Gothic rockers from Berlin SORRY WE WEREN’T HERE BEFORE are set to release their new EP “Forest Lights” on October 25th via Agoge Records.
Arrangements by Gianmarco Bellumori in collaboration with Darth Sound (Berlin). The musical genre can be summarised as gothic rock, but anyway it ‘s a cross-over of various styles that, from the sound of the 80s, have spanned the decades reaching today. Like the rays of light glimpsed from a dark forest, the band’s music is meant to represent the journey of life and the ability to catch the brightness that seeps out even from negative moments.
The 3 members of the band, after years of experience with other bands between productions and concerts, came together with the idea of creating a new project that synthesises their life’s musical experiences, combined with a great passion and fun in playing music.
Their first single “Vibrations Will Told” produced by Agoge Records, was released in June 2025. In case you missed it, check out here: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=WSmS2LbKP2o
Tracklist: 1 – Dancing Wings 2 – Vibrations Will Told 3 – Behind The Times 4 – Child In Your Heart 5 – Faithful Lights
The members are: Robert Koric: vocals Sandy Pötzsch: bass Gianmarco Bellumori: guitar Drum machine
US heavy metal hardliners KILL RITUAL return with their new studio album “In My Head”, which will be released on November 21st, 2025 via Massacre Records. Available as CD Digipak and Limited Vinyl LP, the album delivers ten powerful tracks where crushing riffs, dark melodies, and lyrical intensity come together to form one of the most dynamic works of the band’s career.
As a first glimpse into this new chapter, KILL RITUAL have unleashed the single “Shadow On Your Grave”, now available on all major streaming platforms and accompanied by an official video.
The track, explains guitarist and main songwriter Steven D. Rice, explores the unsettling fascination with alien theories and the idea that our gods might return—not to save us, but to remind us that we are not alone. “Do you really want to know?” he asks, setting the dark and provocative tone of the release.
“In My Head” captures the essence of KILL RITUAL at their sharpest and most uncompromising. Recorded over the course of a year, with production, arrangements, and lyrics all crafted by Steven D. Rice, the album was mixed and mastered by Andy LaRocque at Sonic Train Studio in Sweden, and enriched visually by the artwork of Jobert Mello at Sledgehammer Graphix. The performances of Judas on vocals, Seamus Gleason on drums, and Rice himself on guitars, bass, vocals and synths converge into a relentless yet dynamic record that combines aggression with atmosphere, darkness with melody.
From the tormented opener that gives the album its title to the haunting close of “Our Elegant Demon,” the record unfolds as a journey through madness, vengeance, love, and survival. Each track pushes forward with a sense of urgency and depth, making “In My Head” a compelling statement of identity and power from a band that continues to evolve without compromise.
With “In My Head”KILL RITUAL invites listeners to step into their world of shadows and revelations, where heavy metal meets storytelling in its most intense form.
Track listing:
In My Head
Shadow On Your Grave
1000 Years
Fall To Fly (Join Or Die)
I Paint In Death
The Head Of Judas
More Than Pain
My Love Is Hate
Fire Bird
Our Elegant Demon
KILL RITUAL are: Steven D. Rice – Guitars, Bass, Synths, Vocals Seamus Gleason – Drums Judas-Vox
Swedish melodic rock band Treat unveil today their new single and official lyric video “One Minute To Breathe”, ahead of the upcoming new studio album, titled “The Wild Card” and set for release on November 21, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Guitarist Anders Wikström described the new single: “On one hand, it’s about losing a dear one and reflecting over your moments together. But also, a celebration of life and purpose. In the big picture, we only have one minute to breathe, so make it count and find what really matters”.
Swedish melodic rock pioneers Treat are set to make a bold statement in 2025 with the release of their tenth studio album, “The Wild Card”.
Arriving three years after their critically acclaimed 2022 release “The Endgame”, the album continues the band’s legacy of delivering high-energy melodic hard rock with massive hooks, layered harmonies, and stadium-sized anthems.
Guitarist Anders Wikström discussed about how the album came to life: “I set out to write an album that would be a musical timeline for our whole career and it carries the message in each song both musically and lyrically. It takes the band full circle, something that I actually had in mind with our last album “The Endgame” and have now completed”.
“We made this album for us and the fans, and we became better at what we do together with our producer Peter Månsson. This is the first album we’ve made that actually has a story timeline imbedded, subtle but still there, starting from the early 80s up until now, and every song stands on their own in a collection of the best songs we could muster”, he continued.
Wikström concluded: “I’m really proud of “The Wild card”, it’s the strongest collection of songs we’ve put out since a long time, everybody in the band is really showcasing their best ability on this record and worked really hard to make this very special, to make the band’s legacy memorable”.
“The Wild Card” Tracklist:
1. Out With A Bang 2. Rodeo 3. 1985 4. Endeavour 5. Hand On Heart 6. Heaven’s Waiting 7. Back To The Future 8. Mad Honey 9. Adam & Evil 10. Your Majesty 11. Night Brigade 12. In The Blink Of An Eye 13. One Minute To Breathe
Formed in Stockholm in the early 1980s, Treat quickly rose to prominence with their blend of melodic hard rock and AOR, sharing the spotlight with fellow Scandinavian acts like Europe and Pretty Maids.
After a decade of success, lineup changes and industry shifts led to a hiatus in the 1990s – but the band returned stronger than ever with their 2006 reunion, ushering in a new era of creative resurgence and fan devotion across Europe, Japan, and beyond.
“The Wild Card” marks their fifth album since the reunion and solidifies the chemistry of their current, long-standing lineup: Robert Ernlund (vocals), Anders Wikström (guitar), Patrick Appelgren (keyboards), Jamie Borger (drums), and Nalley Pahlsson (bass).
The album is once again produced and mixed by Peter Månsson, whose collaboration with the band continues to deliver the polished, punchy sound fans have come to love.
Armed with fresh energy and an unwavering commitment to their roots, Treat are ready to show the world that “The Wild Card” is anything but a gamble – it’s a winning hand from a band that’s still at the top of their game.
Line Up: Robert Ernlund – Lead Vocals Anders Wikström – Guitars/Vocals Jamie Borger – Drums Patrick Appelgren – Keyboards/Vocals Nalle Påhlsson – Bass/Vocals
Italian melodic death metal band 5RAND will release their long-awaited third album, “Ordhalia”, on November 28th, 2025 via Art Gates Records. The record was produced by Marco Mastrobuono (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance) and mastered by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Opeth).
The video for the new single “Bloodlife” is out now – watch itHERE.
“Bloodlife” is a suffocating descent into the labyrinth of mental neuroses, where every breath feels stolen and every shadow weighs like stone. The song portrays life when anxiety and anguish become constant companions: signals from the body screaming that something is wrong, yet at the same time trapping us in an exhausting cycle. It is like breathing through a gas mask: survival is possible, but always at a cost.
The music video turns this torment into a visceral tableau where horror and reality collide. Frontwoman Julia Elenoir is imprisoned and tortured by a female figure in a gas mask, symbolizing that inner alarm which both suffocates and consumes. It is not just a representation, but a true visual exorcism… Raw, cinematic and deeply unsettling.
Musically, “Bloodlife” erupts with relentless riffs, hammering rhythms, and a growl that explodes like a buried scream, ferocious and desperate at once. 5RAND channel their modern metal roots into a vortex that is both devastating and intimate: a sound that chains, overwhelms and leaves no room to breathe.
Album tracklist:
1. Lullaby for the Broken 2. Bloodlife 3. Ordhalia 4. The Nihilist (feat. M. Silvestro / Fear Factory) 5. Double Bind 6. Turbid 7. Ritual of Silence 8. Lethargy 9. Resurge in Death 10. Silent Line
Hailing from Rome, Italy, 5RAND builds on a punishing modern metal foundation, layered with the cinematic depth of melodic death metal, creating an intense and emotionally immersive soundscape. Fronted by the dynamic dual vocals of Julia Elenoir – shifting seamlessly from visceral growls to haunting clean melodies – the band has carved out a distinctive place in the modern metal scene.
Founded by Pierluigi Carocci (guitar), Acey Guns (bass), Andrea De Carolis (drums), and Elenoir (vocals), 5RAND first made waves with their debut “Sacred/Scared”, followed by the critically acclaimed “Dark Mother”. The band has since toured extensively across Europe, sharing the stage with iconic acts such as Dark Tranquillity, Vader, Butcher Babies, Infected Rain, and many others.
In 2025, 5RAND will unveil their most ambitious work to date – a bold new album mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, featuring a powerful guest appearance by the new Fear Factory vocalist, Milo Silvestro. This upcoming release signals a sonic evolution: darker, more introspective, and conceptually daring.
The band’s name, drawn from a chance encounter with a shaman and a South African 5 Rand coin, symbolizes unexpected paths and transformative experiences. Their music explores themes of identity, emotional detachment, philosophy, and human resilience, all woven together through a multidisciplinary artistic vision that spans both sound and visuals.
Line-up:
Julia Elenoir – Voice Pierluigi Carocci – Guitar Acey Guns – Bass Andrea De Carolis – Drums
Following the release of their much-acclaimed second studio album “A Mass To The Grotesque” (May 2024, Alma Mater Records) and busy live schedules, Brazilian death metal extremists THE TROOPS OF DOOM — featuring former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz — are set to kick off their UK and European Tour, starting on October 18th in Glasgow!
The upcoming tour marks another milestone for the South American powerhouse, who continue to carry the torch of classic death metal with ferocity and authenticity.
“Me and my bandmates are super excited and full of energy for this upcoming UK and European tour in October and November 2025!”Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz comments. “One of the highlights for us will be playing in Birmingham — the hometown of the legendary Black Sabbath and one of the true birthplaces of Heavy Metal. We’re proud and can’t wait to hit the road! It’ll also be our very first time playing only as The Troops of Doom in some countries like Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden… and we’re ready to bring our music to our fans in these iconic places. See you on the road!”
Make sure to catch THE TROOPS OF DOOM live on their upcoming A MASS TO THE GROTESQUE UK & EUROPE TOUR 2025:
18/10 Glasgow (UK) Slay 20/10 Bristol (UK) Exchange 21/10 Manchester (UK) Rebellion 22/10 Derby (UK) Hairy Dogs 24/10 Preston (UK) The Ferret 25/10 Bridgwater (UK) The Cobblestone 26/10 Southampton (UK) Suburbia 28/10 Birmingham (UK) Hares And Hounds 29/10 London (UK) New Cross Inn 31/10 Berlin (D) Orwohaus 01/11 Bitterfeld (D) Festung 02/11 Oberhausen (D) Kulttempel 03/11 Frankfurt (D) Ponyhof 04/11 Hamburg (D) Hafenklang 05/11 Krefeld (D) Kulturfabrik 06/11 Aarburg (CH) Musigburg 08/11 Umea (S) House of Metal 10/11 Deinze (B) Elpee 11/11 Luxembourg (LU) MK Bar 12/11 Praga (CZ) Modra Vopice 13/11 Litomysl (CZ) Kotelna 14/11 Jablunkov (CZ) Rokac 15/11 Brno (CZ) Sibir 16/11 Poprad (SK) Rock Fabric 17/11 Bratislava (SK) Randal 18/11 Belgrade (RS) Club Garaza 19/11 Zagreb (HR) Hard Place 20/11 Turin (IT) El Barrio 21/11 Saverdun (F) Metal Fest 22/11 Vieux-Boucau (F) Le Wharf 25/11 Portugalete (E) Groove Club 26/11 Zaragoza (E) Utopia Club 27/11 Madrid (E) Revi Live 28/11 Sevilla (E) Club 2 29/11 Lisboa (PT) RCA Club 30/11 Porto (PT) Woodstock 69
THE TROOPS OF DOOM was formed in 2020, during the pandemic, by the original SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz. He recorded the albums “Bestial Devastation” (1985) and “Morbid Visions” (1986). Jairo left the band in 1987, making way for Andreas Kisser, who continues with the band to this day. THE TROOPS OF DOOM’s lineup also includes other significant figures from the Brazilian metal scene, such as guitarist Marcelo Vasco (Patria, Mysteriis), a globally renowned graphic artist known for his work with bands like Slayer, Dee Snider, Kreator, Machine Head, Soulfly, and many others. The vocalist and bassist Alex Kafer, former live guitarist for Matanza, and drummer Alexandre Oliveira, a former member of the band Tianastácia, complete the lineup.
Acclaimed by media outlets as a supergroup, THE TROOPS OF DOOM emerged to revive the classic Death Metal of the 80s, inspired by Sepultura’s early era with Jairo and other influential bands such as Slayer, Celtic Frost, Kreator, and Possessed. It serves as a time machine for those nostalgic for the golden age of Death Metal. In just two years since its formation, the band has released three EPs: “The Rise of Heresy” (2020), “The Absence of Light” (2021), and “Prelude to Blasphemy” (2023), along with their debut album, “Antichrist Reborn”, that was released in 2022 on CD, LP, and Cassette by Alma Mater Records and lauded by both fans and music press alike.
Their sophomore studio offering “A Mass To The Grotesque” was produced by André Moraes, a multi-talented musician known for his work on Sepultura’s “Dante XXI” and the soundtrack of the film “Lisbela e o Prisioneiro,” at Audio Porto studio in Porto Alegre/RS. The mixing and mastering of the album were done by Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, known for producing some of the greatest Death Metal classics of the 80s and 90s.
“A Mass To The Grotesque” was released on May 31, 2024 via Alma Mater Records, the Portuguese label run by MOONSPELL frontman Fernando Ribeiro. Get the album here!
THE TROOPS OF DOOM are: Alex Kafer (vocals and bass) Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz (guitar) Marcelo Vasco (guitar) Alexandre Oliveira (drums)
Although Melanie included a Christmas song on her very first LP, 1968’s Born To Be, it was not until the mid-1990s that she turned her attention towards a full festive offering.
Antlers was destined to become one of the most successful and beloved of her “later” albums, an independent release in 1996 that she would subsequently revisit and rearrange on several occasions in the future, while occasionally dropping brand new seasonal singles online, as well.
Now the very best of these releases has been brought together for the first time as Melanie’s Christmas Treasury – a beautifully arranged and pristinely produced collection of both Melanie’s own Xmas compositions and the all-time favorites that need no introduction.
The album itself will be out on November 7. But today we get our first taste of what’s to come, via what she and her son and musical collaborator Beau Jarred described as the “rock version” of “Good King Wenceslaus,” vivaciously electrifying an Antlers chestnut and certain to become a fresh fan favorite.
“Momma loved Christmas,” recalls Beau Jarred, “but musically, she had her own very unique take on it. Even when she was singing a song that everybody knows, she was able to make it her own, at the same time as she was writing new Christmas songs that a lot of people were convinced were traditional numbers.”
Much of Melanie’s Christmas Treasury is making its CD and vinyl debut with this release. Antlers alone saw a full CD appearance, while other cuts – including an astonishing six song session with rockabilly maestro Danny B Harvey – have only ever seen digital release in the past,
These include the spoken word passages that bookend the treasury, introducing “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” and rereading the evergreen “Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus”; the timeless “Will Peace Come In Time For Christmas”; and the all-season, all-purpose, festive potpourri that is “Christmahanavaloween.”
Looking at the calendar, it still seems a little early to be thinking about the holidays… could we at least get Halloween, Thanksgiving and Black Friday out of the way first?
At the same time, though, it’s never too early to begin preparing the playlists that will swing us through these last weeks of the year, and “Good King Wenceslaus” is certainly a great place to begin!
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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