Finnish one-man melodic death/black/folk metal band Wooden Shadow is set to release the second album ‘Silverlake’ on November 19th 2026 via Inverse Records. The second single which features Jaana Juntunen on guest vocals is released today and it’s available on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/wooden-shadow-blackened
The man behind Wooden Shadow, Jeremia Ponto comments: “This is a song that echoes the longing and despair of missing someone who isn’t coming back. A sentiment conveyed through both the lyrics and the melody. It is like a tear making its way through the forest. Guest vocalist (and good of mine friend) Jaana Juntunen brings out the best in this track; the nuances of her vocals capture exactly what the song needs. I believe, or at least hope, that ‘Blackened Roses Fall’ will make listeners pause for a moment. In any case, it has been a great honor to work on this.”
It was fun making the song, lovely lyrics, and it was fun to sing. It was also fun working on it together, and I hope others like it too!” Says Jaana Juntunen
–Composed & lyrics by Jeremia Ponto –Single cover by Jeremia Ponto –ISRC: FI3FC2603504
Biography:
Wooden Shadow is a one-man solo project from Ylöjärvi playing melodic metal, which combine genres in places, especially in the case of new material between folk metal and melodic death metal. From 2020 still running Wooden Shadow and Jeremia Ponto, who leads the solo project, plays the instrumentation and sings in his own music. The lyrical theme is about nature, the darkness of the human mind and life/death – thoughts.
Silverlake Track list:
The Dawn
Varjopuun Polkka
Red Oak
Blackened Roses Fall (feat. Jaana Juntunen)
Upward
Overture Of The Cruelty / Murhe (Acoustic Medley)
Shadowdance
The Ancient Forest
Breath Of Backwinter
Muistojen Valssi
–Composed & lyrics by Jeremia Ponto –Album cover by Hannes Vuohijoki
Melodic Black/Death Metal band Hyperion have partnered with No Clean Singing for the video premiere of “Fides Novem,” the second single from forthcoming album, Elysia!
“Elysiais an enormously ambitious hybrid of melodic death and black metal — big movements, big sounds, big ideas, a highly resourceful fusion of complexity and cohesion.Fides Novem, the third song on the album, nearly hits the nine-minute mark.Hyperionmake use of that time as if they thought tomorrow would never come.”– No Clean Singing
After a decade since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Seraphical Euphony, Hyperion are proud to announce the upcoming Willowtip release of Elysia! The album is out November 6 on CD, 2xLP, and digital formats.
“Elysiais an explosion of intensity in all kinds of directions. To call it an ambitious album would be an understatement.Hyperionnever creates music with half measures and this is the ultimate statement of that. It is different from Seraphical Euphony, but still contains the vital elements that make us what we are. To make this album a reality has been a titanic effort and we are beyond excited to finally have it released to the world.”
Elysia was recorded between 2020 – 2023 in Wing Studios, Studio Forlorn Halls and in various private locations.
Erik Molnar: Guitars, Synthesizer Programming, Spoken Word Joel Hagroth: Guitars, Spoken Word Mikael Malm: Guitars Raul Vicente: Bass Mauritz Flodin: Drums, Orchestrations
Mixed and Mastered between 2023 – 2024 in Wing Studios by Sverker Widgren.
Main artwork by Khaos Diktator Iliou Persis artwork by Khaos Diktator Fides Novem artwork by Jacob Fredén Paraphrosynia artwork by Joan Llopis Doménech
Guest vocals on Nefarious Sacrament of the Immorals by Johan Nephente. Guest vocals on Fides Novem by Elias Lyxell. Guest vocals on Iliou Persis by Atterigner. Female guest vocals on Paraphrosynia by Karin Eriksson. Iliou Persis battle choir: Erik Molnar, Joel Hagroth, Mikael Malm, Mortuz Denatus, Johan Camling, Henrik Edman.
Sound effects and ambience taken from various clips from freesound.org, Looperman and Nexus 4. Drum post-production by Hyperion, Mortuz Denatus and Sverker Widgren. Vocals and minor lyrical adjustments by Harry Lauraéus.
Booklet design by Marcos Cerutti. Booklet ruin pictures taken by Joel Hagroth. Iliou Persis shield and spear sigil by Joel Hagroth. Band pictures by Varghamne.
BIO:
Hyperion was formed in 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden. The original vision was to create melodic music rich in harmony that was also brutal and epic, thus in the beginning Hyperion were inspired by many Swedish, primarily melodic, death metal bands and still are to this day. The only remaining members from this line-up is Erik Molnar.
Later, the band took a move towards incorporating elements of Swedish and Norwegian black metal. Mikael Malm, Efe Guner (former guitarist), Harry Lauraéus and Raul Vicente joined the ranks.
The band released their demo in 2010 and played some gigs in Stockholm for some years. The debut album, Seraphical Euphony, took many years to write and record. It was towards the end of this process that Efe Guner departed to be replaced by Joel Hagroth.
Hyperion finally released Seraphical Euphony in February 2016, which contains both new material and more professional re-recordings of the songs on the demo Blood of the Ancients, through Black Lion Records.
In the years that followed, the band went on a couple of tours. These encompassed most of Central Europe and Germany. Other highlights include House of Metal and supporting Batushka in Riga and Tallinn.
The fusion of a myriad of ideas from several minds is an arduous but fruitful process, and in the end, it has resulted in a new album, Elysia, that is much more complex. It is a barrage of guitars and symphonies of a kind that is rarely seen, but great care has been taken to make them complement each other and draw you in to discover more the deeper you get.
Power Take Off has unveiled the official music video for “Cornfields at Midnight,” bringing a new visual dimension to the band’s latest hard-hitting single.
Released August 18th on all streaming platforms via ANRGIRL/Betachain and distributed through FUGA/Universal, “Cornfields at Midnight” showcases Power Take Off’s signature combination of raw energy, tight musicianship, infectious hooks, and the unmistakable chemistry of a band built around family.
The band shares, “The ‘Cornfields At Midnight’ video truly catches our Power Take Off Midwestern, hard working, hard playing, rock and roll work ethic.
When it came to the video, we really wanted to capture the planting of a seed of corn and over a period of time how tall and strong it can grow. So strong it can elevate a drum set and represent a relationship of boy/girl experiencing time that passes together in their relationship.
We had such a blast during the production of ‘Cornfields at Midnight’. All the agriculture scenes are shot on our 210-acre family farm in Madison, WI. It’s also, the last family farm to exist in Madison today.”
“Cornfields at Midnight” follows the band’s recent success with “Dixie Cup,” which has surpassed 100,000 streams in just a few months. Produced by Malcolm Springer and recorded at Stoner Creek Studios, owned by Peter Keys of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the milestone further established Power Take Off as a rising force in the rock scene.
At the heart of Power Take Off are father-and-son duo Scott and Ayden, whose musical journey began in 2019. During the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two began creating music together in the basement studio of their family home. What started as a creative outlet quickly became the foundation for a band with a sound and identity all its own.
Scott, a fourth-generation farmer and truck driver with more than 35 years in the music industry, takes on a new roll in the band. Once a drummer, Scott now takes center stage as the band’s charismatic lead vocalist. His son, Ayden, began playing drums at an early age and has developed into a dynamic and highly skilled performer, bringing youthful intensity and precision to the band’s live shows.
Scott shares, “Being a fourth-generation farmer, it’s hard to watch the landscape I grew up with change year after year. There’s something heartbreaking about seeing farmland, family farms, and small communities disappear as the world around them continues to grow. ‘Cornfields at Midnight’ is a reflection on time, change, and the transformation happening across rural communities throughout America’s heartland. It’s about saying goodbye to the small towns we knew and saying hello to big business and urban sprawl, watching concrete replace cornfields. That’s what inspired the lyrics “in a concreted city that use to be our town.”
“Power Take Off are Midwestern farm boys at heart, and this song is our way of bringing awareness to something that matters deeply to us. We’re not trying to tell people how to feel, we’re simply sharing our thoughts, our memories, and our perspective on what’s being lost as our hometowns change. We believe it’s a conversation worth having.”
The band’s lineup is rounded out by Ethan “Hank” Schluter and Mike “Cowboy” Delp on guitar, with Jakob “JR” on bass. Together, the five-piece has built a reputation for electrifying performances, taking their music across the United States and completing multiple tours alongside national acts.
One of Power Take Off’s most distinctive live moments comes when the father-and-son duo switches roles onstage. Scott returns to the drums while Ayden steps up to the microphone, giving audiences a completely different side of the band and highlighting the musical versatility that has become a hallmark of their performances.
“Cornfields at Midnight” continues that evolution, pairing Power Take Off’s hard-driving rock ’n’ roll attitude with the polished production of Chuck Alkazian. The result is a track designed to hit just as hard through a pair of headphones as it does from the stage.
Power Take Off also recently brought their explosive live show to Taste of Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, on September 5, further expanding their growing presence on the festival and touring circuit.
Brazilian progressive metallers Maestrick return today with their new single and official video “Zion”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
The band said: “’Zion’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for Maestrick. We have a new lineup, renewed energy, and a real sense of excitement about what lies ahead. We’re grateful for everything we’ve created so far, but this song takes us into new territory – and we can’t wait to explore it”.
“‘Zion’ brings Maestrick’s symphonic side to the forefront, drawing on the cinematic scale of composers like Hans Zimmer and Gustav Holst. At the same time, we’re exploring modern sounds in both the instrumentation and vocals, with electronic and atmospheric elements inspired by artists such as Muse, VOLA, Spiritbox, and Bad Omens”, they added.
Founded in São José do Rio Preto/SP by three friends, Maestrick have been active since 2006 and bring in their sound elements of rock and progressive heavy metal, Brazilian regional music, world music and classical music.
The band have released two albums in Brazil, Europe, United States and Japan, and are recognized for drinking from different artistic aspects – cinema, plastic arts, visual arts and literature – for their compositions, which results in a unique and, according to specialized critics, innovative style.
Not surprisingly, Maestrick captivates movie fans, notably those of Tim Burton, George Méliès, Guillermo del Toro, and Christopher Nolan. In music, it attracts listeners of both modern rock/metal, such as Muse, and also of more niche styles within metal, such as Dream Theater, Haken, Jinjer, Spirit Box, and classics like Queen, Yes, and Gentle Giant.
Their songs address everyday complex themes of human nature. The album “Espresso Della Vita: Solare”, from 2018, was rated by BURRN!, one of the most respected music publications in the world, with a score of 86/100 – quite high for the publication’s standard. Solare’s success led to a tour of Europe with nine shows in Switzerland, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Their latest album “Espresso Della Vita: Lunare”, was released in 2025, showcasing the ability of the band to push the Progressive metal boundaries.
“Zion” now opens a new chapter for Maestrick, with a new album coming in 2027 and the band ready to take their distinctive and adventurous sound to an even wider international audience.
Line Up: Fabio Caldeira – Vocals Renato “Montanha” Somera Jr – Bass Chris Oliveira – Drums Charles Soulz – Keyboards Gabriel Velloso – Guitars
Once again, in his newest single, BADSQUATCH gets gritty and he’s still not pulling any punches whatsoever. The new track titled “All My Friends Are Parasites” is straight out of an old-school thrash catalogue complete with ripping guitars (featuring Cinthya Blackcat on lead) and a snarling attitude of somebody who is completely fed up with the people around them. This will be the final single from his upcoming debut album, a fourteen-track mental health piece that he says is an account of his journey of learning what it is to be human.
As we grow into more knowledgeable, centered, and complete versions of ourselves, there’s a common experience that happens during stages of growth where one finally wakes up to realize that certain relationships are more one-sided than others. It’s a difficult moment to understand that people you may even love don’t reciprocate the same respect or value for the connection that you do, and when you are only pouring into others, yet they never pour back, it becomes a very draining relationship to be in. Harder still, is learning to set new boundaries with these people as you move forward in your life on the journey to becoming the best version of yourself. Sometimes in that learning process, those boundaries can be vehemently and even harshly laid down.
BADSQUATCH’s journey to understand what it means to be human speaks on this with an explosion of exasperation in this new song. He talks of drowning in empathy, some unapologetic boundary-setting, and even straight up pointing the finger at you with a big “you suck”. Following all of his gnashing of teeth, he does round out the song to include himself by changing the lyric to “we” all suck. Maybe he’s reminding himself, or us, that we all can be an emotional vampire, and the journey that it is to be human involves a sense of self awareness, especially when one wants to grow.
Friday October 16th @ Brokedown Palace in Omaha, NE Friday October 23rd @ Smitty’s Place in Rushville, NE Saturday October 24th @ The Vet’s Club in Valentine, NE Thursday October 29th @ Jay’s in Omaha, NE Friday October 30th @ One More Bar in Lincoln, NE Thurs. November 5th @ 1867 in Lincoln, NE w/ With A Vengeance (Tommy Vext)
On January 21, 1982, New Wave of British Heavy Metal paragons Girlschool played Tokyo – the first all-female British band ever to perform live in Japan, and one of the very first NWOBHM bands to do so as well.
And on November 6, Cleopatra Records’s on-going roll-out of classic Girlschool live shows commemorates the 45th anniversary of that historic show with a CD and a first ever vinyl release for Tokyo Breakdown, a raw, no-frills, high-voltage recounting of the that so memorable night.
Vocalist and guitarist Kim McAuliffe recalls, “We had no idea what to expect. The big thing I remember about the whole Tokyo experience was, we kept getting screamed at, everywhere we went. We literally… the first day, we got to our hotel, checked in, went out, walked around the corner and there was a MacDonalds, even then. And then all these little girls came up screaming, and we were,‘What the hell’s going on?’”
The barrage continued when the band took the stage. “We went on, and the screaming was so loud, we thought we were the Beatles. It was mad!”
You can hear the audience’s excitement (and the screaming!) throughout Tokyo Breakdown – in fact, mixed in with the band’s opening tape, with the aircraft sounds and howling sirens, the noise makes it sound as though a full-scale disaster is taking place.
But no, it’s Girlschool, launching into one of the most energetic performances of “C’mon Let’s Go” they’ve ever delivered. From there, 15 more songs roar out, with the band’s two albums to date, Demolition and Hit and Run,stretching their legs in front of an audience that can barely believe that Girlschool have finally arrived – “Victim,” “Kick It Down,” “Breakdown,” “Race With The Devil” (“this was our single over here,” Kim reminds the crowd) all leading up to a breathless closing salvo that wraps “Yeah Right,” “Hit and Run” and “Tonight” into a relentless stream of adrenalin, before the performance wraps up with “Tush,” the ZZ Top boogie that Girlschool had totally made their own.
“The Hunter,” the first single from the album, is released today, to capture – and preview, in devastating fashion – all the energy of the night.
Formed in 1978, Girlschool were one of the first NWOBHM bands to break into the mainstream, first with their incendiary take on “Race With The Devil,” and then with the St Valentine’s Day Massacre EP, pairing them with long-time supporters Motörhead… Lemmy was a regular sight at their club and pub gigs.
Those first two albums, too, were hits – the debut nudging the Top 30, Hit’N’Run racing into the Top 5 in spring 1981. That summer, Girlschool became the first (and, so far, only) all-female rock band to headline the annual Reading Festival – a memorable show captured on another Cleopatra CD, Nothin’ To Lose In Reading – more astonishing performances from this same peak era will be along in 2027, as the spotlight turns to the group’s first US tour in April, 1982.
For now, though, Tokyo Breakdown sees this year out with one of the most dramatic, dynamic live shows you’ll have heard all year.
1. C’mon Let’s Go 2. The Hunter 3. (I’m Your) Victim 4. Midnight Ride [CD ONLY] 5. Race with the Devil 6. Kick It Down 7. Don’t Call It Love 8. Don’t Stop 9. Breakdown [CD ONLY] 10. Nothing to Lose [CD ONLY] 11. Watch Your Step 12. Future Flash 13. Yeah Right 14. Hit ‘N Run 15. Tonight 16. Tush [CD ONLY]
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
