Finnish Industrial Metal band Alfa Pentatonik (Formed in 2002 as Pentatonik) released their new Gamma II EP on July 18th 2025 via Inverse Records. The release is a sequel to Gamma I EP which was released in early 2025.
Alfa Pentatonik (formerly Pentatonik) plays heavy Finnish industrial metal. Formed in the early 2000s, the band has released two albums and numerous other releases. The band returned in 2022 with a new name and singles. They are now releasing a sequel to their latest “Gamma I” EP. The new release is called Gamma II.
The band’s mastermind is JP Immonen (Walhalla, Aria of Sorrow, Iron Frost), who plays all the instruments, writes the songs, and handles production. The second member of the band is Janne Partanen (Hautajaisyö, Verilehto, Marraskuun Lapset, Paavalin Harhat), who writes the lyrics and sings. ‘Gamma II’ continues in the same vein as its predecessor. Hard and heavy guitars are mixed with dark vocals and almost dance beats. Sami Lindqvist joins the release to play guitar solos and backing vocals. Harri Hytönen from ‘Gamma I’ also plays a few guitar solos. Dystopian samples from an interview with Yrjö Kallinen (1971) are the icing on the cake for this new Finnish industrial metal/industrial thrash metal release.
American black metal band ABIGAIL WILLIAMS is streaming its much anticipated new album, “A Void Within Existence”, released yesterday, July 18th on Agonia Records.
Listen to the album in full:
The follow-up to 2019’s critically acclaimed “Walk Beyond the Dark” marks a new chapter in the band’s relentless evolution; an album that not only expands upon the atmospheric darkness and melodic brutality of its predecessor, but pushes further into extremes, both sonically and emotionally.
Produced by frontman Ken Sorceron and mixed by renowned engineer Dave Otero (Aborted,Akhlys), “A Void Within Existence” is a scorched offering of black metal transcendence: harrowing, cinematic, and utterly uncompromising. Drums are performed by the virtuosic Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Ghost Bath), whose work here blurs the line between precision and chaos.
Lyrically, the album dives deep into existential themes of loss, disintegration, and unreality. Tracks like “Still Nights” and “No Less Than Death” reflect on identity through surreal and fragmented images – distant lights, poisoned memories, dreams where “there is no pain.” Elsewhere, songs like “Embrace The Chasm” and “Life, Disconnected” summon visions of cosmic dread and personal oblivion, confronting the listener with raw emotion and esoteric vision.
The record is accompanied by striking cover art from Eliran Kantor (Testament, Bloodbath), whose visual interpretation mirrors the inner desolation and mythic scope of the music.
“This record was born in the quiet hours, when everything felt hollow,” Sorceron reflects. “«A Void Within Existence» isn’t just a title – it’s a feeling I couldn’t shake while writing. There’s a loneliness threaded through these songs that came from somewhere deeper than I expected. The world outside was falling apart, and in a way, so was the one inside. I wanted to push beyond the limits we explored on «Walk Beyond the Dark». Sonically, emotionally, spiritually – nothing was off-limits. I produced the album to stay close to that vision, and with Dave Otero on the mix and Mike Heller behind the kit, everything came to life exactly how I heard it in my head: raw, vast, and crushing. This is a record about absence. About peeling away what isn’t real – examining the void left behind. If there’s anything left after that – maybe it’s the truth. Maybe it’s just the void. Either way, this is the most honest I’ve ever been. «A Void Within Existence» is more than an album. It’s a crucible – a journey through the fire where only shadow and silence remain.”
Surpassing its 20th year of existence (having been formed in 2004), ABIGAIL WILLIAMS has upgraded its formula to a quartet, comprising Ken Sorceron (ex-Aborted, ex-The Faceless, Vale Of Pnath, Nachtmystium) on vocals and guitars, Vance Valenzuela (Vale Of Pnath) on guitars, John Porada (ex-Nachtmystium, ex-Wolvhammer) on bass and Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy) on drums. With Sorceron retaining his leading role, the band expands on its unique and intensive sound, forged throughout five studio albums, and anchored in black metal with shades of death metal & symphonic metal.
Tracklisting: 1. Life, Disconnected 2. Void Within 3. Nonexistence 4. Still Nights 5. Talk To Your Sleep 6. Embrace The Chasm 7. No Less Than Death
Decibel Magazine is pleased to now reveal that solo black metal project BLACKBRAID is the cover story for the September 2025 issue! Fans can order a copy at THIS LOCATION.
The featured interview will focus on the project’s upcoming opus, ‘Blackbraid III,’ which will be released on August 8, 2025 independently! Vinyl and cassette formats, as well as new merch designs, can now be pre-ordered via Blackbraid.US & Blackbraid.EU while the album can be pre-saved across all streaming services HERE.
Blackbraid recently unveiled the latest single, “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag,” along with a music video via Black Metal Promotions! The clip was created by Wolf Mountain Productions (The Anti-label) and can be found at THIS LOCATION.
BLACKBRAID will also be embarking on a North American headliner later this year with support from Lamp of Murmuur and Dödsrit, with Gudsforladt replacing LoM as support for two Canadian dates. The trek will kick off on September 19 in San Diego, CA and will make its way around the U.S. + Canada until the final stop on October 11 in Los Angeles, CA. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are available HERE.
In addition, BLACKBRAID has partnered with Fire in the Mountains Festival to curate a special pre-release event where festival attendees will get to hear ‘Blackbraid III’ ahead of its August 8 release date! During the event, there will also be a special live Q&A that will take place during the listening session with Metal Injection’s Frank Godla.
Fire in the Mountains will take place in Montana from July 25-27, 2025 at the Red Eagle Campground on the Blackfeet Nation Reserve. BLACKBRAID joins an esteemed lineup of artists including Wardruna, Old Man’s Child, Chelsea Wolfe, Converge, Blood Incantation, and more! Tickets are available HERE while the full lineup and all pertinent festival information can be found HERE.
Blackbraidis a solo indigenous black metal project from from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…
The captivating album artwork for ‘Blackbraid III,’ was created in collaboration with Adam Burke, who handled the painting, and mainstay Blackbraid album artist Adrian Baxter, who did the illustration. The artwork can be found below along with the tracklist!
Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water
And He Became the Burning Stars…
Fleshbound (Lord Belial cover)
BLACKBRAID North American Tour w/ Lamp of Murmuur + Dödsrit,:
09/18: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick 09/19: Phoenix, AZ @ Last Exit Live 09/20: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 09/22: Dallas, TX @ Trees 09/24: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Purgatory) 09/25: Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819 09/26: Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery [SOLD OUT] 09/27: Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows [LOW TICKET WARNING] 09/28: Albany, NY @ Empire Live 09/30: Boston, MA @ Middle East (Downstairs) [LOW TICKET WARNING] 10/01: Montreal, QC @ Café Campus * 10/02: Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground * [LOW TICKET WARNING] 10/03: Lakewood, OH @ Mercury Music Lounge 10/04: Chicago, IL @ Reggies [LOW TICKET WARNING] 10/05: St. Paul, MN @ The Turf Club [LOW TICKET WARNING] 10/07: Denver, CO @ HQ 10/08: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 10/10: Oakland, CA @ Thee Stork Club 10/11: Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 *w/ Gudsforladt, no LoM
BLACKBRAID Upcoming Festivals:
07/27: Red Eagle Campground, MT @ Fire in the Mountains Fest 08/23: Eisfeld (DE) @ Wolfszeit Festival 12/19: Leipzig (DE) @ Black Hole Fest Germania III – Frost Edition 04/05/26: Munich (DE) @ Dark Easter Metal Meeting
Creator of Blackbraid: Sgah’gahsowáh
‘Blackbraid III’ Album Credits: Composed & performed by Sgah’gahsowáh Drums, recording, mixing & mastering by Neil Schneider Guitar solo in “God of Black Blood” performed by Randy Moore “Fleshbound” originally composed by Lord Belial Painting by Adam Burke Illustration by Adrian Baxter Visual development & graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions
Brooklyn hardcore legends BIOHAZARD are excited to announce ‘Divided We Fall,’ their first studio album in over a decade, out October 17th via BLKIIBLK. Reuniting the original lineup, the album delivers a blistering statement of unity in chaos. To celebrate the announcement, BIOHAZARD has released a new single, “F**k the System,” which is accompanied by a music video available below.
Billy Graziadei (vocals/guitar) had the following to say about the single:
“‘F**k the System’ is BIOHAZARD calling it like it is. The powers that be have us at odds and beefin’ with each other while they sit back and cash in. It’s no accident the world’s burnin’ in front of our eyes. It’s all divide and control – while they keep us divided by politics, class, race, all of it, and have us out here fighting each other, they’re pulling the strings. ‘F**k the System’ is our war cry about the state of the world with no sugarcoated bullshit.”
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Hatebreed, Deftones), ‘Divided We Fall’ captures BIOHAZARD at their most raw, relentless, and unifying. The album blends the band’s unmistakable fusion of hardcore, metal, and streetwise groove with a sharpened edge for a fractured modern world delivering a powerful reminder of why BIOHAZARD remains one of the most vital and influential bands in heavy music.
Bobby Hambel (guitars) on the album:
“We are really excited to finally have the classic BIOHAZARD lineup back together in the studio. This album has been a long time coming, and the record is straight from our hearts – we can’t wait for everybody to hear it, and to head out and play these new songs live. See you out there!”
Recording sessions took place at Shorefire Recording Studios (Long Branch, NJ) and The Hydeaway (Van Nuys, CA), with engineering by Joseph DeMaio and additional recording from Matt Hyde. Guitar and production tech duties were handled by Phil Caivano.
BIOHAZARD’s upcoming release via BLKIIBLK marks a new chapter in a storied career that began in the late ’80s, one defined by aggressive sound, socially conscious lyrics, and an unwavering commitment to their roots.
BIOHAZARD will be on their “Divided We Fall Tour” this Fall with support from Onyx, Bayway, and Swollen Teeth, including a homecoming show at the Warsaw in Brooklyn on October 28th. A full list of dates is below.
About the tour, Evan Seinfeld (vocals/bass) comments:
“Judgement Night. The script writes itself. BIOHAZARD is excited to announce our first headlining tour of the U.S. in more than a decade, celebrating our 30-plus year history with Onyx, two of the most hardcore entities in our respective genres. Bayway are killing it, reminiscent of BIOHAZARD’s early rise, and Swollen Teeth bring an entirely different element of heaviness to captivate crowds and evolve our scene. This is going to be a tribal ceremony and a place to release your negative energy in a positive way – see you in the pit!”
BIOHAZARD Live: 10/3: Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving 10/4: Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex 10/5: Birmingham, AL @ Furnace Fest 10/7: Dallas, TX @ Ferris Wheeler’s 10/8: San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger 10/10: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater 10/11: Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren 10/12: Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether 10/13: Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre 10/15: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex 10/16: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre 10/18: Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall 10/19: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 10/21: Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall 10/22: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater 10/23: Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot 10/25: Montreal, QC @ Beanfield Theatre 10/26: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club 10/28: Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw 10/29: Worcester, MA @ Palladium 10/31: Allentown, PA @ Archer Music Hall 11/1: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom 11/3: New Haven, CT @ Toad’s
Musical pioneers in every sense of the word, BIOHAZARD were one of the first bands to seamlessly blend hardcore, heavy metal, punk, and hip hop into an intoxicating genre all their own. After more than a decade away, the Brooklyn, NY band’s OG lineup reunited in 2023 to both fan fervor and critical acclaim, headlining the opening night of the legendary Milwaukee Metal Fest for their first show back. Ghost Cult Magazine said they “explosively unleashed their fury with fortitude and force” with “a superhuman set and an awe-inspiring show.”
The band followed with two sold-out hometown shows in New York City, a late-summer festival run in the UK and Europe, and a fall direct support slot with Megadeth across North America. That was just the start. They returned to Europe and the UK in 2024 for the early summer festival season – including a headlining slot at Download – and made their triumphant return to South America in spring, then returned home to blow out America’s exploding festival circuit.
Their return did more than turn heads; it caused whiplash, and they partnered with BlkIIBlk Records to record and release new music. More incendiary and relentless than ever, the trailblazers have a fresh outlook and revitalized spirit. This is more than a reunion – for bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei, guitarist Bobby Hambel, and drummer Danny Schuler, it’s a revitalization and rebirth.
BIOHAZARD are: Billy Graziadei – vocals/guitar Bobby Hambel – lead guitar Danny Schuler – drums Evan Seinfeld – vocals/bass
Canadian death metal stalwarts LAST RETCH return with their most explosive material yet: the second full-length album “Abject Cruelty”, set to be released on September 26th 2025 via Time To Kill Records.
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, LAST RETCH have been hard at work crafting a new chapter that promises to command the attention of underground death metal fans worldwide. Blending the bulldozer-like march of war masters Bolt Thrower with the bone-crushing stomp of Cannibal Corpse at their most muscular, the band has forged a sound that’s primed for the chaos of the pit and the raw aggression of the genre’s most punishing traditions.
“Abject Cruelty” stands as a testament to LAST RETCH’s dedication to relentless riffing and unflinching heaviness.
“The track is about a swamp-dwelling murderer who constructs a polder in his bog to conceal the bodies of his victims. Over time, the corpses rot and break down, emitting a disgustingly potent gas that envelopes his abode. As the years pass, he begins to feel remorse for his many atrocities. Over time, guilt for his crimes begins to consume him, and he turns to inhaling the putrid fumes as a means of escape. In his intoxicated state, the urge to kill resurfaces, trapping him in an endless cycle—murdering for the high, again and again”.
Tracklist:
1. Abject Cruelty 2. Beasley Meth Merchants 3. Dissecting the Leper 4. In the Polder They Reek 5. Resinous Drip of Decay 6. Dissolved in Lye (Down to Rot) 7. Oozing Pustules 8. Gatling Gun
LAST RETCH is a death metal band hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
They first made their mark in early 2021 with a well-received demo that captured their raw, unfiltered sound and quickly drew the attention of underground death metal fans. In September 2022, LAST RETCH released their debut full-length album, “Sadism and Severed Heads”, a savage collection of nine tracks that pushed their sound to new levels of intensity and featured cover artwork by renowned painter Paolo Girardi. Building on this momentum, the band released the “Ergotism” EP in April 2024, showcasing their evolution with a tighter, even more aggressive sound.
LAST RETCH continues to refine their approach to death metal, never shying away from brutality while adding new layers of depth and atmosphere to their music. In 2025, the band will return with a new album, an even more structured and well-produced effort that promises to be their most impressive work to date.
Line-up:
Finlay Blakelock – Vocals Matt Fyke – Bass Spencer Robson – Drums Derek Brzozowski – Guitar John Russell – Guitar
Like smoke from a shaman’s pipe, Mawiza have risen as a guiding force for indigenous metal. Integrating tribal rhythms and ancient instruments into groove metal has won these modern day Mapuche warriors respect from the Chilean Grammys and scene elders like Mercyful Fate, Mastodon, Slipknot and Gojira. Now, with their third album and first for Season of Mist, the band are summoning a towering defense of their ancestral land.
“Sung entirely in Mapudungun, it’s as thematically enlightening as it is musically distinct”, Metal Hammer UK writes about ÜL in an 8/10 review. “…these up-and-comers feel close to fully formed and vital to listen to”.
“In a genre that too often forgets its own roots, Mawiza are digging deep into language, into legacy, into land and returning with something eternal”, writes Metal Lair. “Not just a great Latin American metal record. One of the year’s most important”.
ÜL was released, Friday, July 18, and you can hear all nine defiant anthems by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
“ÜL is the voice of the land, the origin of feeling, the first call to connect with emotions”, Mawiza says. “Our new album is the materialization of a part of the spirit that, for a few seconds, becomes one with the wind – a force we can hear, feel resonating, communicate with, and return to. It is our indigenous chant, and like smoke, it rises as a message to the skies”.
Hear Mawiza perform ÜL during their ongoing European tour with fellow Chilean metalheads Ater.
Immortal Flame 2025 European Tour July 19 – Targu Jiu, Romania @ Piano July 20 – Sibiu, Romania @ Rock & Bike July 21 – Timisoara, Romania @ Nemesis July 22 – Brasov, Romania @ La Templarie Pub July 23 – Arad, Romania @ Club Flex July 24 – Budapest, Hungary @ Riff July 25 – Szeged, Hungary @ Varosi Club July 26 – Pecs, Hungary @ Vararok July 27 – Ostrava, Czech Republic @ Barrack July 31 – Pinerolo, Italy @ Spazio Nino August 1 – Barberaz, France @ Brin De Zinc August 2 – Ostend, Belgium @ B52
Mawiza are a force of nature on ÜL. With sky-scraping riffs and earthshaking grooves, these nine chants call for the protection of Mapuche territory. Opening ceremony “Wingkawnoam” stomps to an industrial groove, but the song’s bounding rhythm mirrors the way a deer dances while eluding its predators. “History is normally written by the colonizers”, the band says. “We have to show the indigenous vision”.
Mawiza have seen the Mapuche Nation endure tremendous hardships. With its storming leads and blood-pumping chants, “Ngulutu” echoes the ancient battles between the Spanish and Mapuche by channeling the strength of the Mapocho and Maipo rivers. Half of the video for “Mamüll Reke” was filmed on Mapuche territory in southern Chile, outside the city of Valdivia, that is now controlled by two timbre companies.
But the band are steeled by the resistance of not only their Mapuche ancestors but also their land. Soaring above the clouds with brightly piercing flute, “Mamüll Reke” draws its harmonious energy from a mournful Afafan war cry. “Mamüll reke / Lhalu witxan / Afafalen / Lhayaiñ ka (Just like the tree / that dies standing / chanting the war cry / we will die too)”.
“The Mapuche are still standing”, Mawiza’s vocalist and guitarist Awka says. “You can cut us down, but if one falls, ten shall rise”.
For the album’s climactic harp-strung defense, Mawiza bring together allies from across their community. Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier joins forces with Mapuche tribesmen on “Ti Inan Paw-Pawkan”, which comes roaring down with the rushing force of a waterfall. “We wanted this song to sound like nature resisting the advancement of the city”, says the band’s drummer Txalkan. “Even when crushed by industrial pollution, nature is always pushing up from beneath the concrete”.
On ÜL, Mawiza summon ancestral spirit with modern groove metal.
“I love Mawiza! For their music, for who they are as individuals and for what they stand for”, Joe Duplantier says. “They represent and honor their powerful Mapuche heritage, amplifying its relevant message of connection with our roots and the universe as a whole. And they do so with determination and in the most modern way, with heavy riffs and an openness to new ideas and to the world. A conversation between past, present and future. Don’t give up the fight!”.
“I have been working with Mawiza for several years,” says Andrés Hetzler, who filmed all three videos for ÜL. “It’s always an honor to continue our collaboration. Their message deserves a strong and powerful visual”.
“This was a profound experience”, says the band’s photographer Kata Ulloa. “I would like to thank the Mapuche community for opening their doors to me, welcoming me so warmly and allowing me to get to know their culture from the inside. I would also like to thank Mawiza for trusting my aesthetic and vision for their album cover. I deeply love the band’s honesty and character, as subtle as it is expansive”.
Tracklist(English Translation) 1. To Decolonize (3:38) [WATCH] 2. Hummingbird Dream (4:29) 3. Western Storm (3:50) 4. Become a Cougar (5:06) 5. Just Like The Tree (4:24) [WATCH] 6. The War of the Sky (6:13) 7. Dead of the Sun (4:08) 8. Let It Die (3:58) 9. The Last Harp Call (featuring Joe Duplantier from Gojira) (4:42) [WATCH]
ÜL means “chant” in Mapuzugun. The album represents the voice of the land, the origin of feeling, the first call to connect with emotions. It is the materialization of a part of the spirit that, for a few seconds, becomes one with the wind—a force we can hear, resonate, communicate with, and return to. ÜL is Mawiza’s indigenous chant, and like smoke, it rises as a message to the skies.
Like their Mapuche ancestors, Mawiza always look back. ÜL chants to awaken the energies that have fallen asleep in the land, using the power of the great cities to resist the noise of imbalance. In this way, the album becomes another element of nature, a force defending itself, speaking in its own language to keep fighting and condemning those who continue to futilely subjugate their own strength.
With ÜL, Mawiza present themself to the world with a decolonizing and empowering mission. The album proclaims that nature possesses consciousness and spirit. Opening song “Wingkawnoam” emphasizes the importance of indigenous Mapuche thought by following dreams as precise guides for one’s path in life.
“Pinhza ñi pewma” is a dream that Mawiza’s vocalist Awka had during a time when hummingbirds were nowhere to be seen. Their chant was absent and the chilco plant was disappearing. In Awka’s dream, four hummingbirds came to feed on the blood from his fingertips, as if it were nectar flowing from the flowers of the chilco.
ÜL pays tribute to nature and Mawiza’s ancestors. “Ngulutu” recalls ancient battles between the Mapuche and the Spanish in Santiago, Chile. “Mamüll Reke”, “Wenu Weychan”, “Lhan Antü”, and “Kalli Lhayay” are filled with rhythms and sounds reminiscent of the most hermetic rituals of the Mapuche people. They were used by shamans to induce trance and heal the sick, to communicate with and greet the spirits of the mountains.
Closing song “Ti Inan Paw-pawkan” features chants from members of Mawiza’s indigenous community, as well as Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier. It is here, during the album’s finale, that the band stake their claim as both indigenous and urban. The song acknowledges the mission entrusted to Mawiza by Mapuche authorities and by the land itself: to raise awareness about balance on Earth in an empowered way and to call for greater attentiveness to Mapuche territory. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire.
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
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