RABENSCHREY combine myths, Folk, Pagan, and Metal into a style that is both powerful and mystical, which they have christened METALALTER.
Founded in 2000, they resurrected after an eleven-year hiatus for their 25th anniversary: old songs, newly forged, carried by the voice of Donar von Rabenschrey and the riffs of Wayk the string smith.
Pressure to prove themselves? Not here and now, the band has been around for far too long and knows exactly what it wants musically and how it wants to implement it.
🎥 🎬 ⚙️ Rabenschrey
» Inspired by the three Norns, URD, VERDANDI, and SKULD, the songs weave together the past, present, and future—in a new, powerful soundscape … and the 2nd new single will follow soon, stay tuned! [ … learn more here ]
“From dust to darkness” is the new album from Sparzanza – all draped in the bands signature blend of crushing riffs, haunting melodies and choruses that will punch you in the face.
Lead vocalist Fredrik Weileby on Sparzanza’s new album: – The sound has evolved – it’s heavier now, with a more brutal touch of metal. On “From dust to darkness” we’ve been experimenting quite a bit – really pushing the boundaries. Guitarist Calle Johannesson has written tons of riffs, bringing in time signatures that have both challenged and inspired us. It´s sounds really great and we are thrilled to be back on track for this album.
Bass player Johan Carlsson explains the course of “From dust to darkness” – There’s a bit of a crowd-pleaser in “Bad Motherfucker,” which we released 2024, while “Twitch of the Death Nerve” stands out as something truly different for us. We needed to get ourselves out of the comfort zone to be able to create something really crushing. I’m sure that “From dust to darkness” will please our fans.
Sparzanza have always delivered the goods in the darker side of metal – “From dust to darkness” is no exception. Both sound and lyrics are on the deeper and darker end of the spectre of metal.
– There’s more growling, a darker tone, and greater variety, says Fredrik Weileby. “The Great Noise” is a track that features every kind of vocal style – from raw and aggressive to delicate and fragile – as it should be since we make songs about witch-burnings and being born in blood. Creating this album has been a fun and creative challenge as a singer.
“From dust to darkness” is Sparzanza’s ninth album and was produced by guitarist, Magnus Eronen, who has captured what defines Sparzanza’s music.
The album will be available on vinyl, cd and on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Fans can also watch the official music videos on YouTube.
“From dust to darkness” will be released 2025-10-03 and includes the tracks (with ISRC):
1. Fear the Night (SEXTE2500401) 2. This is not a Love Song (SEXTE2500402) 3. The Accuser (SEXTE2500403) 4. Bloodborne (SEXTE2500404) 5. Bad Motherfucker (SEXTE2301001) 6. Twitch of the Death Nerve (SEXTE2400101) 7. The Blinding Absence of a Light (SEXTE2401301) 8. The Great Noise (SEXTE2500405)
– Check it out and we will see you all on tour shortly, says Johan and Fredrik. And remember, always play Sparzanza LOUD!
About Sparzanza Formed in 1996, Sparzanza is a metal band hailing from Karlstad, Sweden. With a sound that blends elements of heavy metal and hard rock, Sparzanza have released several critically acclaimed albums and built a global fanbase through relentless touring and live performances.
Sparzanza members: Calle Johannesson – Guitar Anders Åberg – Drums Johan Carlsson – Bass Fredrik Weileby – Singer Magnus Eronen – Guitar
From the dark underbelly of Dublin’s music scene emerges Droptune, a genre-defiant band channeling the raw protest of Rage Against the Machine with the industrial grit of Nine Inch Nails. Built on down-tuned riffs, pounding rhythms, and visceral energy, Droptune is a sonic rebellion against the mundane.
Following the breakout success of their debut single ‘All Calm’, which has surpassed 20,000 Spotify plays and earned heavy rotation across major Irish radio stations, as well as breaking into the UK with airplay on Kerrang! Radio, Droptune are poised to make their boldest statement yet.
Their forthcoming single ‘Reaper’ (out now & featuring Niamh Van Rensberg) is an unapologetic heavy metal anthem that tears straight into the heart of political corruption and the chaos of modern warfare. Recorded at Dublin’s renowned Track Mix Studio, the track fuses blistering riffs, thunderous drums, and the electrifying vocals of Niamh Van Rensburg, whose voice cuts like a blade through the storm.
A brutal reflection of our times, ‘Reaper’ is more than just a song, it’s a rallying cry. Its searing energy mirrors the urgent need for change, embodying Droptune’s commitment to creating music that doesn’t just sound heavy, but carries weight and meaning.
Known for their explosive live shows and unapologetic presence, Droptune are quickly carving out a reputation as one of Ireland’s most vital rising heavy acts. With momentum building fast, ‘Reaper’ is set to cement their place as a band unafraid to confront the world’s darkest truths head-on.
Droptune are: Ciaran Maloney- Drums Adam Swords – Vocals Leon Guilfyle – Bass guitar Conor O’Neill – Guitars
BraveWords Records releases the re-record of “Hiroshima Mon Amour” by Alcatrazz. The single is available today on all digital services. “Hiroshima Mon Amour” is taken from the upcoming album PRIOR CONVICTIONS that will be released on November 7th.
“Hiroshima Mon Amour is another favorite live, and of mine personally… a fun one to sing with loads of power and range needed… this one will never leave the bands set list live and our new 2025 version of the song shows off the current lineup very well!” – Giles Lavery, Alcatrazz lead singer.
In advance of their forthcoming 2026 studio album, Alcatrazz reveal a new release to land just in time for their extensive November/December 2025 European tour. PRIOR CONVICTIONS contains newly re-recorded versions of nine 1980s era Alcatrazz songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery. Plus two brand new band compositions “Transylvanian Requiem” and “Stand And Wait Your Turn”.
PRIOR CONVICTIONS Tracklist:
01 Transylvanian Requiem (New Song) 02 Stand And Wait Your Turn (New Song) 03 Jet To Jet (2025) 04 Starr Carr Lane (2025) 05 Hiroshima Mon Amour (2025) 06 Island In The Sun (2025) 07 Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live (2025) 08 God Blessed Video (2025) 09 Skyfire (2025) 10 General Hospital (2025) 11 Kree Nakoorie (2025)
Credits: Produced Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo Mixed & Mastered by Andy Haller All songs recorded 2025
Giles Lavery – Vocals Joe Stump – Guitars Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards Gary Shea – Bass Mark Benquechea – Drums
Alcatrazz hit the road in Europe later this year with Girlschool.
GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ
13/Nov Se – Gothenburg | Skeppet 14/Nov Se – Sala | Rockland (Alcatrazz only) 15/Nov SE – Rock At Sea Cruise 18/Nov Fi – Turku | Nirvana 19/Nov Fi – Helsinki | On The Rocks 20/Nov Fi – Tampere | Tavara-Asema 21/Nov FI – Nakkila | Verstas 22/Nov Fi – Kuovola | House Of Rock 25/Nov Be – Kortrijk | DVG * 26/Nov NL – Tilburg | Little Devil * 27/Nov DE – Kassel | Goldgrube * 28/Nov DE – Passau | Zauberberg * 29/Nov AT – Steyr | Kulturverein Röda * 30/Nov At – Vienna | Escape Metal Corner * 02/Dec CZ – Olomouc | Bounty Rock Cafe * 03/Dec DE – Leipzig | Hellraiser * 04/Dec DE – Nürnberg | Hirsch * 05/Dec DE – Selb | Rockclub Nordbayern * 06/Dec DE – Mörlenbach | Live Music Hall * 07/Dec DE – Dortmund | Musiktheater Piano * *BANGALORE CHOIR also on the bill
About ALCATRAZZ: Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.
Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70’s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-Kiss Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut “No Parole From Rock N Roll” album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album “Disturbing The Peace” (1985).
The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable line-up, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a “supergroup” of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.
Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the “shred-lord” himself…the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.
Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours — having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr’s “Out Of The Darkness Part II” as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums…himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here… as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don’t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.
Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz… as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done…”i think i even drove the tour bus once or twice back then” says Waldo… in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. “alot of people have come and gone over the years” says Jimmy… “It’s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era” Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful “Born Innocent” album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).
Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less… came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget “Live Sentence”) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary’s recently published book “No Bass, No Party” is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story!
After the success of their latest album Adrenalin— hailed by Metal Hammer as one of the Top 10 albums of the year in the Folk/Pagan/Viking/Medieval category — and a spectacular warm-up alongside In Extremo, German folk-rock powerhouse RAUHBEIN set out on their own furious headlining tour – now finally ready to continue. Festival shows followed, taking them as far as Spain. With literally more than a thousand miles behind them, that journey has now found its echo in their brand-new single “1000 Meilen”!
“1000 Meilen” (German for ‘1000 miles’) is a stirring ballad that tells of unquenchable longing and deep love — whether between two individuals or between artists and their fans. With powerful melodies and heartfelt lyrics, Rauhbein bridge the distances life creates, crafting an emotional journey that unites and inspires.
Frontman Henry M. Rauhbein comments: “My new ballad tells of wanderlust and yearning, reflecting the soft, heartfelt core within. It’s a romantic story full of warmth, unlike anything else.”
The single follows the momentum of RAUHBEIN’s extensive run with In Extremo and sets the stage for the upcoming second leg of their “ADRENALIN TOUR 2025”, which kicks off in October with shows across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland:
“Adrenalin” Tour 2025 – Part II 03.10.2025 DE Erfurt – From Hell (SOLD OUT) 04.10.2025 DE Kassel – Kulturzentrum Färberei (SOLD OUT) 05.10.2025 DE Frankfurt a. M. – Das Bett 09.10.2025 DE München – Backstage (Halle) 11.10.2025 DE Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal 15.10.2025 DE Stuttgart – Im Wizemann 16.10.2025 DE Nürnberg – Hirsch 18.10.2025 DE Wuppertal – Live Club Barmen 23.10.2025 DE Oberhausen – Kulttempel 05.12.2025 DE Lindau – Club Vaudeville 06.12.2025 AT Wien – Szene
20.03.2026 CH Zurich – X-TRA Haus der Musik 21.03.2026 CH Münchenstein – Rockfact Music Club
With a healthy dose of irony and a much-needed wink, Henry M. Rauhbein and his band take their own lives on an adventurous ride, weaving stories of love, lust, and pain. RAUHBEIN embody the image of a tough guy shaped by life’s highs and lows, yet with a soft core and his heart in the right place. Their music, driven by powerful guitars and pounding drums, reflects Henry’s rugged and hard-edged persona. But there’s still room for melancholy and romance, introduced through strings that add depth to their sound.
At the center of it all is Henry’s unmistakable voice, which is truly the icing on the cake. It carries the weight of a life far from easy, warm and rich like a 20-year-old single malt whisky, yet raw and weathered, reminiscent of ancient oaks standing tall on the highlands. When these elements come together on stage, RAUHBEIN set off a musical explosion, blending Irish folk with rock, turning every performance into a raucous celebration full of energy and spirit.
RAUHBEIN are: Henry M. Rauhbein | vocals Godi Hildmann | guitars Olli Schmidt | bass Justin Ciuche | violin Louis Schaden | drums
New Jersey experimental metal collective TOMBS is now unveiling a searing new single, “Last Days,” which can be found at THIS LOCATION.
TOMBS frontman Mike Hill comments, “As we roll into the twilight months of the year, ‘Last Days’ is an appropriate song to herald the dark time when the veil is at it’s thinnest.”
“Last Days” is taken from the band’s upcoming studio album, ‘Feral Darkness,’ which will be released on October 17, 2025 via Redefining Darkness! The title track from the offering was previously released and can be heard HERE.
The band is not only returning with a new label, but also with a new sound! While ‘Feral Darkness’ still embraces TOMBS’ black metal roots, it also explores the band’s gothic, death rock side, creating the band’s darkest and most haunting record to date!
Formed in 2007, New Jersey-based experimental metal outfit TOMBS blends bleak, post-punk minimalism with the ferocious attack of sludge and haunting goth rock. TOMBS have established themselves as an act that’s as committed to consistency as it is to growth, developing smoothly (but never predictably) over the course of their career.
TOMBS Lineup: Mike Hill – guitar / vocals / synth Justin Spaeth – drums / guitar Andrew Murphy – Bass / guitar / vocals Dan Higgins – guitar
Guest Musician: Sera Timms – vocals on “Nightland” (Black Mare, Black Math Horsemen, Ides of Gemini)
Cover Artist: Seldon Hunt Recording and Mixing: Justin Spaeth Mastering: Andreas Rosczyk For Fans Of: Fields of the Nephilim, Samhain, Mayhem, Goatwhore
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 