Heavy new Swiss band Vicious Rain have unveiled their new single, ‘IKIGAI’, via Arising Empire. Following the success of their debut album There Is Beauty In Letting Go, Vicious Rainare opening a new chapter and deliver a powerful statement with the new single.
‘IKIGAI’ – the reason why life is worth living – explores the search for purpose, inner drive, and the courage to walk your own path despite doubts and obstacles. Vicious Rain combine raw emotion, soaring melodies, and crushing heaviness into a sound that feels even more direct and determined than ever before.
The single not only marks the beginning of a new era for the band but also highlights Vicious Rain’s musical and personal growth. A band ready to push boundaries and fearlessly pursue their vision.
Catch the band live: 23.08.25 CZ – Rock For Your Shock Festival Headliner 20.09.25 CH – Garage 8 Olten 22.11.25 DE – Corefest Stuttgart w/ Future Palace, Dead By April, Aviana and many more.
Formed in late 2022, Vicious Rain are an alternative metalcore band from Baden, Switzerland. The group combine intertwined singing/screaming vocals with anthemic singalongs, screaming melodic leads and crushing breakdowns, as they embrace everything from the heavy side of the genre all the way to the more intimate melodies. The band‘s spirit is marked by their shared belief in the importance of solidarity, and the role of the individual accomplishment of a common vision. Lyrically, the Swiss quintet wholeheartedly express their stance on personal matters, while highlighting their belief that self-reflection is the key to growth.
Vicious Rain are:
David Häusermann | Vocals Mauro Gugerli | Guitar & Vocals Tristan Meier | Guitar Loris De Notaristefano | Bass Michael Teufelberger | Drums
Kris Barras’ new blues-rock super-collective Hollow Souls are pleased to announce their sophomore single “Shotgun” featuring the unmistakeable vocals of Jon ‘Marv’ Harvey, of the Canadian powerhouse southern rock band, Monster Truck. “Shotgun” is the second single from the band’s forthcoming EP out in September and is released on Hollow Souls own label imprint.
“Shotgun” is available on all streaming platforms HERE. Watch the official music video HERE.
In March 2025, Hollow Souls came out swinging with their breakout debut single “Borderline,” and announced a 20-date Oct/Nov 2025 UK Tour. The upbeat blues rock anthem showcased the awesome pipes of former Kris Barras Band backing singer Phoebe Jane.
This time around, “Shotgun” sees Phoebe providing soulful backing vocals to Monster Truck frontman Jon ‘Marv’ Harvey who collaborated with Kris and producer Josiah Manning remotely after a long-term friendship based on mutual musical respect.
“We’ve been talking about writing a song with Marv for a long time,” says Kris. Josiah and I had a riff we laid down at Momentum Studios. We instantly knew this one would be perfect for Marv, so we fired it over to him. What he sent back blew us both away. The explosiveness of his vocal and Marv’s amazing storytelling. We couldn’t ask for a better collaborator. I hope we perform it live together one day!”
Jon ‘Marv Harvey’, who wrote the lyrics and melody over Kris and Josiah’s stomping blues rock guitar riffs, tells a gritty story of a bar fight with his customary gravelly drawl. Having collaborated with U.S. guitar hero Jared James Nichols on the first single “Borderline,” Kris switches to lead guitar on “Shotgun” and delivers a fiery solo that demonstrates his inimitable style of hard rock shredding with bluesy phrasing. “Borderline” is available on all streaming platforms HERE.
“Shotgun” is released ahead of Hollow Souls’ 20-date Oct/Nov 2025 UK Tour. Tickets are available from thegigcartel.com.
From humble beginnings in Torquay, Devon, to trading licks with the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons on the world stage, Kris has already lived a hundred lives that defy his youth and exuberance.
Kris’ own project Kris Barras Band had a mammoth 2024. From selling out headline shows in British castles, headlining Planet Rockstock, and a Top #5 UK album with Halo Effect.
Inspired by the U.S. supergroup Supersonic Blues Machine in which he also performed and energised by the wealth of British talent around him, to create Hollow Souls, Kris put together a homegrown jam band to serve as a creative sparring exercise during his downtime.
Hollow Souls is a dream project for Kris. Together with long-term collaborator, multi-instrumentalist and producer Josiah J Manning, using Josiah’s Plymouth-based Momentum Studios as their base, a studio band consisting of drummer Joe Harris (Toby Lee, Lack of Afro) and bass player Leighton Allen (Callum Scott, The Hoosiers) became more than the sum of its parts.
When Kris invited in former KBB backing singer Phoebe Jane to jam, the floodgates of creativity truly opened. In writing for her dexterous range and astonishing power, Kris and Josiah knew they had found a singer with which their musical palette could continue to evolve; the spark that ignited a whole new band into existence with Hollow Souls.
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
Hard-hitting rock and metal outfit BLOODY DICE, hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, is thrilled to announce the release of their electrifying new single and music video, “The Bitch Is Crazy.” This high-octane track offers fans a first taste of the band’s eagerly awaited second album, produced by legendary producer Flemming Rasmussen at the iconic Sweet Silence Studios.
The full album is set to drop worldwide on Friday, June 27, via renowned U.S. hard rock label Eönian Records, with pre-orders now officially open.
From the first thunderous riff to the final echo, BLOODY DICE’s sophomore release stands as a near-perfect testament to what hard rock and metal can achieve when vision, talent, and world-class production collide. Guided by legendary producer Flemming Rasmussen, whose work with Metallica defined an era, the album captures the raw energy of a live show with the precision and punch of a studio masterpiece.
Each track showcases razor-sharp musicianship: guitars roar with clarity and weight, bass lines rumble with authority, and drums explode with power. Dagfinn Joensen’s vocals blaze through the mix, equally fierce and soulful. The songwriting is both rooted in the genre’s golden age and refreshingly modern, blending anthemic choruses with introspective moments.
Rasmussen’s production is the album’s secret weapon: warm, wide, and fiercely alive. Nothing feels overproduced, every note breathes. This is metal with a timeless soul and undeniable heart. Essential listening for any rock devotee. Do yourself a favor, grab this record and turn it up to eleven.
“This album picks up where the first left off, same raw energy, but with more melody and speed in places. Half the songs were written early on, the rest came together after Peter and Jakob joined, which gave the newer tracks a fresher, more evolved feel. Our writing has become more collaborative – we jam, shape the structure, then I will bring in lyrics and melody. It is a living process, with songs sometimes changing as we play them live. Working with Flemming Rasmussen is always a privilege. He gets our vision, adds valuable input, and his studio blends vintage gear with cutting-edge tech, best of both worlds. Plus, he is a legend and still cool enough to run front of house for our live shows.”– Dagfinn Joensen, vocalist, BLOODY DICE
“Our sound has always been rooted in bluesy, grungy ‘70s rock, and that vibe is still very present. But this time, the writing process felt more natural. With Peter, our original drummer, back in the fold, and Jakob on bass bringing in his thrash and old-school metal influences, things clicked in a new way. The result is tighter, more aggressive, and even a bit more progressive. The chemistry we have found as a band really shaped this record.” – Nickie Jensen, guitarist, BLOODY DICE
“Bloody Dice are a hard-hitting band with great songs. At their core, they are a classic rock trio with a lead vocalist, carrying on the tradition of powerful, groove-driven rock lineups. There is plenty of space in the music for big solos, rich vibes, and tight rhythms. With their original drummer back, they are truly at the top of their game. We spent a lot of time dialing in the right feel and energy for each track, and the result is outstanding.” – Flemming Rasmussen, producer/engineer and owner, Sweet Silence Studios
“Partnering with U.S.-based Eönian Records for our second album has been a great experience. From the start, they have been cool, honest, and fully supportive – not just of the music, but of our vision as a band. It is rare to find a label that truly understands where you are coming from and where you want to go. Eönian has deep roots in the hard rock scene, and their platform gives us the ability to reach the right audience in a niche market that still values physical albums, killer artwork, and real musicianship. It feels like a perfect fit.”
“To our fans, new and old – support real music! Come to the shows, buy the albums, grab some merch. That is how bands like ours survive and keep making the music you love.” – Dagfinn Joensen, guitarist, BLOODY DICE
Eönian Records is equally enthusiastic about the release: “From the moment we first heard BLOODY DICE, our entire team at Eönian knew there was something special – not just in the music, but in the energy, the songwriting, and the authenticity of the band. Dagfinn, Nickie, and the entire group bring a raw, no-frills rock sound that is both classic and fresh. This new album is a powerful step forward for them, and we are beyond excited to help bring it to fans around the world. These guys live and breathe real rock ‘n’ roll, and it is an honor to be part of their journey.” – Stephen Craig, Eönian Records
BLOODY DICE Album Release Party & Concert – Copenhagen To celebrate the release of their highly anticipated second album, BLOODY DICE will host an exclusive release party and concert at Karetens Kellervenner in Copenhagen.
The band will perform the new album live in its entirety, with legendary producer and engineer Flemming Rasmussen, who produced the album, running front-of-house sound for the night. Fans will have the chance to meet the band and Flemming, purchase the album on CD and vinyl, and get their copies signed. Merch will be available, the bar will be open, and surprises are in store as the date approaches: Date: June 13th Doors Open: 19:00 Entry: 100 DKK (includes a 100 DKK merch voucher) Limited space – reserve now! MobilePay: 53382308 / Bank Transfer: 6695 – 1000583398 Include your name + “release” in the message. Just say your name at the door to receive your ticket and voucher.The guys cannot wait to celebrate with you!
1. Cry For Wat 2. Maze 3. Break The Circle 4. The Bitch Is Crazy 5. Madness 6. Back To Hell 7. Unspoken 8. Struggling To Breathe 9. Don’t Know Where We’re Going 10. Face The Truth
BLOODY DICE is: Dagfinn Joensen – Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, & Percussion Nickie Jensen – Guitars Jakob Haugaard – Bass Peter Larsen – Drums
Swedish melodic metal powerhouse TUNGSTEN is currently dedusting their gear to prepare for this year’s summer live activities. Presenting “The Grand Inferno” (Reigning Phoenix Music), the band is proud to surprise fans with an unheard track from the recording sessions of their most recent album to short the wait until their return to the stages. ‘Cry For The Fallen’ starts on a fragile note with strings before its intense story resonates – emotionally intonated by lead vocalist Mike Andersson. The 4-minute track continues building up while a flute wanders the melodic lands of folk, representing the wide range of influences defining TUNGSTEN’s soundscape. Ultimately going ballistic in the form of an epic final chorus, ‘Cry For The Fallen’ concludes on its peak and recalls the quartet’s fine sense for crafting emotive yet highly powerful music once again.
TUNGSTEN state: “Originally, this song was meant to be included on “The Grand Inferno,” but after discussing it, we decided to save it for a separate release. We wanted to give it the spotlight it deserves and make it truly special. The track is both dynamic and emotionally powerful. We filmed the music video in a beautiful church in Southern Sweden, a setting that we felt perfectly matches the song’s atmosphere and message. Lyrically, ‘Cry For The Fallen’ is a tribute to our loved ones who have passed away – an emotional remembrance of family and friends no longer with us. This is a song to remember – and to be played loud!”
11.07.2025 BG Cirpan – Midalidare Rock In The Wine Valley
“Hell, Fire And Steel” Tour w/ SAXON
24.07.2025 SE Eskilstuna – Lokomotivet 25.07.2025 SE Borgholm – Öland Rock 26.07.2025 SE Linköping – Garden, Konsert & Kongress 27.07.2025 SE Gävle – Furuvik
02.08.2025 SE Skuleberget – Skulerocken 09.08.2025 ES Villena – Leyendas del Rock 24.08.2025 CH Aarburg – Riverside 30.08.2025 DE Bad Wörishofen – Forest Metal Festival
TUNGSTEN are a Swedish symphonic metal band formed by ex-HAMMERFALL drummer Anders Johansson and his sons Niklas and Karl in 2016, completed by vocalist Mike Andersson. With their technical virtuosity and captivating compositions, the band have made a name in the international metal scene, and with their album “The Grand Inferno,” their first release via RPM, they undoubtedly enriched the metal landscape. The record brims with nothing but energy and innovation, and delivers a powerful fusion of dynamic instrumentation and captivating melodies with the quartet’s signature sound being apparent throughout.
TUNGSTEN are: Mike Andersson | vocals Niklas “Nick” Johansson | guitars, backing vocals Karl “Kalle” Johansson | bass, keyboards, screams Anders Johansson | drums
Norwegian Grammy winners Gaahls WYRD are returning with their long-awaited second album. Braiding the Stories journeys inward, between the riverbeds of consciousness and dreams. With each cosmic chord, each cold and haunting beat, Kristian “Gaahl” Espedal and his mystical band untell the stories, and in the process, braid the roots that cradle the unseen.
“Braiding the Stories is a paragon of craftsmanship”, New Noise wrote in a 5-star review.
Braiding the Stories is released today, Friday, June 6, and you can hear all nine haunting songs by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
If their 2019 debut GastiR – Ghosts Invited conjured ghosts and 2021’s The Humming Mountain lingered in twilight realms, Braiding the Stories rises from beyond what Gaahl himself describes as “The White Lodge”. Drawing from the subconscious, the band’s new album threads together dream fragments and inner voices with unheard reverberations.
Guitarist Lust Kilman’s solos—melodic fragments carved like totems into each composition—carry much of the emotional weight, supported by Nekroman’s immersive bass and Spektre’s meticulous drumming. From the vulnerable grandeur of the title track to the ritualistic drive of “Time and Timeless Timeline” and the cinematic dissonance of “And the Now” the album is unbound by genre yet anchored by purpose.
“I always work with the subconscious,” Gaahl says. “This time, I wanted the listener to fall into the album.”
Norwegian Grammy-winning metal outfit Gaahls WYRD stun with their new album, Braiding the Stories, via Season of Mist. Featuring vocalist Gaahl (aka Kristian Espedal), guitarist Lust Kilman (aka Ole Walaunet), drummer Spektre (aka Kevin Kvåle), and bassist Nekroman (aka Andreas Salbu), the group’s sophomore full-length elaborates conceptually on and widens the musical gaze of Gaahls WYRD sonic aesthetic. To wit, they’ve artfully united introspective vistas and violent upheaval on singles “Braiding the Stories,” “Time and Timeless Timeline,” and “And the Now.” If The Humming Mountain (2021) resided between spaces, Braiding the Stories is the lighthouse out of it.
“I call it the White Lodge,” Gaahl says, referring to Braiding the Stories’ differentia. “Maybe I’ll call it the Bright Lodge. I wanted to put focus on where I think Ole is most comfortable music-wise. There’s more things he’s connected to on this album than before. So, I jumped over the more black metal tracks, as I felt they didn’t belong to this process. For example, when we sat down in the studio, we wanted a specific energy. That energy is a ‘80s and ‘90s thing. Almost gothic rock, but it’s more about the sound than the style. It’s an aesthetic for sure. If I may, everyone should pay close attention to Ole’s fantastic solos. They’re pieces of music [inside the songs].”
Braiding the Stories doesn’t scream retro, though. As with previous releases GastiR – Ghosts Invited (2019) and The Humming Mountain, it’s also not easy to pin down. From the unbridled dissonance of “And the Now,” the first track out of Gaahl’s grimoire, and driving scenery of “Flowing Starlight” to the heavy metal-prone “And the Now” and the aching nostalgia of the title track, Gaahls WYRD cleverly stalk their influences, while also ensuring their unorthodox fingerprints and adventurous mindset remain unspoiled. Reinforced by show-stopping musicianship and Gaahl’s penchant for Peter Gabriel-esque showmanship, Braiding the Stories isn’t black metal, death metal, or any other metal. Truly and utterly, this is Gaahls WYRD.
“Musically, it’s unique,” says Gaahl. “It’s not necessarily connected to GastiR and The Humming Mountain. Those albums are connected to very earthly elements, the natural flow of things. This album is another dimension—behind the veil, if you will. I remember I wanted to release ‘And the Now’ as the first single, but there’s probably too much information to be the first track out. Throughout this album, I use a lot of different voices, and I’ve thought a lot about how all these different characters fit [into the music]. So, I wanted the listener to fall into the album, not be distracted, and I think I’ve accomplished that. It’s cinematic.”
While most artists abhorred the pandemic, Gaahl adored it. Not for its destructiveness, but for what it afforded the songmaster. The isolation was creatively energizing. Without the thrum of the record industry and all its demanding machinations, Gaahl crafted his heavily-cerebrated metals unagitated. Indeed, much meaning and purpose was imbued into the process that fueled Braiding the Stories. The last words (about sleep) uttered by Gaahl on The Humming Mountain have transited into the first words (about dreams) on “The Dream.”
“I always work with the subconscious,” Gaahl says. “And dreams are where we are at the most aware of our subconsciousness, I think. In a way, Braiding the Stories is a continuation [of ‘The Sleep’] but told from a different perspective. So, to simplify, Braiding the Storiesdeals with dreams. Not specific dreams, though. The transitions of dreams, emotions flowing from one to another without pause. Everything I do tends to end up with a melancholic flow and feel without it necessarily being an idea–it just happens, really–but I avoided that this time around. It’s less physical. I referred to the White Lodge before. This time around, I feel I visited the White Lodge not the Black Lodge.”
The old adage says, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Gaahls WYRD are very much the “old adage” type. For the production, the group returned to Solslottet Studio in Bergen, Norway to co-produce with ace Iver Sandøy (Enslaved, Wardruna). There, they put down and perfected “Time and Timeless Timeline,” “And the Now,” and the title track, as well as the album’s three vivid interludes “The Dream,” “Voices in My Head,” and “Through the Veil.” Though Braiding the Stories wasn’t recorded all at once, it’s audio-visually breathtaking. Sandøy also mixed and mastered the sessions.
“Me and Iver have been working together on several albums,” says Gaahl. “He’s an important part of Gaahls WYRD. He’s used to my way of working. Sometimes, I can be quite frustrating to work with. If my mind isn’t feeding me inspiration, I won’t get anything done. In that way, I’m very comfortable working with Iver. I need to spar conceptual ideas with someone, and Iver’s very good at that. I don’t annoy the rest of the band with these things. Iver and I have a lot of discussions, and the ideas naturally grow from there. This time around, it was very easy.”
The striking cover art by visual artist Øivind Myksvoll (Wardruna, Trelldom) is just as mysterious and arresting as his work for The Humming Mountain. Look closely and you’ll find what appears to be hair (aka the veil) and the cosmos (crystallized wine from Gaahl’s collection). Indeed, the group’s signature horned figure lurks between the layers. For Gaahls WYRD, music, lyrics, concept, and art are synonymous. They’re designed to be experienced in their entirety and in unison. Braiding the Stories isn’t an obvious listen, but it gently (and sometimes maniacally) pulls at the listener. The sensation of the journey from opener “The Dream” to closing epic “Flowing Starlight” is quite unlike anything before. All hail Braiding the Stories!
Lineup: Kristian Espedal «Gaahl» – All Voices Ole Walaunet «Lust Kilman» – All Guitars Andreas Salbu «Nekroman» – Bass Kevin Kvåle «Spektre» – Drums
Production Credits: Recorded at Solslottet Studio, Bergen, Norway. Produced by Iver Sandøy & Gaahls WYRD. Mixed & mastered by Iver Sandøy at Solslottet Studio, Bergen, Norway.
DESPIZER was formed in the spring of 2013 by Wilk and Rasz – musicians previously associated with black and death metal projects such as Deathlust and Persecutor. Their new goal was clear: to create uncompromising, raw material inspired by the sounds of the Swedish Wolfpack and British Doom. After writing a few intense songs, vocalist Tomasz Piotrowski and drummer Paweł Drozd joined to the band. From that moment on, the band’s sound began to evolve. The aggression and directness remained, but new elements appeared: influences of thrash and black metal, intertwining d-beat blast beats and more complex song structures.
The band from Pabianice released the albums “Joyride of Despair” (2014) and “Pogarda” (2017), while work on the third album began in 2020. However, their pace was disrupted by the pandemic, geopolitical turmoil and changes in the line-up. Eventually, Radek from Desolate Empyrean took over the bassist position, and the band began recording their third album in the spring of 2024.
The new album “Krew” is a continuation and development of the stylistic language known from “Pogarda“, which is even more sultry and merciless on the new release.
This is how the band talks about the album “Krew“: “This album is about dying – not by choice, but by necessity. About physical, spiritual and social death. About a world without God, without purpose, without meaning. About the moment when a person becomes a shadow. About souls burned to the core and bodies that still move out of habit“.
Music for new album was recorded and mixed by Paweł Drozd (Doomster Reich, Architect of Disease). Audio mastering was done by Marcin Sosnowski (Nameless, Serpent Seed). Cover artwork created by Martyna Ciupka, while CD layout was designed by Fabian Filiks (Saltus, Sauron, Naumachia).
DESPIZER third studio album will be released on CD with cooperation of Polish label Via Nocturna on June 27, 2025. Pre-order is avilable on official webstore (here).
Listen to the song “Krzyk udręczonych“:
“Krew” Tracklist:
1. Trzeba umrzeć 2. Ślepiec 3. Zaciśnięte pięści 4. Krzyk udręczonych 5. Przypadkowy samobójca 6. Strużka krwi 7. Megalomania
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 ) 