HOKKA Announce Debut Album ‘Via Miseria IV’ + Release Third Single ‘Heart Said No’ with Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo credit: @Illudaed

Finnish rising force HOKKA announce their highly anticipated full-length album Via Miseria IV, due out on April 24 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band brings together three major names from Finland’s rock legacy: former BLIND CHANNEL frontman Joel Hokka, THE RASMUS founding member and former guitarist-songwriter Pauli Rantasalmi, and phenomenal young drummer Jimi Aslak.

Following the success of the previously released singles ‘In The Darkness‘ and ‘Death By Cupid’s Arrow‘, the band now unveil the powerful third single from the upcoming record, ‘Heart Said No‘, arriving together with another epic, cinematic video in unmistakable HOKKA style.

A beautiful, emotional anthem built around a captivating piano melody, ‘Heart Said No‘ showcases a more vulnerable yet powerful side of HOKKA, blending soaring atmospheres with the band’s signature intensity. The track offers another glimpse into the sonic depth and thematic weight that define Via Miseria IV, an album that explores themes of struggle, resilience, and inner conflict.

Frontman Joel Hokka comments on the song:

“Big boys don’t cry — except when writing songs like this. ‘Heart Said No’ was the first song I ever wrote with tears in my eyes — and I wasn’t the only one in the band. The song is a raw and authentic deep dive into self-reflection, shaped by minds steeped in melancholy. We’re incredibly proud to announce that our first album, Via Miseria IV, will be released on April 24th.”

Listen to ‘Heart Said No’: https://hokka.bfan.link/heart-said-no

Via Miseria IV comes in following formats:

  • CD jewel case with 20-page poster booklet
  • 1 LP red vinyl
  • 1 LP red/black splatter

In addition, HOKKA has just announced their first live shows for 2026 giving fans the opportunity to experience the power and storytelling of the warrior and sensai saga on stage for the first time.

The first club show:
07.05.26  FI  Helsinki – Tavastia

Confirmed festival shows:
12.-13.06.26   FI  Lahti – Kesämössö
27.06.26         FI  Helsinki – Tuska
03.-05.07.26   FI  Turku – Ruisrock
04.07.26         FI Tampere – Tuhdimmat Tahdit
17.-19.07.26    FI  Joensuu – Ilosaarirock
23.-25.07.26    FI  Kuopio – Kuopiorock
25.07.26          FI  Oulu – QStock
14.-16.08.26    CH Cudrefin – Rock The Lakes

ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ Introduces Her New Band

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Image: Alissa White-Gluz – “The Room Where She Died” (Official Music Video) [YouTube]

Alissa White-Gluz has no longer been a member of the death metal giants Arch Enemy for several months and instead launched her own solo project. The first track, “The Room Where She Died”, was released in November 2025, followed by the duet “Breathing” with Cole Rolland on January 30, 2026.

Now the singer has officially unveiled her new band lineup. A new band photo shows her flanked by guitarist Alyssa Day (left) and guitarist Danielle Sophia (right). The post reads:

“Meet the band.
Soon you’ll meet the music.”

It clearly hints that more new music is already on the horizon.

Here’s the video clip of the band introduction:

Most recently, the single “Breathing” by Cole Rolland in collaboration with Alissa White-Gluz was released, along with an accompanying music video on YouTube and other streaming platforms.

Alcatrazz & Warlord Vocalist GILES LAVERY Teams Up with THOMAS MERGLER in Lavery/Mergler Album “Redemption Day”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
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Do you really miss the days when heavy metal had some really big and catchy songs to offer? Are you still in search of a great combination of classic heavy metal with power metal, featuring epic vocals and an exotic touch of good old pomp / hard rock as well? Well, if the answer is yes, this is an album for you.

The Lavery / Mergler project consists of songs that vocalist Giles Lavery (Warlord, Alcatrazz, Jack Starr, Dragonsclaw) and multi-instrumentalist Thomas Mergler have been working on for the past couple of years.

Giles’s good friend Ashish Shetty offered some of his songwriting and performance magic as well, bringing life to eight magnificent epic compositions.

Arkeyn Steel Records comment:

“Some months ago the project released a digital single called “Ascendant”. We liked the song so much that we lost no time at all and approached Giles Lavery asking if there was more material available. Giles told us that there were 7 more songs in demo form. We proposed to release all eight songs on a full-length and that was it: Lavery and Mergler started to work on the final production of the songs while Angel Priest started designing the front cover.

We are very happy that we can share the amazing final result with you: an album that will take you back to a golden age of melody and top songwriting.“

Giles Lavery comments about the album:

“This album represents mostly a number of songs from our combined past existences, songs which we felt, for a long time, and for one reason or another… deserved a proper recording, presentation and release, plus some compositions that came together just this past year…feel free to check it out on my bandcamp page for free or any amount you wish to leave… also the CD is out now via the good folks at Arkeyn Steel!”

Out now on CD by Arkeyn Steel Records and available at “name your price” on the bands Bandcamp page: https://gileslavery.bandcamp.com/album/lavery-mergler-redemption-day or here: CD Link

Listen to “Excalibur” here:

Listen to “Gold” here:

RIKET Unleash Music Video for ‘1867: Storsvagåret’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Swedish death metal heavyweights RIKET have unleashed a brand-new music video for “1867: Storsvagåret”, the latest single taken from their forthcoming debut full-length album “2026”, set for release on April 10th via Black Lion Records.

Following the previously released track “1868 Sommar vid Vinterviken”, the new single once again dives deep into Sweden’s darker historical chapters. With “1867: Storsvagåret”, RIKET channel the crushing force of death metal into a harrowing sonic chronicle of one of the country’s most devastating years. Blending relentless riffing, punishing rhythms and an uncompromising vocal attack, the band transform historical tragedy into a visceral and immersive listening experience. 

About the track, the band states: “We remember ‘Storsvagåret’ – The Year of Great Hunger in Sweden Stockholm, 1892. Few shadows loom as dark over our nation as the memory of Storsvagåret, the Great Year of Hunger in 1867. This dreadful chapter reminds us of nature’s cruelty and human frailty. Spring that year arrived grievously late. Frost lingered into May, and hail and rain destroyed the meager plantings. Cold winds ruined summer crops, and by autumn, famine had taken hold. Starving peasants abandoned their homes, thronging roads in desperation. Entire villages fell silent, their inhabitants dead or fled. Charity efforts were overwhelmed, and government aid proved insufficient. Greedy merchants raised bread prices, worsening the suffering. The harsh winter of 1867-68 sealed the tragedy, claiming thousands more lives. By spring, mass graves marked the countryside, and emigration surged. Survivors bore deep scars, and Sweden’s population was cruelly thinned. Today, Storsvagåret stands as a somber reminder of nature’s might and the need for compassion and pre-paredness in the face of calamity.“

Tracklist:
01. 1868: Sommar vid Vinterviken
02. 1867: Storsvagåret
03. 1965: Höghus och kultur
04. 1948: Att döda ett barn
05. 1885: Dödsdansen (i månskensnatten)
06. 1897: Mot polen
07. 1991: 2000 år (Saliga äro de tålmodiga)
08. 1937: Lågor vid portarna
09. 2009: Alla ska i jorden (Stefan Sundström cover)

With “2026”, RIKET present nine relentless tracks, each one rooted in catastrophe, blunder and human downfall. The album stands as a fierce exploration of historical undercurrents, delivered with unfiltered aggression and unwavering conviction.

“2026” was recorded and produced by Sverker Widgren at Wing Studios. Haunting artwork crafted by Axel Torvenius. The album drops on April 10 via Black Lion Records and is available for pre-order here: Physical | Digital

RIKET are:
Johan “Flid” Fridell – vocals
Tobias Jakobsson – guitars
Jussi Niiranen – guitars
Micke André – bass and backing vocals
Felix Wahlund – drums

For more info visit:
https://www.facebook.com/riket.official
https://www.instagram.com/riket.official/
https://www.facebook.com/blacklionrecordsswe
https://www.instagram.com/blacklionrecordsswe

FRONTSIDE Sign with Massacre Records + Announce New Album “Nemesis”, First Single & Video ‘Omen’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Polish metalcore veterans FRONTSIDE have officially signed a new worldwide deal with Massacre Records and announce their brand-new studio album “Nemesis”, set for release on March 20, 2026 in Poland, followed by the worldwide release on April 10, 2026.

Alongside the album announcement, the band unleash the first single and official video “Omen”, offering a fierce first glimpse into this new era of FRONTSIDE.

STREAM THE SINGLE HERE: https://bfan.link/omen-7 

“Nemesis” marks the band’s first studio album in eight years and the debut full-length with new vocalist Wojciech “Mollie” Moliński. The album represents a long, deliberate and uncompromising creative process – years of writing, refining and reshaping every detail until the material reached its most mature and ruthless form.

“Omen” embodies the sonic direction of the new record: heavier, darker and emotionally more intense than ever before. Crushing riffs, massive rhythmic drive and a monumental, almost apocalyptic atmosphere define the track, setting the tone for an album that redefines Frontside’s identity without breaking with its foundation.

Music and lyrics were written by guitarist Mariusz “Demon” Dzwonek, with compositions created together with the band. The album was recorded at Zed Studio and produced, mixed and mastered by Tomasz “Zed” Zalewski in collaboration with FRONTSIDE.

Lyrically, “Nemesis” mercilessly addresses the conflicts, hypocrisy and social tensions of the modern world, exposing inner turmoil in a reality filled with chaos. It is an angry, conscious and uncompromising statement – a true new chapter in the band’s history.

“Nemesis” will be available as CD, Gatefold 2LP and digital.

Track listing

Initium
Omen
Kapłani Diabła
Zostaniecie Z Niczym
Alfa I Omega
To Wszystko Co Masz
Wejdź Prosto W Nowy System
Na Krawędzi
Chaosu Nastał Czas
Sztylet, Brzytwa, Hak I Sznur
Czas Zabijania
Nemesis
Terminus

FRONTSIDE will support the release with an extensive Polish tour in March and April 2026, followed by festival appearances including Mystic Festival 2026.

FRONTSIDE live:

26.03.2026 PL Wrocław – Agora
27.03.2026 PL Zabrze – CK Wiatrak
28.03.2026 PL Kraków – Hype Park
29.03.2026 PL Łódź – Warkot
9.04.2026 PL Poznań – 2 Progi
10.04.2026 PL Gdańsk – Drizzly Grizzly
11.04.2026 PL Warszawa – Proxima
12.04.2026 PL Lublin – Zgrzyt
3.06.2026 PL Gdańsk – Mystic Festival

FRONTSIDE are back – stronger, heavier and without apologies. A new era begins.

FRONTSIDE are:
Mariusz “Demon” Dzwonek – guitar
Dariusz “Daron” Kupis – guitar
Wojciech Nowak – bass guitar
Tomasz “Toma” Ochab – drums
Wojciech “Mollie” Moliński – vocals

FRONTSIDE online:
https://www.facebook.com/frontsideofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/frontsidepl/

SPEGLAS Release Third And Vinal Single ‘Incessant Severance’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Stockholm’s black/death metal force SPEGLAS has unveiled their third and final single, “Incessant Severance”, taken from the forthcoming debut full-length “Endarkenment, Being & Death”, set for release on February 27th via Trust No One Recordings.

Following the previously released tracks “The Spirit Postmortem” and “Dearth”, “Incessant Severance” offers another intense glimpse into the album’s conceptual depths. Expanding on the philosophical framework that defines the record, the new single explores existential vastness and inner desolation through a cosmic lens, merging blistering aggression with intricate, dynamic songwriting.

Stream the single HERE

Vocalist and guitarist Isak Rosemarin explains: “As the main theme of the album revolves around the idea of an endarkenment, the song Incessant Severance approaches this concept from a cosmic perspective. The theories of the never-ending expansion and eventual departure of all things in the universe – in the end of it all leading to a permanent, cold darkness devoid of light sources – are mirrored in the loss of light, hope, and meaning within the human being. The song is somewhat more multifaceted than the rest.“

Tracklist:

  1. Woe
  2. The Endarkenment
  3. Incessant Severance
  4. Dearth
  5. The Spirit Postmortem
  6. Ailing
  7. Hitherto Awry
  8. Rage Upon The Dying Fire

Formed in 2015, SPEGLAS has always operated with a singular aim: to fuse the visceral intensity of black and death metal with the driving force and melodic weight of classic heavy metal. The result is a sound that is raw, fierce, and atmospheric – yet unexpectedly heartfelt, vulnerable, and even empowering. Their so far released EPs – “Birth, Dreams & Death” (2015, Imperium) and “Time, Futility & Death” (2022, Pulverised) – already hinted at a band unafraid to wander beyond genre boundaries. With their forthcoming debut, SPEGLAS refine that vision into something even more nuanced and personal.

The band’s lineup consists of vocalist and guitarist Isak Rosemarin (Sweven, ex-Morbus Chron, ex-Century), drummer Jesper Nyrelius (Sweven), guitarist Alexi Hedlund, and newly added bassist Victor Berg (New Keepers of the Water Towers). With Victor’s arrival completing the lineup, SPEGLAS are now gearing up to bring their dark, immersive sound to the stage in support of the album’s release.

“Endarkenment, Being & Death” was mixed by Simon Söderberg (Ghost, Henrik Palm) at Studio Mayfire and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna, Ulcerate, Russian Circles etc). The album is available for pre-order at THIS LOCATION

SPEGLAS are:
Isak Rosemarin – Vocals/Guitar
Alexi Hedlund – Guitar
Jesper Nyrelius – Drums
Victor Berg – Bass

For more info visit:
https://linktr.ee/speglas
https://www.facebook.com/SPEGLAS/
https://www.instagram.com/speglas /
https://speglas.bandcamp.com
https://www.tnor.se/