TONIC BREED Drop Epic New Single ‘Close In’, Ft. Guest Drummer Charlie Engen

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

(Photo Credit: Marius Viken)

Norwegian metal project Tonic Breed, led by founder Patrik K. Svendsen, has unleashed the new 2026 single “Close In”, a powerful, emotionally charged track featuring guest drums by Charlie Engen, known for his work with Five Finger Death Punch, Scale the Summit, and Ideology.

The single follows last year’s collaboration “Anew,” which featured legendary drummer Chris Adler (Firstborne, ex‑Lamb of God, ex‑Megadeth), continuing Tonic Breed’s ongoing evolution through high‑profile guest musicians and bold stylistic shifts.
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Originally formed in 2006 as a four‑piece thrash and heavy metal band from Sarpsborg, Norway, Tonic Breed transitioned into a one‑man project in 2019. Since then, Svendsen has pushed the project into new creative territory, collaborating with world‑renowned musicians including Chris Adler, Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Björn Strid (Soilwork), and Michael Gilbert (Flotsam and Jetsam).​
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With “Close In,” Tonic Breed continues this trajectory, this time exploring a more melodic, atmospheric, and emotionally layered sound.

“Close In” dates back to its original writing more than two decades ago and was revisited many times over the years, but never fully came together until now.
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​“This is definitely the track that’s taken the longest to finish. It’s been sitting with me for years, and it wasn’t until the right people got involved that it finally came together the way it was supposed to,” says Svendsen
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Co‑producer Adrian Bjerketvedt helped shape the final structure, while Engen’s drum performance added nuance and dynamic movement. Composer Ben Zimmermann contributed orchestration. Some piano arrangements even transformed early guitar‑based ideas into emotional layers that complete the song’s atmosphere.
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While still rooted in the project’s heavy foundation, “Close In” marks a shift toward melody, space, and emotional depth. It’s a semi‑ballad with clean passages, heavier sections, and dynamic contrasts. The song incorporates harmonies, choirs, and orchestration, rich layering, and atmospheric textures, a first for Tonic Breed.

Svendsen anticipates that “Close In” may surprise listeners.

“It still has weight and intensity, but it leans more into melody and atmosphere than what I’ve done before. Some will probably not expect it, but it still feels like a natural step for me.”​
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Lyrically, the song explores the long‑term weight of loss, how losing someone close can reshape a person over time, and the struggle to find oneself again while learning to live with that emotional burden.
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​“It comes from a pretty heavy place. It’s about losing people close to you and carrying that weight with you,” adds Svendsen.

Recommended for fans of Soilwork, Evergrey, Alter Bridge, and Trivium, listen to “Close in”: https://open.spotify.com/album/2l8pHhSRdhWfmJbrHQ5r8z

For more info:​
​https://tonicbreed.com​
​https://facebook.com/tonicbreed​
​https://instagram.com/tonicbreed

CYBORG ZERO Unleash Animated Video for ‘Skool’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

CYBORG ZERO have released a brand-new animated video for their track “Skool”, created by Erika Errante Baruffaldi. The video marks the opening chapter of the CYBORG ZERO‘s animated series, expanding the band’s visual and narrative universe.

“Skool” is a previously unreleased track and serves as a first glimpse into the forthcoming vinyl reissue of the band’s debut album “Zero”, set for release on May 8th via Go Down Records.

“Set within a school, this punk-blues song addresses boredom, monotony, rules, and pressure – same lessons, same days, same noise. Nothing shifts. Nothing evolves. Until something shatters. ‘Skool’ focuses on resisting conformity, avoiding repetition, and feeling confined within a system that teaches nothing but obedience,” the band comments. 

Tracklist:
01. Skool
02. Surfin’ on Mars
03. Tu Tu Tutu Tu Tu
04. Gaw
05. La Lalla Lalla
06. One Crap
07. Rock and Real
08. Hey Hey Hey Ha Ha Ha
09. Duu Ah Duu Ah
10. Danger
11. Move On

The reissue of “Zero” opens with two previously unreleased tracks, “Skool” and “Surfin’ On Mars”, both marked by a strong personality and an urgent, expressive drive. These new songs form the first chapter of an animated series that further develops the project’s visual concept. The tracklist continues with nine remastered songs from their self-produced 2019 debut “0”.

Musically, the record follows a lean, no-frills approach, blending rock, blues, and punk in a direct and visceral way, driven by gritty guitars and tight, punchy rhythms. This stripped-down sound reflects a deliberate artistic choice: no extra layers, just raw energy and attitude.

CYBORG ZERO was formed in 2018, when guitarist Cyborg Zero joined forces with drummer Mr. G, creating a raw and uncompromising project rooted in rock, blues, and punk. Building on over a decade of experience with his previous band The Cyborgs – including multiple album releases, international touring, and performances alongside artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Iggy Pop, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck, and John Mayall – the duo developed a direct and instantly recognizable musical language.

With CYBORG ZERO, the approach is reduced to its core: guitar, vocals, and drums, without unnecessary additions. The visual identity plays an equally important role – with the band performing in character, blurring the line between reality and representation, and reinforcing the intensity of their overall concept.

Following the release of their self-produced debut album “0” in 2019, recorded and mixed by Tommaso Mantelli at Lesder Studio, the band toured across Europe, including festival appearances such as Freak Valley and Humulus Lupulus, as well as a support show for The Boomtown Rats in Italy.

In 2026, CYBORG ZERO signed with Go Down Records for the release of “Zero”, a remastered vinyl edition of their debut album, now expanded with two previously unreleased tracks.

The album is available for pre-order HERE

Line-up:
Cyborg Zero – Guitar, vocals
Mr. G – Drums

For more info visit:
https://www.facebook.com/cyborgzero/
https://www.instagram.com/cyborgzer0/
https://cyborgzero.com
https://www.godownrecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/GoDownRecords/
https://www.instagram.com/godownrecords/

Viking Metallers MITHOTYN Announce Re-Issue of “In the Sign of the Ravens”, Out 5th June

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
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Hammerheart Records have announced the re-issue of Viking metal outfit Mithotyn‘s debut album In the Sign of the Ravens. The 1997 classic, remastered by Nightside Audio (God Macabre, Skymning) will be out on 5th June via the label. 

Pre-orders are available HERE.

After releasing four demo tapes, Mithotyn finally put out their first full-length album in 1997. In the Sign of the Ravens delivers a hard, cold take on Viking metal, and at this early stage the band hadn’t yet fully embraced the stronger melodic elements that would become more prominent on later records.

One area where this record really shines is its atmosphere. In many ways, the Viking feeling here is the strongest in their entire discography. This is especially the case during the instrumental tracks like ‘Lost in the Mist’ and ‘Let Thy Ale Swing’. The band creates a mystical mood with folky keyboard melodies layered behind distorted guitars, growls, and occasional chants.

If you’re already a fan of Viking or black Metal, you’ll know roughly what to expect: longer songs with some variation, harsh growled vocals balanced with cleaner chorus sections, and a strong sense of atmosphere. It’s a familiar formula, but one that works well and captures what makes this style of music so enjoyable.

Track-list:
1. Upon Raging Waves
2. In the Sign of the Ravens
3. Shadows of the Past
4. Lost in the Mist
5. Embraced by Frost
6. In the Forest of Moonlight
7. Tills Dagen Gryr
8. Stories Carved in Stone
9. Freezing Storms of Snow
10. Where My Spirit Forever Shall Be
11. Let Thy Ale Swing

WANDAR Premiere Lyric Video for New Single ‘Trug’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
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German atmospheric black metal act WANDAR presents the first offering from their upcoming new album “Tiefe Erde” (Vendetta Records) with the release of the lyric video for their new single “Trug”. As the album’s debut single, the track sets the tone for what’s to come – immersive, emotionally charged, and steeped in the band’s signature blend of haunting atmosphere and raw intensity.

“Trug” captures WANDAR at their most evocative, weaving together melancholy, tension, and surging aggression into a dense and hypnotic soundscape that pulls the listener deep into the record’s dark thematic core.

Formed in 2006, WANDAR emerged to cast a shadow over every ray of light creeping down from the heavens. Rejecting flashy posturing, the band has built its name on crafting incredibly dense and immersive atmospheric black metal. Rooted in Scandinavian tradition, shaped by representatives of the Cascade region, and ultimately refined through modern perspectives and uncompromising standards.

Torn between raging fury and pain-filled lamentation, teetering between erupting rage and melancholic powerlessness, WANDAR create a state of ominous suspension, a menacing intoxication that can be dangerously beautiful to succumb to. Their messages are full of melancholy, longing, and absolute passion. Coming from deep within crypts, with scarred hearts and bloody eyes.

Tracklist:

  1. Bedrängnis
  2. Trug
  3. Visol-Bolvis
  4. …Nächtlich
  5. Drangsal
  6. Erden
  7. Irrlicht
  8. Hetäre
  9. Gestirne

As the band states: “We burned our temple of the elemental. We descended into the depths of transcendent hells. We bled, we suffered, we fell, and we became one with ancient earths. ‘Tiefe Erde’ completes the circle we began with ‘Landlose Ufer’ and ‘Zyklus’. The fire will always be light!“

“Tiefe Erde” will be released on May 1 via Vendetta Records and is available for pre-order HERE

Line-up:
Kallenheim – Vocals
Zazhgul – Guitar
Karlsgrad – Guitar
Mara – Bass
Totz – Drums

For more info visit:
https://www.instagram.com/wandar.official
https://facebook.com/Wandar666
https://wandar.bandcamp.com
https://linktr.ee/vendettarecs

FRONTSIDE Unleash New Album “Nemesis”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
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Polish metalcore veterans FRONTSIDE have officially released their new studio album “Nemesis”, out now via Massacre Records.

Following the previously released singles and videos “Omen” and “Kapłani Diabła”, which showcased both the crushing intensity and thematic depth of the record, “Nemesis”  is now fully available worldwide, marking a powerful new chapter in the band’s long-standing career.

ORDER THE ALBUM HERE: https://mystic-production.com/search.php?text=frontside+nemesis

With “Nemesis”, FRONTSIDE deliver their first studio album in eight years and introduce a revitalized and uncompromising sound, further elevated by the debut full-length appearance of vocalist Wojciech “Mollie” Moliński. The album represents the result of a long and meticulous creative process, shaped through years of writing, refining and pushing the band’s identity to new extremes.

Musically, “Nemesis”  stands as the band’s heaviest and most emotionally intense work to date. Crushing riffs, massive rhythmic precision and a dark, apocalyptic atmosphere define the album’s sonic landscape, while maintaining the core elements that have defined FRONTSIDE for decades.

Lyrically, the album takes an unflinching look at modern society, addressing themes of conflict, hypocrisy, manipulation and inner turmoil. Tracks such as “Kapłani Diabła” explore historical and institutional power structures, questioning authority and exposing uncomfortable truths, while contributing to the album’s overarching narrative of tension and consequence.

Written by guitarist Mariusz “Demon” Dzwonek and developed collaboratively within the band, “Nemesis” was recorded at Zed Studio and produced, mixed and mastered by Tomasz “Zed” Zalewski, resulting in a sharp, modern and powerful production that amplifies the album’s intensity.

With “Nemesis”, FRONTSIDE reaffirm their position as one of the most uncompromising and relevant acts in the European metalcore scene – delivering a record that is aggressive, conscious and unapologetically direct.

Next FRONTSIDE live:
3.06.2026 PL Gdańsk – Mystic Festival

FRONTSIDE are:
Mariusz “Demon” Dzwonek – guitar
Dariusz “Daron” Kupis – guitar
Wojciech Nowak – bass guitar
Tomasz “Toma” Ochab – drums
Wojciech “Mollie” Moliński – vocals

FRONTSIDE online:
https://www.facebook.com/frontsideofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/frontsidepl/

MADRED Begin New Era with ‘Grind It Down’ Single from Upcoming Album “Running Out Of Problems”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 13, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo: Akatius Pitkänen

A Finnish city of Lappeenranta — which has quietly become one of the most fertile grounds for Finnish thrash metal — delivers yet another storm warning. MADRED has shifted into a new gear together with Miitri Aaltonen, known for his work with acts such as Mokoma and Stam1na, and the result is nothing short of impressive. Released today, the single “Grind It Down” also serves as the first taste of the upcoming studio album “Running Out Of Problems”, due out in August.

MADRED has been refining its signature Thrash ‘n’ Roll style since 2015, when the band released its debut EP. Combining the raw aggression of thrash metal with the irresistible groove of rock’n’roll, the band has carved out a sound that is distinctly their own:

“One of the coolest things about MADRED is our own sound — we’re really proud of it” says bassist Aapo Peuhkuri.

“’Grind It Down’ is a fast-paced crossover track in classic MADRED style. The song is built on sharp riffs and a tight groove, while a melodic chorus balances the raw energy. Lyrically, it paints a picture of confronting the struggles and chaos of modern life with a ‘bring it on’ attitude,” continues vocalist-guitarist Oskari Hurskainen, recalling how the chorus was born in a Prisma parking lot while waiting for his better half walking the dog — a wait well spent.

Working in the studio with Emma aka Finnish Grammy -nominated producer Aaltonen proved both fruitful and positively challenging, helping the band capture the right kind of energy.

“As with the overall sound of the album, the guitar distortion was dialed down significantly compared to previous recordings, which meant we really had to put power into the playing and be extremely precise — the sound didn’t forgive anything,” Oskari adds.

The band’s debut album Overtime was released in 2021, and over the years MADRED has built a reputation as a relentless live act. Their journey so far has included three European tours as well as performances at venues like legendary Helsinki club Tavastia, where they have shared the stage with the aforementioned Lappeenranta heavyweights.

MADRED is:
Oskari Hurskainen – Vocals, Guitar
Aapo Peuhkuri – Bass, Vocals
Harri Tikka – Lead Guitar
Arttu Kiianen – Drums

More info: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BANDCAMP | YOUTUBE