Finnish heavy metal band Ikirouta from Kajaani, releases their 22nd single “En milloinkaan” (I Will Never)! Only after two months after the previous single “Pettymyksen vuori” (A mountain of disappointment) a new song continues the story of Ikirouta.
–Composed and written by Teemu Kuosmanen –Mix, mastering and co-production – Elmeri Kinnunen, Sewing Room Productions –Recording – Teemu Kuosmanen, Mikko Niiranen ja Mikko Hirvelä –Video – Teemu Kuosmanen –ISRC – QT6G62525347 –Promotional pictures – Petri Sara, Petri Sara Photography
“I had ‘En milloinkaan’ as a rough draft on my computer since late summer 2025, and the song took its final form quite quickly at the end of November,” says guitarist Teemu Kuosmanen, who wrote the song. “The recording, mixing, and mastering also went very quickly.”
”The song is about how, even though life doesn’t always go the way you want it to and even though there are all kinds of naysayers and pessimists around you, you can still get through anything if you want to and believe in yourself,” says Kuosmanen. “When I sing it, I feel like I won’t give up and no one can bring me to my knees,” says singer Jori Kärki.
The song is a fast-paced, synth-driven, melodic rock song. The guitar also plays a role, and the chorus is quite big and catchy, in typical Ikirouta style.
Ikirouta is a Finnish melodic metal band from Kajaani, formed in the winter of 2020. They have performed at clubs and festivals throughout Finland and shared the stage with bands like Popeda and Blind Channel and also even the legendary Skid Row. The band’s music is available on all digital music platforms, and on Spotify alone, the band has been listened to well over 2 million times. Every song can be found on YouTube with a music video.
Ikirouta: Jori Kärki – vocals Teemu Kuosmanen – guitar & keyboards Jere Pellikka – bass Jani Partanen – drums
After taking it a bit easier on the live front last year, Melodic Death/Thrashers FINAL CRY are gearing up for a 2026 fully dedicated to festivals! Under the banner “Packed, Plugged & Possessed,” the guys and the gal are set to tear it up, especially on open-air stages. Highlights include festival appearances at MOSH IM MAI in Kiel, HELL OVER HALEN, ROCK & METAL DAYZ in Oschersleben, and finally ROCKHARZ in Ballenstedt. In addition, the quartet will perform at a few hand-picked events, with the Sturmfest in Göttingen and the legendary Easter bash “Voll in die Eier” in Leer being the only shows where the band can be experienced in a classic club or pub setting.
The rest of the year, however, the quintet won’t be idle, as they focus on a follow-up to their 2022 album The Ever-Rest, which has sold over 1,200 physical copies to date. The first songs are already written, and diehard fans can once again look forward to a record that combines the band’s ’80s Thrash Metal roots with the dark influences of Scandinavian Death and Black Metal of the ’90s, all with plenty of melody and atmosphere. The band is targeting a release next year. You can find the dates for the confirmed live shows this year below; the kickoff at Göttinger Exil is on February 27!
live shows:
“Packed, Plugged & Possessed” FEST.EVIL Tour 2026
27.02. – Sturmfest Göttingen, Exil 05.04. – Voll in die Eier, Leer, Szenerie 24./25.04. – Mosh im Mai, Kiel, Räucherei 01./02.05. – Hell Over Halen, Emstek 27.06. – Rock & Metal Day’z, Oschersleben 02.07. – ROCKHARZ, Ballenstedt +more ahead
Alt rock favorites Yellowcard have released their new radio single, “Bedroom Posters” featuring Good Charlotte. The song is a new feature version of the “Bedroom Posters” track found on their 2025 albumwhich also includes the band’s first alternative radio number 1 hit with the title track, “Better Days”.
“The new single “Bedroom Posters” is for anyone who holds memories of their hometown near and dear…”, lead vocalist Ryan Key says. “Have you ever come back to visit your hometown and felt crushed by all the memories that led up to the day you left? Have you ever felt like settling down somewhere meant giving up your dream? If so, “Bedroom Posters” is for you.” Key goes on to share, “We all felt like “Bedroom Posters” was a really special song when we were making the record. The power behind Joel’s vocals take it to an even more impactful place that can truly take you back to the bedroom where you fell in love with your favorite band for the first time.”
“GC and Yellowcard finally have a song together and it feels so right”, Good Charlotte lead vocalist Joel Madden says. I love this band and this song and “I’m so happy we got the GCXYC collab. And now we are going on tour! This is our love language and I hope everyone that listens feels the love that both our bands have for each other, our fans, and for the music. I can’t wait for tour!”
Better Days is Yellowcard’s first new album in almost a decade and first with executive producer Travis Barker, with Barker also playing drums on every song including “Bedroom Posters”, “Better Days” and “honestly I” and “Take What you Want”.
Fresh off the huge Maximum Fun Tour with A Day To Remember last year, Yellowcard have announced a massive U.S. outing this summer and are bringing some friends along — The Up Up Down Down Tour will include both New Found Glory and Plain White T’s. Before that, Yellowcard and Good Charlotte also hit Australia & New Zealand together starting on February 17th.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Australia & New Zealand Feb 17th – Perth, AU – RAC Arena Feb 19th – Brisbane, AU – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Feb 21st – Bendigo, AU – Bendigo Racecourse Feb 25th – Sydney, AU – Qudos Bank Arena Feb 27th – Auckland, AU – Auckland Domain
UP UP DOWN DOWN TOUR May 06 – Atlanta, GA- Coca-Cola Roxy May 08 – Hollywood, FL -Hard Rock Live May 13 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill May 16 – Chicago, IL- Salt Shed Outdoors May 17 – Milwaukee, WI – Landmark Credit Union Live May 20 – Denver, CO – JUNKYARD May 21 – Sandy, UT – The Plaza at America First Field May 23 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater May 24 – Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle May 25 – Airway Heights, WA – BECU Live at Northern Quest May 27 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium May 28 – Stateline, NV – Tahoe Blue Center May 30 – Las Vegas, NV – BleauLive Theater inside Fontainebleau Las Vegas May 31 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory Festival Grounds Jun 01 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre Jun 04 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall Jun 05 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Jun 06 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum Jun 08 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater Jun 09 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre Jun 11 – New York, NY – SummerStage in Central Park Jun 12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage Jun 15 – Moon Township, PA – UPMC Events Center Jun 17 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
About Yellowcard
Yellowcard meant it when they said goodbye. The lights dimmed on one of the most beloved pop-punk and alt-rock bands of the 2000s with intention and authenticity. Wrapping things up with a farewell tour, Yellowcard exited the “right” way, with grace, appreciation, and finality.
But the story wasn’t complete. Legacy cracked the door. Healing blew it wide open. Riding a resurgence that saw the global Ocean Avenue 20th anniversary tour featured in Forbes and a reconciliation that put all four members at peace with their legacy and each other, Yellowcard just made the most ambitious and emotionally resonant record of their career. Better Days, the band’s first album in nearly a decade, was produced by blink-182’s Travis Barker, who also played drums on every track.
Their first release with powerhouse label Better Noise Music, Better Days is Yellowcard’s testimony that healing is a process, growth is nonlinear, and sometimes the best chapter opens after the supposed ending. This isn’t just a return. It’s a reckoning. And this time, Yellowcard is ready.
Yellowcard is: William Ryan Key – Vocals/Guitar Sean Mackin – Violin Ryan Mendez – Guitar Josh Portman – Bass
THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT (@tfp_devotion) were hailed by Pandora as one of their “Artists to Watch 2025: The Pandora Ten,” which shined a light on a group of ten emerging artists across all genres that the platform believed would break big. The emo-rooted Atlanta band more than lived up to that expectation by achieving two #1 Active Rock singles on the Billboard and Mediabase charts—“Holy Water” (featuring Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch) and “Suffocate City” (featuring Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)—while the current “Dark Thoughts” is now in the Top 3. The band also had their busiest year on tour in the U.S. yet with bands including Ice Nine Kills and In This Moment, and their first-ever tour of Europe with The Rasmus.
THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT has jumped headlong into 2026 with today’s release of their first-ever live album, LIVE FROM SUFFOCATE CITY via Better Noise Music, available to stream/download and purchase as a CD/Blu-ray combo and on vinyl in their signature green and purple HERE. To coincide with the album, the band is bringing the track “Stay Weird” to cinematic life with today’s video release HERE.
“‘Stay Weird’ has always been our love letter to the beautifully strange souls who’ve supported this band from day one,” declares frontman Lee Jennings. “Hearing The Coffin Crew scream it back at us in Atlanta during our ‘Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting’ was unreal. That night captured everything we stand for—individuality, belonging, and the freedom to be exactly who you are. I’m beyond excited that this live album lets the world feel that energy.”
“Stay Weird” is the follow-up to the live video of their breakout single, “Voodoo Doll,” released October 31. Listen to it HERE and view the video HERE.
On LIVE FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, fans are invited to step inside the chaos and catharsis of THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT’s first-ever “Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting,” captured live from their sold-out hometown show at The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA in 2025. The exclusive Blu-ray documents the band’s legendary performance in front of a packed house of diehard fans. It’s a thrilling night of raw emotion, high-energy theatrics, and fan-favorite anthems.
Fans were already treated to an early glimpse of the live album with the August 22 release of the four-track DARK THOUGHTS EP. In addition to the live track, three other versions of “Dark Thoughts” are featured: the original version, a version featuring vocals by Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, and a new remix of the song. The EP can be streamed and downloaded HERE, along with two videos: “Dark Thoughts (Beyond The Abyss Remix)” HERE and “Dark Thoughts (Live From Suffocate City)” HERE (which has over 34k views).
The GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY album was originally released September 13, 2024. It consists of 14 tracks of theatrical, dramatic, unapologetic, full-throated flair with guest appearances from Bert McCracken of The Used, Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, and Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire.
The deluxe edition, GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY – FROM BEYOND THE ABYSS: DELUXE EDITION, was released June 13 via Better Noise Music, with digital, CD, and vinyl copies available HERE. It contains 24 songs including tracks from the CASSANOVA EP and the FROM BEYOND THE ABYSS EP, as well as “Holy Water” feat. Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch, “Hearse for Two” feat. Lilith Czar and three brand new songs: “Skinny Lies,” “Evergreen,” and “Lost Boy.” The vinyl and CD two-disc deluxe packages feature 21 tracks, one of which is exclusive to the physical formats (“Friends Like These”).
The album campaign for GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY began in August 2022 with the release of “Voodoo Doll” when they were an opening band in 300-400 person venues (or smaller). Throughout 2025 they performed 176 shows and drew the biggest crowds at major festivals including Warped Tour and Louder Than Life, touring all year with bands like Ice Nine Kills, The Used, Underoath, In This Moment, and they performed their first-ever European tour with The Rasmus.
2026 stands to be another big touring year for THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT. They’re set for two hometown “Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting” shows in Atlanta, GA on January 16 (tonight) and 17 before heading out on the “Alienation” tour with Three Days Grace along with I Prevail starting February 21 in Fort Wayne, IN. Tickets for all shows are available on the band’s official website.
Here’s the track listing for the LIVE FROM SUFFOCATE CITY in all formats:
Tour dates and tickets for THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT—Lee Jennings (vocals), Cody Weissinger (guitar), Robert Weston (bass), and Homer Umbanhowar (drums)—can be found HERE.
Headlining “Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting” shows: Fri 1/16 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade Sat 1/17 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade 1/25 – 1/31 Half Moon Cay/Celebration Key/Nassau ShipRocked cruise
“Alienation” tour with Three Days Grace: Feb 21 – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Center #! Feb 24 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena #! Feb 26 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena #! Feb 27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live At Etess Arena #! Mar 1 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center #! Mar 3 – Pittsburgh, PA – Ppg Paints Arena #! Mar 5 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum #@! Mar 6 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center #@! Mar 8 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena #! Mar 9 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena #! Mar 10 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center #! Mar 12 – Belmont Park, NY – Ubs Arena #@! Mar 13 – Baltimore, MD – Cfg Bank Arena #@! Mar 14 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena #! Mar 17 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center #! Mar 18 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre @!! Mar 20 – Clearwater, FL – The Baycare Sound #@!
Mar 21 – Orlando, FL – Central Florida Fairgrounds #@! *WJRR Earthday Birthday along with Mammoth
Festivals: May 29 – Stitching, Netherlands – Vestrock June 5 – Nürburgring, Germany – Rock Am Ring June 7 – Nuremberg, Germany – Rock Im Park June 13 – Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic – Rock For People June 18 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop June 21 – Clisson, France – Hellfest June 27 – Helsinki, Finland – Tuska Festival July 2 – Viveiro, Spain – Resurrection Festival July 10 – Gettysburg, PA – Gettysburg Bike Week
“Alienation” tour with Three Days Grace: Oct 23 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum #! Oct 25 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion #! Oct 26 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center #! Oct 28 – Rogers, AR – Walmart Amp #! Oct 30 – Huntsville, AL – The Orion Amphitheater #! Nov 1 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena #! Nov 3 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena #! Nov 4 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse #! Nov 6 – Tulsa, OK – Bok Center #! Nov 7 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center #! Nov 9 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center #! Nov 11 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena #! Nov 14 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater #! Nov 15 – Spokane, WA – Numerica Veterans Arena #! Nov 17 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center #! Nov 18 – San Jose, CA – Sap Center #! Nov 20 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena #! Nov 21 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre #! Nov 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Intuit Dome #! #I Prevail !The Funeral Portrait @Sleep Theory
Finnish Kuopio-based death ‘n’ roll metal band Funeral Home released their debut album ‘Your Funeral’ on January 16th 2026 via Inverse Records. With their debut album, Funeral Home brings together death metal & filthy death ’n’ roll. Gloomy riffs, raw strong vocals and rock-ish groove make “Your Funeral” the perfect soundtrack to your funeral…
Founded in 2009, Funeral Home is a death metal band from Kuopio, Finland. Their musical influences range from death ‘n’ roll and old-school styles to with gloomy melodies of death metal . The band writes its songs with the music first, keeping the song structures simple and the arrangements flowing.
Line-up: Ossi Maalampi – vocals Henri Ojala – lead guitar Henri Thitz – rhythm guitar Juha Korhonen – bass Jouko Poussu – drums
Photo: CLAUSTROFOBIA with João Gordo – Photo: Alcides Burn
Claustrofobia returns after the acclaimed album Unleeched, released by the American label M-Theory Audio and available in Brazil through Wikimetal Music. The record was featured by major outlets such as Metal Injection, Decibel Magazine, Roadie Crew, and more.
Now, the Brazilian band is promoting the single “AQUI NÃO” featuring João Gordo from Ratos de Porão. Released this Wednesday, the 14th, the track arrives alongside a music video created by Cyber Dog with the aid of Artificial Intelligence — marking the first time Claustrofobia has explored this technology — blended with footage of the band’s traditional performance.
Listen to the new single “AQUI NÃO” here – Artwork: Alcides Burn
About the single, Marcus D’Angelo says:
“‘AQUI NÃO’ is a 100% Brazilian Thrash–Core–Death crossover, with an acidic lyric that resonates across different layers, but that essentially makes it clear we will never be contaminated by human traps, amplified by the virtual world and dominant in today’s landscape, especially in Brazil”
He continues: The track reaffirms that we do not give up our principles, even at a time when everyone seems forced to surrender or adapt to some convenient rule. And nothing could be more fitting than calling on João Gordo, the absolute master of Brazilian crossover, to vociferate this resistance with us, spreading discomfort exactly to those who deserve to feel it.”
João Gordo, singer and front-man of Ratos de Porão, adds:
“Man, it’s an honor for me to take part in a Claustrofobia track. I’ve already appeared on songs by almost all the big metal bands in Brazil — Sepultura, Krisiun, Nervosa — and I always said, ‘damn, man, only Claustrofobia was missing.’ When I heard the song, I thought it was killer. Claustrofobia is one of the bastions of angry metal in Brazil. It’s really angry. I’ve seen their show from the side of the stage and was blown away by the fury, the hatred, and the fire in the eyes of those two brothers, man. Taking part in this song was a pleasure. It’s a conscious song, with good lyrics, you know? And in Portuguese too, which I value a lot, especially being sung here in our country. That’s it. There’s not much else to say. It’s badass.”
Claustrofobia channels its heavy metal energy through a solid career across Brazil, South America, Europe, and the United States. Currently living in the U.S., the band toured with Sepultura, opening shows on their farewell tour Celebrating Life Through Death, alongside Obituary and Agnostic Front. More recently, they opened 22 dates on CRYPTA’s North American tour.
Founded and led by the fiercely independent D’Angelo brothers since 1994, CLAUSTROFOBIA has maintained the same respect, attitude, and strong approach from the dirtiest underground clubs to today’s biggest stages.
Their unmistakable energy and authenticity have earned them a loyal fanbase across Brazil, South America, Europe, and the United States. It comes as no surprise that the band has shared the stage with metal royalty such as Iron Maiden, Slayer, Anthrax, and Sepultura, among others.
In 2019, Claustrofobia returned to Brazil for a historic performance at Rock in Rio, following a nationwide fan petition. The band was also personally invited by Slayer to open the group’s final show in São Paulo.
On their latest album, Unleeched, the band revisits its trademark aggressive sound while expanding its sonic palette across nine brand-new tracks. Produced by Adair Daufembach alongside the band, and recorded, mixed, and mastered by Daufembach in August 2020 at Northwood Sound Studio in Los Angeles, Unleeched is available on all digital platforms.
“Building a cult is one of those things that’s easy in theory but tough in practice. Or it is, anyway, if you’re not Claustrofobia — a Brazilian death metal-tinged trad-thrash ultra-power trio that will have you head banging” – Shawn Macomber, Decibel Magazine,
Genre: crossover Label: M- Theory Audio Production: Marcus D’Angelo & Caio D’Angelo Recording: Brandon Hoffman – Las Vegas, NV, USA Mastering: Alejandro Londoño Montoya at AJM Sound – Amsterdam, The Netherlands Mixing: Brandon Hoffman at Black Format Audio
Lineup: Marcus D’Angelo – Vocals and Guitar Caio D’Angelo – Drum
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 ) 