BANKS ARCADE Deliver Bold, Adrenaline-Fueled Anthem ‘Rockstar’ with Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 24, 2026
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With ‘ROCKSTAR’, New Zealand heavy genre-blenders Banks Arcade deliver a bold, adrenaline-fueled anthem driven by ambition, obsession and the hunger to rise above the chaos. Fusing crushing metalcore riffs with hip hop swagger, massive hooks and late-night studio energy, the track captures the mindset of chasing greatness while still feeling trapped at the bottom.

Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/banksarcade

Fuelled by distorted visions, inner demons and relentless determination, ‘ROCKSTAR’ balances raw aggression with undeniable confidence. Between explosive guitars, hard-hitting rhythms and razor-sharp vocal delivery, Banks Arcade channel the emotional high of believing in yourself even when everything around you says otherwise. The massive chorus – “We’re just second place superstars” – turns frustration and burnout into an anthemic rally cry for anyone still fighting to make it out.

Lyrically, the band paint vivid pictures of sleepless nights, creative obsession and refusing to fold under pressure. Lines like “Late night in the studio I’m locked in” and “I’m so up right now / But I’m still at the bottom” perfectly capture the contradiction at the heart of the song: feeling unstoppable while still battling doubt, exhaustion and the fear of never truly arriving.

Since forming in 2017, Banks Arcade have steadily built international momentum through relentless touring across the UK and US, a rapidly growing global fanbase and a sound that seamlessly blends modern heavy music with hip hop, alternative and electronic influences. With ‘ROCKSTAR’, the band transform raw hunger into an explosive modern anthem built for loud speakers, dark nights and anyone refusing to give up on themselves.

Catch the band live:
 
June 10, 2026  I Naumanns (Felsenkeller Leipzig) I Leipzig, Germany 
June 14, 2026 I Chalk I Brighton, United Kingdom
June 16, 2026 I Proton The Club I Stuttgart, Germany
June 25, 2026 I Musikzentrum I Hannover, Germany
July 10, 2026 I 2000trees Festival I Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Banks Arcade online: https://www.instagram.com/banksarcade

BLACKTOOTHED Release New Single And Video ‘Tell Me I’m Not Alone’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 24, 2026
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Photo Credit: Arising Empire

With ‘TELL ME I’M NOT ALONE’, Leipzig-based metalcore act blacktoothed dive into the fear of change, the weight of self-doubt and the painful comfort of staying stuck in familiar darkness.

Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/blacktoothed

Blending ethereal vocals, restless drum & bass-inspired energy and crushing modern heaviness, the band transform inner turmoil into an emotionally charged anthem that feels both deeply vulnerable and explosively cathartic.

Driven by haunting melodies and an irresistibly massive chorus, the track captures the emotional contradiction of trying to move forward while feeling terrified of what lies ahead. Lyrics like “Every step feels like losing while I’m winning” and “I’m afraid of what I create” reflect the uncertainty of growth and the struggle of leaving old versions of yourself behind. Rather than offering easy answers, blacktoothed channel those emotions into a desperate plea for connection: “Tell me I’m not alone.”

Following tours alongside The Amity Affliction, Emmure and Bad Omens, blacktoothed continue to establish themselves as one of Germany’s most compelling modern heavy acts, combining cinematic atmosphere, raw emotion and crushing intensity into a sound that resonates far beyond genre boundaries.

Catch the band live:
 
30.07.2026 I Full Rewind Festival I Löbnitz, DE
15.08.2026 I Summer Breeze I Dinkelsbühl, DE

blacktoothed online: https://www.instagram.com/blacktoothed

CASTIEL Unveil Haunting New Single/Video ‘Act II: A Festering Wound’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 24, 2026
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Austrian deathcore collective Castiel continue the descent into psychological collapse with new single ‘Act II: A Festering Wound’, the second chapter from their forthcoming EP All Returns to Hollow and Silence, due for release on 24th July via Seek and Strike. Expanding on the conceptual framework introduced in the devastating opening salvo ‘Act I: Defile // Denounce’, the new track explores the slow erosion of identity within a relationship, where silence replaces connection and emotional absence lingers long after physical presence remains.

Pre-save All Returns to Hollow and Silence here: https://orcd.co/castielep2026

The band commented: “‘Act II’ focuses heavily on the gradual loss of a person within a relationship. The lyrics describe emotional distance, a sense of speechlessness, and the feeling of watching someone mentally disappear even though they are still physically present. Recurring themes include silence, emptiness, coldness, and the breakdown of a shared reality. The song itself is still somewhat calm in the first half and then becomes faster and more aggressive with the breakdown. This is also shown very well in the video with effects. 

“The video itself also has a darker colour palette. We wore black makeup and used “black blood” pills to visually illustrate just how dark this song is. In the video, you see two actors who helped us bring the lyrics to life visually. The setting is a forest, which is usually associated with tranquility; we wanted to use that very contrast to frame the scene.” 

All Returns to Hollow and Silence is a genuine step forward for the band. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, Castiel have crafted a sound that is pulled together with purpose. Firmly rooted in deathcore, the EP pushes beyond the genre confines, embracing contrast and atmosphere alongside its more destructive elements.

Speaking on the release, the band said: “This EP is heavier, more brutal but also more emotional than anything we’ve done before as a band. We’ve pushed ourselves creatively while staying true to who we are, this feels like the most complete version of Castiel yet.”

The new EP is built as a continuous story with each track acting as a chapter in a wider narrative. That idea carries through visually too, with every song set to receive its own video. 

At its core, All Returns to Hollow and Silence explores the shifting relationship between two central protagonists, tracing a journey shaped by tension, transformation and emotional conflict. Subtle inspiration has been drawn from the lore of World of Warcraft, particularly the arcs of Arthas Menethil and Jaina Proudmoore. 

Musically, the release channels the oppressive weight and atmosphere of Black Tongue and Humanity’s Last Breath, while incorporating the raw aggression of Bodysnatcher and The Acacia Strain. The result is a record that moves seamlessly between suffocating heaviness and explosive intensity. 

Track-list:

1. Act I: Defile // Denounce
2. Act II: A Festering Wound
3. Act III: Vile Spirits
4. Act IV: Empty Throne

Emerging from Klagenfurt, Austria in 2014, Castiel quickly made their mark with their bleak atmospheres and downtempo heaviness. Early releases including their debut single ‘Human Scum’ and the Exitium EP (2015) set the tone, followed by Blasphemy in 2017, before lineup changes forced the band into a hiatus. 

They returned in 2023 with Shadowlands, signalling a clear step up in both sound and ambition. That momentum carried into 2025’s Khaos EP, a darker, more introspective release that pushed further into themes of psychological collapse and existential weight.

Now, with their signing to Seek and Strike, Castiel enter a new chapter. All Returns to Hollow and Silence not only marks their first release under the label, but their most ambitious work to date. 

Having already shared stages with the likes of Distant, Carnifex, Born of Osiris and more, the band have built a reputation for intense, no frills live shows. Stay tuned for live dates to follow. 

For more:
Instagram || Facebook || Spotify 

EINHERJER Release New Song & Music Video ‘Dei Så Ser’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo: Thomas Mortveit

Einherjer release the second single “Dei Så Ser” from their upcoming 10th studio album Lifeblood that is out the 19th of June. The song is a powerful ballad in Norwegian that reflects a Norse way of thinking, where life and death are part of the same cycle. Nothing truly disappears – it continues in the land, in the sea, and in us.

At its core, the song is about inheritance and connection. We are not separate from those who came before us – we are extensions of them. What we are today grows directly from what lies beneath us. There is also a sense that the past is not silent. It burns beneath the surface, alive in memory, instinct, and place. The dead are not gone – they remain present, aware, and even joyful. Founder Frode Glesnes says:  

– The song is about the connection between the living and those who came before us, and how that connection is carried by the land itself. The burial mounds are not just remnants of the past – they are watchful presences. Standing on the mound, facing the strait, the narrator feels that boundary between worlds. The water becomes more than a landscape – it is a passage between past and present, life and death. The voices of those who once lived and sailed these shores are still there, not as echoes, but as something alive.

LISTEN TO THE SINGLE HERE

The album Lifeblood will be the 10th studio album and it represents a reflection around belonging, heritage and roots – both as individuals and as a band. After over thirty years of making music, the four-piece look back toward what shaped them and the forces that have followed through all these years.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE

LIVE DATES

19.06.2026 – Hellfest, Clisson, FR
29.07 – 01.08.2026 – Wacken Open Air, Wacken, DE
15.08.2026 – Midgardsblot, Borre, NO
20 – 22.08.2026 . Kaltenbach Open Air, AT
29.08.2026 – Månegarm Open Air, Norrtälje, SE
18 – 20.09.2026 – Cosmic Void Festival, London, UK

More dates TBA

Einherjer was forged in 1993, on the western shores of Norway – where the North Sea meets the land, and where the Viking kings once ruled the passage that gave Norway its name. From this inheritance, Einherjer rose. Not as followers of a movement, but as part of its own creation.

In the early years of Norwegian extreme metal in the 90s, Einherjer stood among those who gave voice to a distinctly Norse expression within metal. Their early recordings did not imitate tradition – they helped establish it. What later became known as Viking Metal was not conceived as a genre, but as a natural extension of identity, history, and place and Einherjer became one of its defining forces.

Through classic albums such as Dragons of the North, Odin Owns Ye All and Blot, and later works including Av Oss, For Oss and North Star, both nominated for a Norwegian Grammy, the band has continually evolved without losing its core. Their sound remains unmistakable – resolute, atmospheric, and grounded in the weight of heritage, yet never bound by the past. Their music does not seek to recreate a lost age. It stands as proof that its spirit endures. The same horizon that called the seafarers westward still lies open. The same impulse to create, to endure, and to leave a mark remains unchanged.

For more than three decades, Einherjer has stood as one of the defining voices of Norse heavy metal, and with their 10th album Lifeblood the band prooves why they still are distinct and defining in the genre – not as an echo, but as a presence.

Time has not diminished Einherjer. It has refined them. Hammers raised. Fire alive. Lifeblood unbroken.

THE RASMUS Announce European & UK Headline Tour in 2027

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 23, 2026
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Photo by Venla Shalin

Following from an extremely successful 2025 and a very busy 2026, 6x Platinum and 8x Gold-certified, record-breaking Finnish rock outfit The Rasmus are thrilled to announce an extensive headline European and UK tour in 2027, with Skarlett Riot as special guest on all the UK shows.

With a global touring experience spanning decades, the 23-date tour will allow the band to further showcase key tracks from the new record Weirdo, as well as classic hymns and hidden gems taken from their catalogue.

Frontman Lauri Ylönen comments: “‘Weirdo’ album has resonated deeply in our fanbase. It’s about being accepted the way you are. This has also been visible at the live shows as the fans have been dressed up to show their inner weirdos. It’s been a very fun and uniting feeling!” Lauri also adds: “We can’t wait to see all our dear friends who me missed the last time we toured Europe!”

Over the past year and throughout the current one, The Rasmus have brought and will continue to bring their latest record Weirdo on the road, talking their unforgettable stage show to audiences worldwide. Last summer The Rasmus played a charity concert in Ukraine not only as the headliner of the Atlas Festival, but also as the only foreign artist at the event. Over 110,000 people were in attendance, and there was a comprehensive security system and evacuation plan for the audience and performers in just a few minutes if it was necessary. Thankfully the festival went off without any issues and they were able to raise over $2.5 million Ukraine’s air defenses. Here is a short documentary about the experience.

Currently on tour in the US, The Rasmus will come back to the old continent to join the European summer festival circuit, performing at: Nova Rock (AT), Resurrection Fest (ES), Masters Of Rock (CZ) to name a few. Later in 2026 the band will embark on a full South American tour playing iconic venues in 11 cities, including: Bogotá, Panamá, Lima, Santiago, São Paolo and Buenos Aires.

The Rasmus current single “Break These Chains” ft. Niko Vilhelm of Blind Channel, is a toxic love-themed and emotionally gripping track, driven by the band’s signature blend of dark atmospheres and anthemic melodies. Listen to “Break These Chains” HERE and watch the video, directed by Aleksei Kulikov, HERE on the band’s official YouTube page.

“‘Break These Chains’ is about a toxic relationship,” says singer Lauri Ylönen, who digs his teeth into such lethal lyrics as “You made me believe/That true passion makes you bleed/So I stayed too long/To play your twisted games.” Lauri wrote the song with revered hit songwriters/producers Marti Frederiksen and Desmond Child.  “It’s about letting go of something that you know is bad for you, but you’re obsessed with.”

EU AND UK NEW DATES

JANUARY 2027
28/01/27           Helitehas, Tallinn -Estonia
29/01/27           Palladium, Riga – Latvia
30/01/27           Loftlas Club, Vilnius – Lithuania
FEBRUARY 2027
05/02/27           Barba Negra, Budapest – Hungary
10/02/27           New Age, Treviso – Italy
11/02/27           Muhle Hunziken, Rubigen – Switzerland
12/02/27           La Rayonne, Villeurbanne – France
13/02/27           Le Moloco, Audincourt – France
14/02/27           Alte Feuerwache, Mannheim – Germany
16/02/27           Zakk, Dusseldorf – Germany
19/02/27           Beatpol, Dresden – Germany
20/02/27           Roxy, Ulm – Germany
22/02/27           E-Werk, Erlangen – Germany
23/02/27           Doornroosje, Nijmegen – Netherlands
24/02/27           Blacklab, Lille – France
26/02/27           Epic,   Norwich – England *
27/02/27           Oxford Academy, Oxford – England *
28/02/27           Stylus, Leeds – England *
MARCH 2027
02/03/27           Northumbria Uni, Newcastle – England *
03/03/27           KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton – England *
 04/03/27          Electric Bristol, Bristol – England *
05/03/27           Phoenix, Exeter – England *
06/03/27           Chalk, Brighton – England *
*Skarlett Riot special guest on UK shows

Tickets are available on – https://therasmus.com/

DALI VAN GOGH Announce New Live Album “Roadkill”, First Single ‘Wicked Way’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 23, 2026
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Canadian hard rock band Dali Van Gogh are set to release an electrifying new live album, “Roadkill”, a six-track collection capturing the band at their most visceral across stages in Eastern and Central Canada.

Rolling out in a waterfall release format beginning May 22, Roadkill documents three years of relentless touring, distilling the sweat, grit, and chaos of the band’s live show into a definitive closing statement on their current era.

Tracklist & Release Dates:

  • Wicked Way (Live at Overtime Sports Bar, Kingston) — May 22
  • Boneyard (Live at Tide & Boar, Moncton) — June 12
  • Bury The Lead (Live at The Scotiabank Centre, Halifax) — July 3
  • Savanna (Live at Bovine Sex Club, Toronto) — July 24
  • Out For Blood (Live at The House of Targ, Ottawa) — August 14
  • Little Hell (Live at The Eastlink Centre, Charlottetown) — September 4

Stream the first single Wicked Way (Live at Overtime Sportsbar, Kingston) on your platform of choice here: https://orcd.co/wwlosk

Roadkill serves as a deliberate bookend to the band’s breakout chapter, which includes their critically recognized EP “New Blood, Old Wounds” and the single “Wicked Way.” That release cycle saw the band earn two nominations at the East Coast Music Awards in 2023, taking home Loud Recording of the Year. The studio version of “Wicked Way” continues that momentum with a 2026 nomination for Loud Release of the Year.

“This record is DVG in its natural habitat,” shares band frontwoman Rocky Moreau. “No polish, no safety net, just us at our most vulnerable.”

To celebrate the release, Dali Van Gogh will host a one-night-only hometown performance at Monte’s Showbar on May 29, following which they will head out on a full summer of touring in support of the album.

With new material looming in the near future, Roadkill captures a band in motion—looking back only long enough to slam the door behind them.

Dali van Gogh Roadkill Summer Tour dates:

09.06.26 – Brantford, On – Live From The Tour Bus
12.06.26 – Toronto, On – Bmo Field
13.06.26 – Oshawa, On – The Atria Diezel Room
14.06.26 – Penetanguishene, On – Rendezvous Bistro
16.06.26 – Vaughn, On – Live From The Tour Bus
17.06.26 – Toronto, On – Horseshoe Tavern
19.06.26 – Hamilton, On – Corktown Pub
20.06.26 – Guelph, On – Kronic Summer Slam^
23.06.26 – Toronto, On – Bmo Field
26.06.26 – Toronto, On – Bmo Field
27.06.26 – Kingston, On – Daft Brewing
30.06.26 – Cornwall, On – Live From The Tour Bus
26.07.26 – Truro, Ns – Rock The Hub
05.09.26 – Tidnish, Ns – Giv’r On The Riv’r

About Dali Van Gogh

Dali Van Gogh are a Canadian hard rock band known for their high-energy live performances, blending aggressive riffs with anthemic songwriting. With multiple award nominations and a growing national presence, the band continues to carve out their place in Canada’s heavy music landscape.

For more information, please visit www.dalivangoghmusic.com