Artwork by: Daniel Bechthold @bechthold.illustrator
“Nur der Tod gewinnt im Krieg” [“Only death succeeds in war”] —KANONENFIEBER
Earlier this year, Germany’s KANONENFIEBER released “Soldatenschicksale”, a compilation featuring rerecorded songs alongside two new tracks. The band also launched a special fan initiative, inviting supporters to share their “Soldatenschicksal” (“soldier’s fate”) as inspiration and background stories for a brand-new song.
“The song “Meine Lieben” draws upon Philipp Schopp’s final letters. Its lyrics are based on three original field postcards that were kindly entrusted to me by Philipp’s descendants. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to them for making these invaluable historical documents available. Once again, we are reminded that war tears families apart, breaks hearts, and destroys countless lives with ruthless indifference. That is why it is so important that stories like Philipp’s continue to be heard and remembered—not only as a tribute to those who were lost, but also as a warning to future generations.
Because one thing has never changed: War always remains the same.”
A special feature on the well-known Arte Tracks offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at KANONENFIEBER, check it out here: https://youtu.be/i_1TKxRMIXY?si=oHKYa_X1yyzfPXhO (use auto translate).
In other news, the band recently announced a massive European tour set to take place in November and December 2027:
18.11.27 (DE) Frankfurt 19.11.27 (DE) Leipzig 20.11.27 (DE) Berlin 21.11.27 (FI) Helsinki 22.11.27 (FI) Tampere 25.11.27 (SE) Gothenburg 26.11.27 (NO) Oslo 27.11.27 (DK) Copenhagen 28.11.27 TBA 30.11.27 (FR) Paris 01.12.27 (BE) Brussels 02.12.27 TBA 03.12.27 (DE) Düsseldorf 05.12.27 (DE) Stuttgart 06.12.27 (CH) Zürich 08.12.27 (CZ) Prague 09.12.27 (DE) Munich 10.12.27 (AT) Vienna 11.12.27 (HU) Budapest
Love songs come in many forms, but only Electric Callboy could turn one into this. Last week, the band releases their newest single “The Way You Are“, one of the most surprising tracks from their upcoming album TANZNEID, arriving this week on August 7. What begins as an irresistibly catchy late-’90s-inspired boy band love ballad quickly transforms into one of the heaviest songs Electric Callboy have ever written. Blending soaring pop melodies with crushing deathcore brutality, “The Way You Are” is a fearless celebration of musical extremes, proving once again that no one blurs genre boundaries quite like Electric Callboy.
The accompanying music video starts as a nostalgic late-’90s boy band fantasy before taking a gruesome turn into a blood-soaked nightmare. Romantic, disturbing and unmistakably Electric Callboy.
Electric Callboy will release their long-awaited new album TANZNEID this week on August 7, 2026, featuring fan favorites “Hypercharged“, ” Let The Good Times Roll”, “Revery“, “Still Waiting”, “TANZNEID“, “Elevator Operator“, “RATATATA” and “The Way You Are”. The celebrations kick off with the official Album Release Party at Berlin’s Huxley’s Neue Welt, featuring an Electric Bassboy DJ set, before continuing at Escalation Fest 2026, where the band will perform the new album live for the very first time. Fans can also expect the Loveboat, a full-size TEKKNO TRAIN, special guests and a huge celebration at Berlin’s Wuhlheide.
Aug 7, 2026 – Berlin, Germany – Album Release Party & Electric Bassboy DJ Set – Huxley’s neue Welt Aug 8, 2026 – Berlin, Germany – Escalation Fest 2026 – Parkbühne Wuhlheide
JAPAN
August 29, 2026 – Osaka, JP – Gorilla Hall (Electric Bassboy DJ Set) August 31, 2026 – Tokyo, JP – Garden Theater
AUSTRALIA
September 4, 2026 – Perth, AU – RAC Arena September 6, 2026 – Adelaide, AU – Entertainment Center September 8, 2026 – Melbourne, AU – Rod Laver Arena September 10, 2026 – Sydney, AU – Qudos Bank Arena September 12, 2026 – Brisbane, AU – Riverstage September 13, 2026 – Brisbane, AU – Riverstage
EUROPE 2027
January 21, 2027 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena January 23, 2027 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live January 24, 2027 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena Nottingham January 26, 2027 – Bournemouth, UK – Bournemouth International Centre January 27, 2027 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena Cardiff January 29, 2027 – Toulouse, FR – Zénith Toulouse Métropole January 30, 2027 – Bordeaux, FR – Arkéa Arena January 31, 2027 – Nantes, FR – Zénith Nantes Métropole February 14, 2027 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome February 15, 2027 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena February 16, 2027 – Brussels, BE – Forest National February 18, 2027 – Hannover, DE – ZAG Arena February 20, 2027 – Mannheim, DE – SAP Arena February 21, 2027 – Bern, CH – BERNEXPO Festhalle February 22, 2027 – Milan, IT – Unipol Forum February 24, 2027 – Prague, CZ – O2 Arena February 25, 2027 – Graz, AT – Stadthalle Graz February 27, 2027 – Dortmund, DE – Westfalenhalle 1 February 28, 2027 – Nuremberg, DE – PSD Bank Nürnberg ARENA March 2, 2027 – Leipzig, DE – QUARTERBACK Immobilien ARENA
Legendary Christian metal pioneers STRYPER proudly unveil their new single “Ashes To Roses,” taken from their upcoming 18th studio album, ‘Throne Of Thorns,’ set for release on September 25th via Frontiers Music Srl. Decades into their journey, STRYPER continue to reaffirm their status as one of the most influential and enduring bands in classic metal, seamlessly blending their signature message with a sound that remains as powerful and relevant as ever. “Ashes to Roses” arrives alongside an official lyric video, available below.
On the new track, Michael Sweet comments:
“’Ashes To Roses’ is definitely a little different for us. It’s got a little bit more of a throwback/classic rock vibe yet it’s got everything you would expect from STRYPER. It’s going to appeal all the people out there who have been wanting a good melodic rock ballad from the band. You asked, we listened!”
‘Throne of Thorns’ showcases the band at the height of their creative powers, delivering a masterclass in songwriting and musicianship. The album is packed with grand, meticulously crafted arrangements, where thunderous rhythms, soaring guitar harmonies, and anthemic choruses come together in a style that is unmistakably STRYPER. Each track is infused with both intensity and melody, capturing the essence of classic metal while pushing their sound forward with renewed energy and purpose.
At the forefront stands the unmistakable voice of Michael Sweet, whose passionate, powerful, and instantly recognizable delivery continues to define the band’s identity. His vocal performance on ‘Throne of Thorns’ is nothing short of extraordinary, effortlessly moving between soaring highs and emotive depth, adding a timeless quality to every song.
Perry Richardson says: “The best music doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from living, struggling, growing, and refusing to quit. I hope these songs find you exactly when you need them.”
With ‘Throne Of Thorns,’ STRYPER not only honors their legacy but expands upon it, offering an album that will resonate with longtime fans and newcomers alike. It’s a bold, inspired statement from a band that refuses to stand still—proof that true metal greatness only grows stronger with time.
Guitarist Oz Fox concludes:
“I’m really happy with the final outcome of this record and of the heart that went into it. Michael continues to pour everything he has into the music and the message; Robertbrings the power and energy that has always been the pulse of STRYPER; Perry’s musicianship, vocal talents, and dedication are second to none, and I’m grateful to be on this journey with all of them.”
1. Throne of Thorns 2. Here In Your Heart 3. Falling 4. I’m Alright (I’m Okay) 5. Waiting For You 6. Carry The Flame 7. Hollywood 8. Beautifully Broken 9. Ashes To Roses 10. Alone Again 11. Shadowbreaker
Four decades and counting, STRYPER shows no signs of slowing down. The band will be back on the road this summer with a full U.S. tour began July 17 in Arlington, TX. For a full list of dates, see below.
STRYPER Live:
Sept 19th – Wissen, GER @ Loud and Proud Festival 2026 Sept 29th – Derry, NH @ Tupelo Music Hall Sept 30th – Wantagh, NY @ Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall Oct 1st – Newton, NJ @ The Newton Theatre Oct 3rd – Harrisburg, PA @ XL Live Oct 4th – Warrendale, PA @ Jergel’s Rhythm Grille Oct 6th – Marion, IL @ Marion Cultural and Civic Center Oct 8th – McHenry, IL @ The Vixen Oct 9th – Wisconsin Dells, WI @ Crystal Grand Music Theatre Oct 10th – Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center Oct 12th – St. Louis, MO @ The Hawthorn Oct 13th – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s Oct 15th – Nashville, TN @ The Cannery Mainstage Oct 16th – Newton, NC @ Newton Performing Arts Center Oct 17th – Kingsport, TN @ MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center Oct 19th – Jacksonville, FL @ FIVE Oct 20th – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues Oct 22nd – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage Oct 23rd – Liberty, SC @ Pickens County PAC Oct 24th – Hopewell, VA @ Beacon Theatre Oct 25th – Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater Dec 5th – San Juan, PR @ Coca-Cola Music Hall
STRYPER are: Michael Sweet – Lead Vocals/Lead & Rhythm Guitar Robert Sweet – Drums & Percussion Oz Fox – Vocals/Lead and Rhythm Guitar Perry Richardson – Vocals/Bass
Some songs choose their release date. Made In Poland — the new single from CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY — arrived on August 1st, 2026. Warsaw Rising Day. The day Poland honours the 1944 Uprising — one of the most devastating and most defiant acts of resistance in European history. The day a city chose to fight knowing the odds and fought anyway.
It was not planned. It was simply right.
“I did not sit down and decide to release on August 1st because it was symbolic. The song was ready, and when I looked at the date, I understood that the song had always known when it wanted to arrive. Some things choose their own timing.” — Andrzej Citowicz
‘Made In Poland’ is available as an official lyric video on YouTube:
THE SONG: ROOTS, BLUES, AND A FATHER’S HANDS
Made In Poland is a blues-soaked hard rock song built from the most personal materials Andrzej Citowicz has ever assembled. Born in Wałbrzych, Poland, and now based in Cairo, Egypt, Andrzej has spent decades carrying his homeland inside him — through every city, every studio, every late night with a guitar that still speaks the language of the place that made him.
The song is not about geography. It is about inheritance. About the specific, irreplaceable things a father passes to a son not with words but with his hands. About what it means to be made somewhere — to carry that place in your body, your instincts, your musical DNA — long after you have physically left it behind.
At the heart of the lyric sits one of the most quietly devastating passages Andrzej has ever written:
My father built my first analog amp from an old radio. Old valves, dusty wires, a speaker with one more song to give. He didn’t hand me money — he handed me a reason. Every guitar I’ve played since still begins in that little box.
Arkadiusz Citowicz left when his son was 16 years old. Too soon. But what he left behind — a handmade amplifier built from old radio parts, valves, and dusty wires, assembled by a father who had no formal engineering training and every reason to try — became the foundation of everything that followed. Every chord. Every album. Every song released from a home studio in Cairo thirty years later.
“I have released many songs. But I have never written a line that felt as true as that one. He didn’t hand me money — he handed me a reason. Every guitar I have ever played still begins in that little box. That is not poetry. That is just what happened.” — Andrzej Citowicz
THE POLISH CONNECTION: SAMBORA, WAŁBRZYCH, AND THE BLUES
Made In Poland draws direct inspiration from Richie Sambora’s 1991 solo debut Stranger In This Town — a blues-drenched, deeply personal record that Andrzej counts among the most formative listening experiences of his life. What he did not know as a teenager hearing that record for the first time was that the man playing those guitars carried Poland in his blood.
Richie Sambora is of Polish descent on both sides of his family. His paternal grandfather Jan Sambora emigrated from Jodłowa, Poland. His maternal grandfather Alexander Sienila was also a Polish immigrant. The surname Sambora itself is Polish. The boy from New Jersey who became one of rock’s most celebrated guitarists was, in the most literal sense, shaped by the same soil that shaped the boy from Wałbrzych listening to him on a television screen decades later.
“I did not know Sambora was Polish when I first heard Stranger In This Town. When I found out, something clicked into place that I had always half-understood but could not name. The blues he played — that specific emotional directness, that refusal to hide behind technique — it felt familiar in a way I could not explain. Now I think I understand why.” — Andrzej Citowicz
That blues tradition — emotional, direct, built on the guitar as a voice rather than a tool — runs through every note of Made In Poland. The song is not a tribute to Sambora. It is a conversation with him. One Polish soul speaking to another across decades and oceans, through the shared language of six strings and honest feeling.
AUGUST 1ST: THE DAY THAT CHOSE THE SONG
The Warsaw Uprising of 1944 began on August 1st. For 63 days, the Polish Home Army fought the German occupation of Warsaw — outnumbered, outgunned, and ultimately unsupported by the Allied forces whose help they had been promised. Over 200,000 Polish civilians died. The city was systematically destroyed. And yet the uprising has never been remembered as a defeat. It has always been remembered as a choice — the choice to stand, to resist, to insist on dignity even when the outcome was already written.
Andrzej Citowicz released Made In Poland on this day not to make a political statement but to make a personal one. He is Polish. He was born in Wałbrzych, in the south of Poland, in a country that has spent its entire history surviving things that were supposed to destroy it. That survival — stubborn, proud, never quite explained to those who did not grow up inside it — is in the music whether he intends it to be or not.
“Being Polish means something specific that is very difficult to translate. It is not nationalism. It is not nostalgia. It is the particular weight of belonging to a place that has always had to fight for the right to exist — and has always found a way to keep existing anyway. That is in every note I play. I cannot take it out even if I wanted to.” — Andrzej Citowicz
RETURNING HOME
Made In Poland arrives as Andrzej prepares to return to Poland for the first time in years — with his wife Shereen and, for the first time, with his daughter Esther. A year that brought loss and miracle in equal measure. A year that stripped everything back to what actually matters. A year in which the distance between Cairo and Wałbrzych stopped feeling like geography and started feeling like time — time he wants back, or at least time he wants to finally close.
The song is a homecoming before the homecoming. A declaration made in music because some things need to be said in the language you trust most.
“I am made in Poland. That does not change because I live somewhere else. The guitar my father made possible, the music Sambora showed me was in me, the blues that arrived through a television screen in Wałbrzych when I was young — all of it is Polish. All of it is mine. Made In Poland is just the first time I have said that out loud.” — Andrzej Citowicz
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Andrzej Citowicz is a Polish-born guitarist, composer, and songwriter based in Cairo, Egypt, recording under the name Citovitz and The Fireflies of February. A former recording artist on Down Boys Records — the label co-owned by Erik Turner and Jerry Dixon of Warrant — he has built an extensive independent catalogue including the Living Room Rockstar series (Album of the Year 2025, Metal Impact Radio), Beautiful Damage: 1990–1996, For The Hawk, and the upcoming album Acoustism, due in autumn 2026. His work has been covered by Metal Shock Finland, Metal Hammer Italy, Rock Queen Reviews, MetalPedia MX, Metalheads Forever, and Breathing The Core, among others.
SINGLE DETAILS Single: Made In Poland Music, Guitars & Lyrics: Andrzej Citowicz Released: August 1st, 2026 — Warsaw Rising Day From the upcoming album: Acoustism — Autumn 2026 Artist: Citovitz and The Fireflies of February Inspired by: Stranger In This Town — Richie Sambora (1991)
Alt-Rockers, The Intemperate Sons, have released their new track, “The One That Eats You,” from their upcoming third studio album, Ephemera, set for release in Fall 2026.
Some things you carry. Others carry you, quietly, until there’s nothing left to recognize — that’s the space The Intemperate Sons live in on “The One That Eats You.” Produced with Amir Derakh, the track marks an evolution in the band’s alt-rock sound, pulling in the post-punk and goth influences that have been living in their heads lately.
The Intemperate Sons release all their music through the Frame|Work record label at the direction of Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck. All Intemperate Sons’ tracks are mixed by Amir Derakh at Synthicide in Long Beach, CA.
In the sweltering Dallas summer of 2019, before the onset of a global pandemic, The Intemperate Sons were born from blood, grit, and a shared obsession with the ghosts of alternative rock’s golden age. The Watson family—Keith on drums, Jake on guitars, and Max on vocals, guitars, and keys—joined forces with longtime friend and bassist Mark Marks to create a sound that’s equal parts searing riffs, haunting harmonies, and unapologetic soul. Think Alice in Chains’ brooding intensity, Stone Temple Pilots’ swagger, and R.E.M.’s poetic undercurrent, all filtered through a ‘70s rock haze that refuses to play it safe.
This isn’t just a band; it’s a family affair, where the unspoken bond between father and sons fuels every chord and lyric. Keith, a Dallas stage veteran, pens lyrics that cut deep—tales of regret, resilience, and the chaos of the human condition. Jake’s guitar lines, sharp yet soulful, weave narratives of their own, while Max’s voice carries the weight of a 25-year-old who’s lived a lifetime in his head. Mark, the groove-obsessed bassist, ties it all together.
The Intemperate Sons hit the ground running, catching the ear of rock heavyweights Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh (Orgy, Dead By Sunrise, Julien-K), who signed them to their Frame|Work label in 2021. Even a global pandemic couldn’t derail their momentum—holed up in The Kitchen Recording Studios, they crafted their debut album, The Color Within (2022), with tracks like “Dust to Dust” and “Running Man” that pulse with raw emotion and retro grit. Collaborations with legends like Tony Franklin (Whitesnake, The Firm) on singles like “Running Man” and “Dust to Dust” and Derakh’s production on singles like “Game of Keep Away” and “Dark Day’s Night” featured on their second and highly successful album, Dark Day’s Night (2024) pushed their sound further, blending post-grunge edge with folk and hard rock undercurrents.
For fans of alternative rock, this band is a throwback and a revelation—a reminder of why you fell in love with the genre’s raw honesty and a promise that its spirit still burns. The Intemperate Sons aren’t chasing trends; they’re carving their own path, one riff, one lyric, one night at a time.performing tracks that scratch deep into the backbone of the human experience. There is no shortage of darkness in their writing style which has a retro vibe with many guitar driven tracks stacked on top of a groovy rhythm section. The heavier style fits perfectly with the two and three-part vocal harmonies that are a huge part of their overall sound. It has been said that musicians that are related form unique sounds and communicate on a frequency only they can understand. This frequency has become engrained in their songwriting, arrangements, guitar melodies and vocal harmonies. The band has been compared to Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and even R.E.M.
The Intemperate Sons Show Dates: Saturday, August 29th @ Trees in Dallas, Texas Saturday, September 12th @ Craft and Growler in Dallas, Texas
The Intemperate Sons are: Max Watson (vocals, backing vocals, guitars, keys, bass) Jake Watson (guitars, bass and backing vocals) Keith Watson (drums, backing vocals) Mark Marks (bass)
Swedish hardcore punk legends TOTALITÄR have released “Älskade USA”, the second single taken from their upcoming self-titled album, due out on August 28th via De:Nihil Records in Europe and Prank Records in North America.
A furious blast of uncompromising Scandinavian hardcore, “Älskade USA” delivers everything that has made TOTALITÄR one of the most influential names in the genre: raw aggression and a direct, no-frills approach that remains as powerful today as it was decades ago.
For more than four decades, TOTALITÄR have stood as one of the most influential and uncompromising bands to emerge from the Swedish hardcore punk underground. Formed in Hudiksvall in 1985, the band helped define the sound of Swedish D-beat through a relentless combination of speed, aggression, and political conviction. Their raw and uncompromising approach has inspired countless bands across the globe and secured their place as one of the most respected names in hardcore punk.
From landmark releases such as “Multinationella Mördare”, “Luftslott”, and “Vänd Dig Inte Om” to later classics including “Sin Egen Motståndare” and “Vi Är Eliten”, TOTALITÄR have remained fiercely committed to their vision. Their music has always been driven by a deep distrust of authority, a fierce opposition to oppression and abuse of power, and an unwavering belief in punk as a vehicle for resistance and social critique.
Now, twenty years after the release of “Vi Är Eliten”, TOTALITÄR return with a brand-new self-titled album. Rather than revisiting past glories, TOTALITÄR reaffirm everything that has made the band essential for over forty years: blistering D-beat, razor-sharp riffs, and an intensity that refuses to diminish with age. The new material sounds every bit as urgent and uncompromising as the records that first established the band’s reputation, while carrying the weight and experience of a lifetime spent challenging conformity and complacency.
In an era where many legendary punk bands have either disappeared or softened their edges, TOTALITÄR remain exactly what they have always been: direct, furious, and impossible to ignore. The release of “Totalitär” is not merely a return, it is a powerful reminder that one of hardcore punk’s most vital voices still has something to say, and is saying it louder than ever.
To celebrate the album release, TOTALITÄR will also perform a special show on 26 September 2026 in Malmö, Sweden.
1. Vad är det ni vill ha? 2. Stolta barbarer 3. Följ din prognos 4. Älskade USA 5.Detta är vad jag fick 6 Det är krig ni vill ha 7. En dag hos terapeuten 8. Himlen – en öppen kloak 9. Fängsla dem alla
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 