outfit Satura returns with its newest collective effort “Dicefall”. The new single thematically calls for resistance against societal norms and urges people to take the gambles in life that they’re afraid to usually do.
Satura is not stranger to the modern metalcore genre, and that is also the case with “Dicefall” an aggressive song that carries punishing groovy riffs that are also melodic and catchy. Through the band’s use of groovy riffs and dissonant breakdowns and crisp production one can see that more so than ever, Satura proves that they are at the forefront of the Iranian modern metal movement. With all of that in mind, the band still hints at its classic metalcore origins through its melodic choruses that hit listeners where it hurts.
“Dicefall” is a raw confrontation against societal norms and walking the generic path in life. While walking the individual path may be a gamble, it’s a path that’s worth walking. The song dives into the idea that depending on society, any interaction with community is nothing short of a gamble, a dice roll with everything at stake. It reflects the risk of trusting a world that constantly demands sacrifice yet offers only emptiness in return. In our modern age it’s become increasingly apparent that walking the “normal” path in life doesn’t guarantee happiness or success. Through its lyrics, Satura captures the tension between individual conviction and societal pressure, portraying a protagonist who refuses to bow to expectations or play by rules written by others.
The title Dicefall itself serves as a powerful metaphor, a representation of fate, risk, and rebellion. Every choice is a throw of the dice, every act of defiance a wager against the system. The protagonist is aware of the danger, yet embraces it fully, finding meaning not in safety, but in resistance. This mirrors the essence of modern metalcore where chaos becomes art, and aggression becomes truth. Lyrically, the track blends defiance with introspection. Lines like “Close your eyes, let your heart get as cold as ice” and “Would you call me the hero tonight?” reveal both numbness and a yearning for recognition of the duality of fighting a faceless enemy while seeking purpose in that very struggle. The “battle” is not just external but deeply internal, echoing the frustration of those who see through the hypocrisy of collective ideals yet still crave connection.
Musically and thematically, “Dicefall” stands as an anthem for those who walk alone, the ones who’d rather lose by their own hand than win by following the crowd. It’s about rejecting false heroes, questioning loyalty, and embracing the fall of the dice as a symbol of true freedom. In the world of Satura, every fall is deliberate, every loss a victory in disguise.
“Dicefall” Credits: Composer : Ashkan Safapour Lyrics : Hamoon Moradiyan Engineered, mixed and mastered by : Mabbie Fard Video by : DeadHead/Darken Rush Cover Art by : Hamoon Moradiyan
Satura bio: Audacious metalcore revitalized by modern soundscapes, Satura has led Iran’s metalcore scene for over a decade. Founded by guitarist and songwriter Ashkan Safapour and friends in 2008, Satura soon began composing original music. Unlike other Iranian bands of the time, Satura drew influence from 2000s metalcore acts like Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and Trivium and released their debut album “Black Dream” which is a classic metalcore album that only features harsh vocals. In 2013, Satura released “Resentment”, their second album, featuring new vocalist and producer Mahbod Fard, marking a turning point in the band’s sound.
In 2017, after the release of its EP “Rotten Creation” with new vocalist Hamoon Moradiyan, Satura performed live shows in Tehran, reenergized by the global modern metalcore movement. With two albums and an EP to its name, Satura has consistently evolved, each release raising the bar. Embracing contemporary metal elements while honoring classic metalcore roots, the band continues to redefine its sound.
Lyrically, Satura explores the depths of the human experience, channeling themes from sorrow to anger. The lyrics address personal and societal issues, tackling subjects like mental health, military conflicts, and environmental concerns. Satura’s mission to merge classic metalcore with today’s modern metal enables the band to resonate with new generations, pushing genre boundaries while staying true to its roots.
Symphonic metal sensation BEYOND THE BLACK are excited to share the fourth single from their eagerly awaited upcoming studio album, Break The Silence, which is due to be released on January 9th, 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records.
The catchy uptempo tune ‘Can You Hear Me‘ sees BEYOND THE BLACK‘s very own singer Jennifer team up with Asami from Japanese power metal band LOVEBITES for a captivating and anthemic duet. Thematically, the song deals with the difficulties of communication in an increasingly noisy and deceptive world, and underlines its universal message by being sung in both Japanese and English. Alongside the single, an animated music video has been released, which you can watch below.
Singer Jennifer Haben commented: “Can You Hear Me is a song about the shared longing for true connection – two voices from different worlds breaking through the noise of a hyperconnected yet disconnected world to truly be heard.“
Asami (Lovebites) added: “I’m truly excited to be part of ‘Can You Hear Me’ with Beyond The Black. It’s a powerful song and working together across countries and cultures has been an inspiring experience. We hope the message reaches people everywhere.“
BEYOND THE BLACK’s sixth full length Break The Silenceis a concept album rooted in melodic metal with ethno influences, it explores themes of communication, inner strength, resilience and the urgent need to reconnect in a divided world. Tracks like ‘Let There Be Rain‘, ‘(La Vie Est Un) Cinéma‘, ‘Ravens‘ and ‘The Flood‘ examine how words – and their absence – shape our reality. It’s an emotional, multi-layered experience that mirrors today’s complex world and invites fans to be part of this new chapter.
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
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