Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Kris Barras’ HOLLOW SOULS Release ‘Burn It To The Ground’ Single & Video, Feat. Elles Bailey

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 5, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Elles Bailey, HOLLOW SOULS, Kris Barras. Leave a comment

Photos of Hollow Souls + Elles Bailey by Blackham Images

Kris Barras’ British blues-rock collective Hollow Souls release their fourth single “Burn It To The Ground,” this time featuring the unmistakable vocals of chart topping, multi-award winning, Bristolian-Americana heroine Elles Bailey. The single is available on all streaming platformsfrom Thursday 4th September.

Watch the official “Burn It To The Ground” music video:

Kris and Elles have maintained a close working relationship over the years, with Kris directing several of Elles’ music videos and the pair often comparing notes during their ascent through the gauntlet that is the music industry.

On new single “Burn It The Ground,” the chemistry between the two is evident, as they finally release something they have written together away from any industry pressures, during Elles’ several trips to Devon.

“This genuinely feels like such a treat to be collaborating with the one and only Kris Barras,” says Elles. “I’m so excited that we are finally on a track together and I was invited to be a part of this really special project!”

Once Kris, Elles and producer & multi-instrumentalist Josiah J Manning nailed the demo for the new song, the Hollow Souls band tracked the instrumental live in the studio, with everything bar Elles’ vocal. Hollow Souls resident vocalist Phoebe Jane’s backing vocals and guitar solo overdubs were tracked in one take.

Kris commented, “I’ve been friends with Elles for a good few years now and it’s been great to see her career go from strength to strength. Fans have often asked when we are going to record a song together. Now seemed like the perfect time. It’s a perfect project for Elles to be involved in. She absolutely nailed the vocal on this track, and we had great fun writing the lyrics together.”

Hollow Souls anthology of singles already demonstrates real alchemy, with their guest stars ranging from American guitar hero Jared James Nichols, Jon ‘Marv’ Harvey of Monster Truck and Chris Tapp of The Cold Stares.

Hollow Souls secret set on the main stage at this summer’s Maid of Stone Festival set the incendiary tone for this Autumn’s first ever Hollow Souls headline tour, boasting 20 dates across the UK with special guest, Troy Redfern. Tickets for Hollow Souls’ Autumn UK tour are available from The Gig Cartel.

“Burn It The Ground” promises to be the fourth and final single to drop prior to Hollow Souls’ hotly anticipated eponymous debut EP Hollow Souls which is released on 10th October on limited edition 10” vinyl, CD and digital.

Pre-order the Hollow Souls EP now at https://shop.hollowsouls.co.uk.

KRIS BARRAS’ HOLLOW SOULS OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2025 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST TROY REDFERN
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THE GIG CARTEL

OCTOBER

Thu 16 – Bedford, Esquires
Fri 17 – Chesterfield, Real Time Live
Sat 18 – London, Camden Underworld
Sun 19 – Stowmarket, John Peel Centre
Wed 22 – Shoreham, Ropetackle
Thu 23 – Cardiff, The Globe
Fri 24 – Leek, Foxlowe Arts
Sat 25 – Gloucester, Guildhall
Sun 26 – Norwich, Waterfront Studio
Wed 29 – Grimsby, Docks Academy
Thu 30 – Huddersfield, Parish
Fri 31 – Birmingham, Castle & Falcon

NOVEMBER

Sat 1 – Stockton, Georgian Theatre
Sun 2 – Carlisle, Old Fire Station
Tue 4 – Glasgow, Oran Mor
Wed 5 – Edinburgh, La Belle Angele
Thu 6 – York, Crescent
Fri 7 – Blackpool, Waterloo
Sat 8 – Southampton, Suburbia
Sun 9 – Tavistock, Wharf

More information: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

Exclusive Premiere for Finland: MERIDIAN – ‘Crown The King Of Violence’ Official Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 5, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Meridian. Leave a comment

Photo by Dennis Askholm Jensen

MERIDIAN once again open the gates to their upcoming self-titled album with a storming new single and video, “Crown The King Of Violence”. Fuelled by razor-sharp riffs, pounding rhythms, and the commanding vocals of Søren Adamsen (ex-Artillery), the track is a no-nonsense statement of intent: heavy metal in its purest, most uncompromising form. Anthemic, aggressive, and undeniably catchy, this is Meridian at their most direct and powerful – a battle cry for the faithful and a warning shot to pretenders.

Join the premiering here:

With fists raised and amps cranked, Meridian return in 2025 with their fifth studio album, a self-titled statement of intent and rebirth. “Meridian” is a no-frills celebration of classic heavy metal spirit, reconnecting with the raw energy, melodic power, and rebellious attitude of the genre’s golden era. From the first riff to the final scream, this is heavy metal the way it was meant to be: direct, honest, and electrifying.

Formed in Denmark and active since 2013, Meridian have long stood at the crossroads of melodic metal, with flashes of AOR and progressive influences shaping their early records. But now, with a new frontman and a renewed sense of direction, the band strips everything back to essentials, delivering a hard-hitting, hook-filled album that proudly wears its ‘80s metal influences on its sleeve.

The shift in sound comes from two key moments: a conscious decision to sharpen their sonic identity, and the arrival of Søren Adamsen (ex-Artillery) as lead vocalist. His commanding presence and raw vocal style bring a harder edge to the band, perfectly suited to the record’s return-to-roots approach. The result is a collection of tightly crafted songs with thunderous riffs, melodic choruses, and blazing guitar solos, echoing the best of classic Maiden, Dio, and Saxon.

Produced, mixed and mastered by guitarist Marco Angioni (Tygers Of Pan Tang, Steel Inferno) at Angioni Studios, “Meridian” was recorded with a live-first mindset and a stripped-down production ethos. Minimal studio tricks. Maximum impact. The album captures the tight interplay and raw stage energy that have long defined the band’s live shows.

This is not just another record – this is MERIDIAN. A bold restart. A love letter to heavy metal. And a reminder that the old school still rules.

“Meridian” will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 150 copies), CD and digital on 19.09.2025, via From The Vaults.

Lineup:
Søren Adamsen – vocals
Martin Jepsen Andersen – lead & rhythm guitars
Marco Angioni – lead & rhythm guitars
Klaus Agerbo – drums
Peter Bruun – bass

Digital single: https://bfan.link/mrd-crown
Webshop: https://bit.ly/mrd-tgt

More information:
https://www.facebook.com/meridian.metal
https://www.instagram.com/meridian_denmark/
https://www.facebook.com/meridian.metal
https://www.instagram.com/meridian_denmark/
https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/7bXXIXAOLTw3WEYx3qWv7r
https://music.apple.com/fr/artist/meridian/1510972899
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCdjWDBMoCo1YiIXAfGmO_9Q
https://tidal.com/browse/artist/34643435?u
https://dzr.page.link/G6bUBUcy7DUPsc2Y8
https://soundcloud.com/meridian36361

BATTLE BEAST Unveil Fourth Single And Video ‘Angel Of Midnight’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 4, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Battle Beast. Leave a comment

Finland’s power metal force BATTLE BEAST present their fourth single, ‘Angel Of Midnight’, taken from their highly anticipated upcoming album Steelbound, due for release on October 17th, 2025. The single arrives with a brand-new, visually striking music video.

Built on a catchy hard rock riff, bouncing synths, and the soaring, powerful vocals of Noora Louhimo, ‘Angel Of Midnight’ once again demonstrates BATTLE BEAST’s mastery in blending infectious hooks with heavy, high-energy metal — a sound that makes you want to dance and headbang all at once.

With Steelbound, BATTLE BEAST continue to refine their unmistakable style, delivering a collection of tracks that balance anthemic power, melodic accessibility, and unrelenting heaviness.

Songwriter and bassist Eero Sipilä comments:

“I really had an internal battle with writing this one. We’re a heavy metal band. Will we be burned at the stake, for making a hard rock tune with romantic notions?
Then it hit me: We’re Battle Beast—we can do whatever the hell we want. 
‘Midnight’ nods deeply to Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Whitesnake—all the greats—and makes no qualms about it. So let the feeling carry you, and crank it like it’s 1987.”

Listen to ‘Angel Of Midnight’ on all platforms: https://battlebeast.bfan.link/angel-of-midnight

Pre-order the album: https://battlebeast.bfan.link/steelbound-album

To celebrate the album’s release, BATTLE BEAST will hit the road for a major European tour, kicking off October 17 at Hamburg’s Inselpark Arena — their biggest German headline show to date. The tour will run through mid-December, featuring DOMINUM as special guests and Swedish power metal force MAJESTICA as openers.

Tourdates:

17-Oct-25   Germany, Hamburg – Inselpark Arena
18-Oct-25   Germany, Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
19-Oct-25   Netherlands, Eindhoven – Effenaar
21-Oct-25   England, Birmingham – O2 Institute
22-Oct-25   England, Manchester – O2 Ritz
23-Oct-25   England, Bristol – O2 Academy
24-Oct-25   England, London – O2 Shepherd´s Bush Empire
25-Oct-25   France, Paris – Elysee Montmartre
26-Oct-25   France, Toulouse – Bikini Toulouse
28-Oct-25   Spain, Madrid – Sala La Riviera
29-Oct-25   Spain, Barcelona – Sala Apolo
30-Oct-25   France, Lyon – Transbordeur
31-Oct-25   Germany, Filderstadt – FILharmonie
01-Nov-25   Germany, Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
02-Nov-25   Belgium, Antwerp – Trix
04-Nov-25   Germany, Hannover – Capitol
05-Nov-25   Denmark, Roskilde – Gimle
06-Nov-25   Sweden, Huskvarna – Folkets Park
07-Nov-25   Sweden, Gothenburg – Trädgårn
08-Nov-25   Sweden, Stockholm – Fryshuset Arenan
09-Nov-25   Norway, Oslo – Rockefeller Music Hall
28-Nov-25   Germany, Leipzig – Felsenkeller – Ballsaal
29-Nov-25   Germany, Nuremberg, Löwensaal
30-Nov-25   Austria, Vienna – Arena Wien
01-Dec-25   Slovakia, Bratislava – Majestic Music Club
02-Dec-25   Hungary, Budapest – Barba Negra Red Stage
03-Dec-25   Slovenia, Ljubljana – Cvetlicarna d.o.o.
05-Dec-25   Germany, Munich – TonHalle
06-Dec-25   Switzerland, Pratteln – Z7 Konzertfabrik
07-Dec-25   Italy, Trezzo sull’Adda – Live Club
09-Dec-25   Switzerland, Lausanne – Metropole
10-Dec-25   Germany, Saarbrücken – Garage
12-Dec-25   Germany, Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
13-Dec-25   Czech Republic, Zlin – Sports Hall Datart
14-Dec-25   Poland, Warsaw – Progresj

Finland Tour:

14-Nov-25 Finland, Oulu – Tullisali
15-Nov-25 Finland, Helsinki – Icehall
20-Nov-25 Finland, Turku – Logomo
21-Nov-25 Finland, Tampere – Nokia Arena

BARDSPEC Release New Song ‘Eternity’, Ft. Nicholas Rink on Vocals

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 4, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: BardSpec. Leave a comment

After premiering the song “Eternity” live at Fire in the Mountains in Blackfeet Country, Montana, this summer, BardSpec is now releasing the song as a single.The track was written by Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) while visiting the festival and being in Blackfeet Country. Nicholas Rink, a member of the Blackfeet tribe, accepted the invitation to lend his voice in Blackfoot to the song; and “Eternity” was ultimately premiered as the closing song of the BardSpec set during the festival.

This single-release springs out from the evolving collaboration and friendship between BardSpec/ the By Norse family, the Blackfeet tribe, the Firekeeper Alliance and Fire in the Mountains. “Eternity” can be found on the By Norse Bandcamp page, where you can purchase the song and donate any amountyou want to. All the proceeds from this track will go to the Firekeeper Alliance. This non-profit aims to prevent suicide among indigenous youth in Browning, Montana. The track can also be found on all digital streaming platforms.

Eternity on Bandcamp: https://bardspec.bandcamp.com/track/eternity

Ivar Bjørnson shares: “Going to Fire in the Mountains on Blackfeet land for the first BardSpec live performance since before the pandemic I had a feeling that there would be music waiting for me there. So I left spaces open in the set to allow for this. For me that trip connected me to people and land and water in a profound way that felt like being granted a glimpse of a peaceful eternity. Nick’s voice is the guide on that journey. For me “Eternity” is wading into TwoMedicine Lake nǎatōokyōokǎasii with old and new friends and family talking and laughing in the White Eagle grass behind me on the shores. And tens of thousands of years of Blackfeet children, youth, adults and elders living life with and in nature. Over and over.”

Nicholas Rink adds: “I first met Ivar with an invitation – join us in Blackfeet Country and share your heavy music with us; our youth are uniquely distressed and we believe your heavy music can help! While I was part of the incredible story of bringing Fire in the Mountains here to the Blackfeet, I never expected to be part of the music as well. Seeing Ivar and all my new friends on the shore of Two Medicine Lake late in July was something I had only imagined and signified the reality of our hopes and plans actualized. It was overwhelming, and when Ivar asked me in that moment to offer him some words in a recording for his music, in my mind I imagined a far off project he would be working on back in Norway.

I didn’t have time to prepare, or even organize much of my own thoughts because of the intensity of the festival, and it took a few days for Ivar to get me alone in the woods just to speak a few words into his iPhone. I said what came to mind and tried to speak from the heart.”

Stream Eternity & Donate: https://bfan.link/bardspec-eternity

BardSpec (est.2015) is the ambient project/band from Enslaved composer/guitarist Ivar Bjørnson.

BardSpec music combines stirring, hallucinatory synth-soundswith effects and hypnotic rhythms that navigate illusory landscapes. Field recordings, and other found-sounds also drift and evaporate into the ether. Working intuitively with these elements and with sharpened senses, attuned to inner impulses, this is immersive music, that can exist anywhere, and anytime within the minds of the listener.

Whilst BardSpec might essentially be the same brain and personality making the music, compared to Enslaved, it is a widely different entity. Thematically and sonically, BardSpec is about minimising, subtracting and meditating upon the simplest essence of “things”; the single points: the basic elements and foundations that make up the whole. There is an element of “space” in the music, and the artwork, as a representation of the inner workings of the mind and the subconscious.

Inspired by the German masters Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, Conrad Schnitzler as well as contemporary ambient music like Norwegian one-man-band Biosphere and abstract modern electronic music like When (Norwegian also), as well as the electronic/industrial-driven contemporary music.

Genre:
Ambient, Electronica, Slo-mo Disco

Line-up :
Ivar Bjørnson – Instrumentation, programming
Nicholas Rink – Voice

FRAYLE Reveal Sultry Third Single & Music Video ‘Heretic’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 4, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: FRAYLE. Leave a comment

Following recent sonic gifts of grimness “Walking Wounded” and “Summertime Sadness” (Lana Del Rey cover) – both of which saw rabid response from acclaimed media and fans alike – FRAYLE return fresh off of their European tour with a third single, the slinking, doom-rocking “Heretic”. The track appears on the band’s upcoming third full length album, Heretics & Lullabies, out October 10, 2025 via Napalm Records.

Standout single “Heretic” injects heavy rock edge and arena-ready drums into the album’s doom-laden procession, adding to its multi-faceted nature. The track arrives alongside another beautifully cinematic music video.

FRAYLE says about “Heretic”:
“‘Heretic’ explores the nature of heresy, spiritual struggle and the rejection of religious dogma. Just because we reject spiritual conformity and societal norms, does this, in and of itself, make us a ‘bad person’? Is god a supreme being, the collective subconscious, or simply an ideal? We believe that relying on yourself and your own morals can ultimately evolve into being your own savior. We are all gods.”

FRAYLE has been lauded as one of the fastest-rising, most haunting currently active modern doom metal outfits of late, infusing their sound with eclectic elements and now reinventing their trademark spectral sonic profile. Merging the heaviness of occult-driven doom and blackgaze with frontwoman Gwyn Strang’s distinctively eerie vocal stylings and the crushing guitars of Sean Bilovecky, the band has fully realized their “lullabies of chaos” musical vision with Heretics & Lullabies.

Recorded by FRAYLE and produced, mixed and mastered by Aaron Chaparian at Iron Audio (Bleeding Through, Harms Way), Heretics & Lullabies is a must-listen for any fan of doom, post-metal or atmosphere-heavy alt-rock, but also a pristinely phantomic journey for any heavy music fan as it maintains its accessible edge throughout.

The album kicks off with first single “Walking Wounded”, a whispering wall-of-sound that crushes with spine-tingling stacks of harmony. The deeply punishing atmosphere continues into second track “Summertime Sadness”, an entirely reworked doom-laden cover of the Lana Del Rey hit. Airy anthem “Boo” injects mid-tempo flavor and multifaceted vocal balance into the album as crushing weight lands alongside each hook, with bending guitar tone and dark, sparkling atmosphere swirling amid pounding percussion. Mid-album cuts such as “Demons” and “Glass Blown Heart” flirt with threateningly macabre lyrical poetry and otherworldly melody, while glacially-paced anthems “Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal” – described as a deeply personal look at the depths of despair after a painful deception – and “Run” double down on the aggressive, suffocatingly beautiful ambience and Gwyn Strang’s shimmering, beckoning vocal timbre. The album concludes with droning melodic masterpiece “Only Just Once” – an unforgettable closer to this colossal modern doom compendium.

Heretics and hypocrites beware – Heretics & Lullabies will perpetually etch itself into the darkest corners of your psyche, taking deeper hold with each spin.

Pre-Order Heretics & Lullabies HERE

Heretics & Lullabies track listing:
1. Walking Wounded
2. Summertime Sadness
3. Boo
4. Demons
5. Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal
6. Glass Blown Heart
7. Hymn For The Living
8. Run
9. Heretic
10. Only Just Once

FRAYLE 2025 PERFORMANCE DATE:
USA Date:
Oct 11 – Jackson, TN – Tennessee Metal Devastation Festival

FRAYLE is:
Gwyn Strang: Vocals
Sean Bilovecky: Guitar

FRAYLE online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

IMPUREZA Release Brutal And Beautiful Video for ‘Covadonga’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 4, 2025

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: IMPUREZA. Leave a comment

They first lit the torch for flamenco death metal more than a decade ago, but Impureza are blazing toward the front line of extreme metal behind their new Reconquista-themed album.

“When it comes to inventive ways to make your death metal cooler, Impureza has one of my favorites”, says Angry Metal Guy, who named Alcázares one of the best records of July. “… a violent, poetic invocation of Spain’s medieval imagination, and it sports an enchanting vibe that recalls some of the best records I own”.

Today, Impureza are releasing a new video for “Covadonga”, which recounts a legendary moment in medieval history with the band’s cutting-edge fusion ripping alongside bailaora Cécile “La Cécilia” Cappozzo.

Alcázares is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream: https://orcd.co/impurezaalcazares

This weekend, Impureza and Cappozzo will recreate their miraculous video while performing together on stage at France’s Mennecy Metal Fest.

Get tickets HERE.

“Cécilia ignites, Impureza burns. Flamenco and metal, a single incandescent blade” the band says. “Mennecy Metal Fest, we come with the blazing breath of Hispanic Metal and the fire of bailaora Cécilia Cappozzo.”

“Covadonga” is at the heart of Impureza’s identity as the torchbearers for Hispanic Metal. The song recounts the Battle of Covadonga, which secured Asturian victory through what was believed to be divine providence. Like arrows, flamenco phrasings and martial acoustics fly between crushing riffs, guttural vocals, relentless drumming and orchestral arrangements. It dances on the line between beauty and violence, faith and vengeance, affirming the band’s place as truly unique conquerors of death metal.

Tracklist:
1. Verdiales (1:15)
2. Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo (6:25)
3. Covadonga (4:01)
4. Pestilencia (4:44)
5. Reconquistar Al-Ándalus (5:25)
6. Murallas (2:24)
7. La Orden del Yelmo Negro (4:57)
8. Castigos Eclesiásticos (6:06)
9. El Ejército de los Fallecidos de Alarcos (5:18)
10. Ruina del Alcázar (1:37)
11. Santa Inquisición (6:26)
Full runtime: 49:02

IMPUREZA is a Franco-Spanish metal band formed in 2004 by guitarist Lionel Cano Muñoz from Orléans. Their music is distinguished by a unique fusion of extreme metal and Spanish sounds inspired by Andalusian culture and flamenco, creating an atypical style known as Hispanic Metal. IMPUREZA remains an innovative project in the international metal scene, making it a pioneer of the genre.

The entire concept of the band revolves around the voluptuousness of Latin atmospheres, the ferocity of metal, and Spanish culture and history, explored through a fictional and esoteric aspect. Their compositions feature both clean and guttural vocals sung in the language of Cervantes, flamenco guitar, acoustic fretless bass, extreme metal, and orchestral arrangements that evoke the colors of Spain. The very essence of their music lies in the duality between two seemingly opposed musical genres, which, through clever composition, give birth to a new and avant-garde style. Their fiery music is literally the union of traditional Hispanic folklore and extreme metal. These metal warriors brandish their Iberian sounds as weapons with pride. This ingenious alliance is matched only by the singular and unprecedented creative originality of its founder Lionel Cano Muñoz and his compañero Esteban Martín, both of Spanish nationality. IMPUREZA’s conquistadors draw inspiration from their strong identity, which defines the band’s very essence. Often nicknamed the “French Nile” due to their primary influences, combining the complex and brutal lines of death metal with the most ardent and undulating Latin flames. IMPUREZA‘s members are also influenced by many Spanish artists such as flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía and gypsy singer Camarón de la Isla, as well as bands like Behemoth, Morbid Angel, Krisiun, and Fleshgod Apocalypse, among others.

Let the conquistadors of IMPUREZA lead you into their realm and immerse you in Spanish culture with a groundbreaking musical concept — the one and only fierce guardians of Hispanic Metal!

SOMOS IMPUREZA!

Line-up:
Esteban Martín – All Vocals
Lionel Cano Muñoz – Rhythm, Lead & Spanish Guitars
Florian Saillard – Fretless Bass
Guilhem Auge – Drums

Production Credits:
Recorded & mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Studio Artmusic, Les Arc-sur-Argens, France.
Mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Ribe, Denmark.

Guest Musicians:
Xavier Hamon – Percussion
Louis Viallet – Orchestration

Cover Art:
Johann Bodin & Xavier Ribeiro

Photography:
© Michel Canavaggia / Mr Cana Photography