Cape Town’s favourite alternative psych-shoegaze collective, Filthy Hippies, have released the music video for their track Miserable, taken from their recently launched album, A Colourful Trip Through Melancholy out now on Mongrel Records.
Since emerging onto the South African music scene in 2018, Filthy Hippies have carved out a distinct sonic identity—meshing swirling shoegaze textures with gritty psychedelic undertones. Their work has earned them a dedicated following, cementing their place among the most compelling acts in the country’s thriving underground. From spellbinding live sets to festival appearances, including a memorable performance at the 2019 Endless Daze Festival, Filthy Hippies continue to push boundaries with every release.
The band also welcomes a refreshed and expanded line-up for this new era. Joining Andrew Paine (Vocals/Bass/Guitar), Mandy Backström (Bass/Vocals), and Tim Ball (Guitar) are Jan-Hendrik Van Wyk (Guitar) and Divan Swanepoel (Drums). This dynamic five-piece brings renewed energy and textural richness to both the band’s studio recordings and live performances, allowing the group to dive deeper into the sonic landscapes they’ve become known for.
The video for “Miserable” is a layered visual journey—raw, dreamlike, and reflective. It captures the emotional paradox at the heart of the track. “We tried to contrast the melancholic vibe of Miserable with a cheerfully sung chorus, that hints at the possibility that the protagonist is happy being unhappy,” says vocalist Andrew Paine. That contrast is brought vividly to life in the video, pairing distorted performance visuals with surreal, analogue textures.
“Miserable” encapsulates the spirit of A Colourful Trip Through Melancholy—an album that drifts through emotion, memory, and existential haze, yet remains grounded in the grungey grit of real experience. It’s an ode to introspection, a sonic pilgrimage wrapped in fuzz and feeling.
Fans of My Bloody Valentine, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, or South Africa’s own Dangerfields will find themselves right at home in the Filthy Hippies’ immersive soundscapes.
Chilean death-doom ensemble DEVS MORTVORVM have officially made their forthcoming EP, “The Oldest Crypt”, available for early streaming prior to its scheduled release date. This preview offers listeners an opportunity to experience the band’s distinctive fusion of cavernous doom and classic death metal, which permeates the entire release.
“The Oldest Crypt” is out June 6, 2025 via Apocalyptic Productions.
Formed in 2015 by David Briones (guitar) and Claudio Carrasco (vocals), DEVS MORTVORVM emerged with a clear mission: to play Graveyard Doom Death, inspired by legendary acts such as Goatlord, Derketa, early Cathedral and Autopsy. The band is now completed by Andrés Henríquez on drums and Felipe Vuletich on bass, bringing even more weight and rot to their already imposing sound.
This upcoming EP features five tracks—three original compositions, a crushing cover of “Acid Orgy” by U.S. cult legends Goatlord, and a raw live track that captures the band’s visceral stage presence. Every aspect of this release – lyrics, artwork, and music – is a unified expression of DEVS MORTVORVM’s devotion to the morbid spirit of doom-death and necrolatry.
Musically, the EP offers an enticing blend of shadow-drenched, vicious death-doom, where sludgy riffs clash and intertwine with serpentine melodies, creating a dynamic tension that keeps each track unpredictable and alive. It’s a masterclass in sonic decay, where every note drips with the dampness of the tomb.
Tracklist:
01. Orgy in the Graveyard 02. Love for the Dead 03. The Oldest Crypt 04. Acid Orgy (Goatlord cover) 05. Orgy in the Graveyard (live)
Recorded between july 2023 and september 2024 at Black Sheep Studios All Music composed by David Briones except “Acid Orgy” by Goatlord. Lyrics and vocal lines by Claudio Carrasco except “Acid Orgy” by Goatlord. Live track recorded at MiBar 20/12/2024 Artwork by Julián Mora.
Line-up:
David Briones – Guitars Claudio Carrasco – Vocals Andrés Henríquez – Drums Felipe Vuletich – Bass
For a band that has only been around for four years, the German rockers of STIGMA have already made quite a name for themselves, especially abroad. With their relaxed yet haunting ridge walk between hard rock and older-school mid-tempo thrash, which in its mellow nature and clear composition doesn’t even try to hide small vocal nods to synth rockers like Depeche Mode, they have not only been able to build up a loyal fanbase right at their own doorstep with two early EPs and a few singles, but have also made waves far beyond.
Their music video for Lies Of War, released two years ago, even made it across the pond and won the “Best Music Video” award at the New York Red Moon Film Festival. Across the Channel in London, the piece was also awarded “Best Music Video” at the Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival. Further awards followed, including “Best of Independent Cinema” at the Festival de Cannes, “Best International Music Video” and “Best Original Sound Designer” at the Maverick International Film Festival, to name but a few. And almost unnoticed over here in Germany, the second EP First Call entered the Top 30 of the renowned college radio station WLTL 88.1FM in Illinois.
Now the time has finally come: Stigma’s brand new full-length album Second Chancewill be released tomorrow on June 4th to be celebrated live on the same day. Not only will Stigma themselves be performing at the Hirsch in Nuremberg, which was awarded “Germany’s best live club” by the readers of a major German metal magazine last year, but they will also be joined by cult metallers RANDOM for a double showcase! Singer Gerald Zinnegger addresses the fans on the upcoming release: “Second Chance is more than just an album for us – it’s a journey we’re taking with you. Every song only comes to life through you. Thank you for being with us – you are the true Stigmaniacs.”
The WHEN und WHERE in compact form:
ALBUM RELEASE PARTY
Acts: STIGMA und RANDOM feat. Angelo Schiliró
Date: 4. Juni 2025
Venue: Der Hirsch Nürnberg | Vogelweiherstr. 66
Doors: 7.00 PM | Starting: 8.00 PM
Just one more thing:For the fans at the release show, the band has come up with something very special that has probably never (or not often) been done before in this form: Attendees don’t pay a fixed full price for merch items such as T-shirts or patches, or even for the CD itself, but simply design their own prices: “We call it PWYW (Pay Whatever You Want) – just have a good time, take our goods into your hands and simply pay what they’re worth to you.”
The brand new album Second Chance will be out on June 4th via Music Mania Live and is ready for pre-save: https://stigma.lnk.to/newalbum
Tracklist: The Signs Glorious Victory Blaze of My Heart Faraway Monster Corrupter Broken Friendship Pirate Foul Play Through the Night World without Hope Your Guide
About Stigma and Second Chance:
Die Founded in 2021 by singer Gerald Zinnegger and guitarist Markus Mantau and quickly joined by René Chlebnitschek on bass and Bernd Paptistella on drums, Stigma’s new album is the logical continuation of a journey that began with the two EPs Last Order (2022) and First Call (2023). Initially still heavily influenced by acts such as Alice Cooper or the later Metallica, the quartet quickly found their own compositional approach: They neither wanted to lay down fashionable accents nor bury what should ultimately matter – the pure song itself – under musical frills and glitter. From the first to the last note, everything compositional is therefore subject to the strict dictation of remaining honest, glare-free and appropriate to the song without compromising the fun in rock.
Following this premise, Second Chance revolves around the central existential questions of working people at the heart of society in an almost metal-atypical way, proving the meaning of existentialism through simple stories of common life with well-dosed detours into philosophy. Shouter Gerald, who delivers the lyrics with an intense baritone, sums up the diversity of themes on the new record: “Second Chance is an album about resilience, transformation and duality. It explores the highs and lows of human experience, relationships and social challenges. The title speaks of the possibility of growing stronger through adversity and complements the trajectory we set out on with our first two EPs.”
With the latest single Faraway, the first outtake from Second Chanc, the band is also taking a rather unusual route and prefacing the smash hits to come with a calmer, yet impelling track: “Faraway, our lead single, is a powerful yet introspective song deeply rooted in themes of regret, longing, and resilience,” explains Gerald. “The raw, gritty verses reflect the harsh reality of being trapped, while the upbeat, melodic chorus symbolizes hope and liberation.”
Gary Shea, Alcatrazz bassist and founding member, “I have played Island In The Sun many times since it’s inception. So much sometimes I hear it in my sleep. Giles Lavery nails the vocal right up there with other past performances. Well done and looking forward to new music on BraveWords Records.”
Alcatrazz lead singer Giles Lavery, “I do seem to have a thing for placing a target on my head… re-record a classic song originally sung by a legendary vocalist… yeah right!, no big deal! (!!!) Jimmy Waldo wrote the main theme to this while still a member of New England in 1981… the first single from Alcatrazz back in 1983….and here is Alcatrazz 2025 presenting a new version just in time for the Alcatraz Prison reopening?… Back to the island we go! Stranger things have happened!”
Alcatrazz hit the road in Europe later this year with Girlschool.
GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ 11/14 Sweden, Sala, Rockland 11/15 Sweden, Stockholm, Rock At Sea Cruise 11/18 Finland, Turku, Nirvana + Daze Dolls 11/19 Finland, Helsinki, On The Rocks 11/20 Finland, Tampere, Tavara-asema 11/21 Finland, Nakkila, Verstas 11/22 Finland, Kouvola, House Of Rock
GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ + DAVID REECE’s BANGALORE CHOIR 11/25 Belgium, Kortjik, DVG Club 11/27 Germany, Kassel, Goldgrube 11/28 Germany, Passau, Zauberberg 11/29 Austria, Steyr, Kulturverein Röda 12/02 Czechia, Olomouc, Bounty Rock Cafe 12/05 Germany, Selb, Rockclub Nordbayern 12/06 Germany, Mörlenbach/Weiher, Live Music Hall 12/07 Germany, Dortmund, Musiktheater Piano
About ALCATRAZZ: Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.
Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70’s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-Kiss Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut “No Parole From Rock N Roll” album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album “Disturbing The Peace” (1985).
The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable line-up, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a “supergroup” of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.
Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the “shred-lord” himself…the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.
Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours — having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr’s “Out Of The Darkness Part II” as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums…himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here… as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don’t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.
Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz… as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done…”i think i even drove the tour bus once or twice back then” says Waldo… in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. “alot of people have come and gone over the years” says Jimmy… “It’s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era” Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful “Born Innocent” album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).
Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less… came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget “Live Sentence”) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary’s recently published book “No Bass, No Party” is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story!
VILDHJARTA unleash their latest album, “+ där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +” , now available everywhere. Known for their mystique and genre-defying approach, the Swedish progressive metal pioneers return with a dark, atmospheric journey lasting 57 minutes.
This new chapter sees VILDHJARTA pushing the limits of sonic and visual storytelling, accompanied by striking artwork that is as integral to their identity as their music. Their sound remains as technically sharp and emotionally vast as ever—a true display of artistic integrity and unyielding creativity.
Now available on CD and vinyl in various editions.
VILDHJARTA continue to define what it means to be truly innovative in heavy music.
Fresh on the crushing heels of their ninth album Gospel of Bone, today, Funeral are returning with a new companion EP. The Funereal displays all the markings that made this band pioneers of funeral doom: glacial riffs, poisoned harmonies, slow-burning solos and deep, pained growls. At its cold heart lies “Gamalt ljós”, a towering 18-minute centerpiece that digs deep into the psychological toll of emotional entrapment.
The Funereal EP comes out today and is available on all digital platforms.
“Gamalt ljós” is one of the most introspective and heavy songs in Funeral’s decades-long career. Sung entirely in Faroese, the song translates in English as “Old Light,” a poetic reference to the fading glow of past hopes and unreachable absolutes. As its triptych structure unfolds, the emotional intensity escalates, navigating Kantian philosophy, spiritual longing, violent imagery and personal grief. “Rópi á gamalt ljós” (“I cry for old light”) emerges as its aching refrain.
The Funereal EP also includes an acoustic reinterpretation of “Når Kisten Senkes,” a standout track from Gospel of Bones. Stripped of the original’s orchestral weight, this new version lays bare the song’s stark mourning and lyrical gravitas. The result is a subdued yet devastating lamentation—an intimate reflection on death, grief, and finality, rendered in delicate acoustics and hushed despair.
Tracklist:
Gamalt ljós – Pt. 1 (6:40)
Gamalt ljós – Pt. 2 (5:16)
Gamalt ljós – Pt. 3 (6:08)
Når Kisten Senkes (Acoustic) (8:16) Full runtime: 26:20
Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on BLACK SABBATH self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?
Anders Eek – FUNERAL’s founding member, drummer and undisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring, as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen, just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by CATHEDRAL and CANDLEMASS, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.
But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album ‘Tragedies’ to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece ‘In Fields Of Pestilent Grief’ or 2012 symphonic masterpiece ‘Oratorium’. Still, after the band most recent performance in Antwerpen on February 3, 2018, “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, others moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway. But there were less things happening you know. During that nine-year gap, I could have written ten albums but I only wrote two ah!”
The beast did sleep less than two years though as the following year singer Sindre Nedland, who had joined FUNERAL for ‘Oratorium’, “woke up from his slumber and told me he was ready to focus music again. I had the whole music demoed and ready, so it quickly snowballed from there.” For the first time ever, not only are the lyrics fully in Norwegian but they were also written by an outside collaborator, a “personal friend” of Anders who happens to be a psychologist. “He’s both a close friend and a fan of the band. So, he knows exactly how I roll and what the band is all about. I knew he was writing on the side so one day about five years ago, I asked him as a joke almost ‘hey, why don’t you write lyrics for my band instead?’ and within five months, he did! His lyrics are more or less his take on philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s work. Initially, I thought about maybe translating them to English, but it would have meant redoing them so in the end, we choose to keep them as they were. The booklet will include a little text explaining what they’re all about for those who don’t speak Norwegian.”
Musically, Anders describes ‘Praesentialis in Aeternum’ (something along the line of “here eternally”) as a “natural progression. I know we have some fans who are only into the first albums and those who discovered us in the early 00’s but this new opus has a little bit of everything for everybody. The symphonic elements are far more bombastic yet much well more done, thanks to the evolution of technology since ‘Oratorium’. It’s in a way a mixture of our three last albums yet our most diverse work yet, with both quite concise and very epic pieces. As a matter of fact, we recorded something like ten songs but vowed to choose only the six best to get the best album possible.” Among them you’ll find one originally written during their third album |From These Sounds’ session, one co-written with former founding member Thomas Angell (who left in 2000) and, in the deluxe version, a CANDLEMASS (‘Samarithan’) cover version originally recorded back in 2005 with their then singer Frode Forsmo, thus linking ‘Praesentialis in Aeternum’ with the band’s past history. Also guesting on ‘Ånd,’ the first single off the record, is Lars Nedland, Sindre’s own brother of BORKNAGAR and SOLEFALD fame. It’s also the first album for their new partner, Season of Mist.
Since the album was completed, the now septet has welcomed for the first time ever a full-time violin player “to perform live most of the strings you can hear on our albums as soon as we’ll be able to go back on stage.” In the meantime, Anders confesses the next album is more or less “finished. ‘Praesentialis’ could have been released earlier if we hadn’t to face all those COVID-related problems. We couldn’t meet in person, let alone rehearse or even just take promo pictures… But now we have a new label, a new line-up and a totally renewed sense of energy so why stop there? FUNERAL started thirty years ago be truth be told, it’s never been stronger. So, doom on!”
Recording Lineup: Jon Aldara Anders Eek Morten Søbyskogen Ingvild Anett Strønen Johannessen / Sareeta Anders Langberg
Production Credits: Recorded at Strand Studio, Stabbek, Norway. Produced, mixed & mastered by Marius Strand at Strand Studio.
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 ) 