Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of GRADIENCE, the uncompromising Danish metal act forging a bold new path with their explosive fusion of black metal, deathcore, metalcore, and trap-rap.
With their critically acclaimed debut EP Ironsight, produced by Chris Kreutzfeldt (CABAL, MØL), GRADIENCE has already turned heads for their fearless genre experimentation and raw, personal storytelling – tackling themes of alienation and the inner turmoil that comes from being seen as an outsider.
Just ahead of today’s announcement, the band independently released their latest single “Lucid” feat. Ghost Iris – check the music video below.
A collaborative effort with Danish progressive metalcore powerhouse Ghost Iris, “Lucid” expands GRADIENCE‘s sound with towering vocals, pummeling grooves, and a heightened sense of emotional urgency.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Gradience to the Metal Blade family,” says EU label manager Markus “Bart” Grasseck. “Their innovation, intensity, and fearless creativity embody everything we stand for. The future of heavy music runs through bands like this.”
The band’s debut EP Ironsight – praised by Metal Hammer UK as “a tease of Gradience’s grizzly potential” – has been nominated for EP of the Year at the 2024 Danish Heavy Awards, with GRADIENCE also recognized as a nominee for the Hope of the Year award. Earlier this year, they performed at the exclusive When Copenhell Freezes Over showcase hosted by Copenhell at the legendary VEGA venue in Copenhagen.
Metal Hammer UK also hailed their debut single “This Abyss” as: “Astounding… Gradience are exactly that – the Danish duo mixing hip hop and explosive black metal with both elements delivered to the highest quality.”
Following impactful collaborations with Hexis (“Crushed By The Tide“) and UK’s Love Is Noise (“Save Me“), GRADIENCE continues to break boundaries with each release – and now, under the wing of Metal Blade Records, their next chapter is set to be their most ferocious yet.
On Friday May 9th, one of Burslem’s most famous sons – Motörhead founder and bassist/vocalist Lemmy Kilmister – will be honoured and further immortalized during the “Lemmy Forever Stoke-On-Trent Ceremony”. With Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell attending to place Lem’s ashes in a magnificent statue created by local sculptor and huge Motörhead fan Andy Edwards, the day is going to be filled with fun, friends, and some volume too. The ceremony will commence in Burslem town center at approximately 4pm, with friends invited to come early and make a day of it by enjoying some pre-ceremonial Motörhead beverages at the various site-adjacent hostelries including Old Post Office bar and Ale House, while the Market Place Café will also have refreshments, including a special Motörhead roast of the day. Some of the ceremonial festivities will include a biker’s corteo accompanying the ashes, various speakers, and a roaring 21-rev salute which will hit the skies in ceremonial reverence! The statue itself captures Lemmy in all his live glory from the 1981 era, which saw Motörhead headline the Heavy Metal Holocaust just down the road at Port Vale Stadium back on August 1st 1981.
Here are some more details on what people can expect and some of the services which will be available on the day:
The Bare Walls Art Gallery next to the statue will be displaying an installation featuring rarely seen photographs of Lemmy in their space along with other memorabilia.
Later in the evening, Grumpy’s bar will host A Night of Music to Celebrate the Life of Lemmy, hosting the Motörhead tribute band Motörwrecked, as well as hosting an auction of exclusive items supplied by Motörhead’s record label and merchandise companies. The auction is practically sold out, but a very limited number of wristbands has been held back for fans and will be available on a first-come-first-served basis on the day from the event office, which can be found at The Old Post Office Bar, costing £10. No sleep til Grumpy’s! https://www.grumpys.uk There will also be exclusive merchandise available at The Old Post Office.
Music Mania will also be hosting an event at the Mitchell Arts Centre in Hanley from 7.30pm to 10.30pm featuring Motörhead tribute band Motörheadache, with tickets at £18. Fans can head to https://musicmaniauk.com/event/motorheadache/ for further details.
For those driving to the event, parking will be available at Port Vale Football Club, a 7 minute walk away, and if arriving by train, Ace Taxis will be available to get from the station to the event via 01782 822228.
For those who need accommodation, special rates are available at the DoubleTree by Hilton Stoke-On-Trent via Lemmy2025 rates. Call +44 1782 609988 or go to https://hil.tn/0mcah9 .
Ukrainian modern metal powerhouse JINJER has dropped a crushing new music video for “Fast Draw”, a standout track from their critically acclaimed latest album, Duél. Featuring explosive live footage from their recent European tours alongside metal legends Sepultura, as well as highlights from last summer’s festival circuit, the video offers a front-row seat to JINJER’s blistering live energy and commanding stage presence.
Renowned for their genre-defying sound and electrifying performances, JINJER continues to rise as one of the most dynamic forces in today’s metal landscape. The band spent 2024 on the road with Sepultura as part of the iconic group’s farewell world tour, and 2025 has already seen them bring their ferocity to stages across Asia and Australia. This summer, JINJER will storm North America as direct support for Babymetal, with additional high-profile festival appearances set for Download UK, Graspop Metal Meeting, and more.
Watch the official video for “Fast Draw” now and experience the unrelenting power of JINJER – live and unleashed.
For latest album Duél – which features multiple music videos with multi-millions of combined views to date and broke into the charts at #2 US Hard Music Albums, #6 US Current Rock Albums, #2 CAN Hard Music Albums, #3 France Metal, #7 UK Rock & Metal and beyond – the band once again collaborated with accomplished producer Max Morton, who co-produced, mixed and mastered the album. This new masterwork lives up to JINJER’s reputation as metal visionaries, proving that they defy barriers of influence while charging a path entirely of their own making. This is proven with songs like “Rogue”, “Green Serpent” and “Dark Bile”, conjuring astonishing heaviness unlike ever before. Followers of world-class screamer and multifaceted singer Tatiana Shmayluk will revel in her display of unrelenting power and gripping emotional delivery as early as album opener “Tantrum” , while cruel stunners like “Fast Draw” and “Duél” showcase the acclaimed technical craftwork of drummer Vlad Ulasevich, guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov and bassist Eugene Abdukhanov.
Eugene Abdukhanov, JINJER bassist on the new album:“ After all the releases we’ve made, finally having Duél in our hands and ready to be shared with the world, makes us very proud that our band still hasn’t run out of creativity and inspiration. The fact that we still challenge ourselves to release the best music we have ever made with each new release, is what keeps JINJER moving forward. This album was the longest songwriting process we’ve ever had and it took almost two years to complete. We worked very hard with every free minute we weren’t on tour, recording demos over and over again and always searching for the perfect sound for guitars, bass and drums. It was also the first time that Tatiana did vocal pre-productions, so it’s safe to say that none of our releases were so well thought out and calculated as this one. It pulverizes the boundaries of the modern progressive metal genre but still remains sophisticated, exciting and extreme all at the same time. We took up the challenge to expand our musical horizons even wider than before in order to cement Duél to be the next step in JINJER‘s musical growth and hopefully the evolution of metal music in general.”
Order Your Copy of Duél NOW–only a few formats left!
Duél tracklisting: 1. Tantrum 2. Hedonist 3. Rogue 4. Tumbleweed 5. Green Serpent 6. Kafka 7. Dark Bile 8. Fast Draw 9. Someone’s Daughter 10. A Tongue So Sly 11. Duél
JINJER LIVE 2025
08.05.25 US – Columbus / Sonic Temple 16.05.25 US – Daytona Beach / Welcome To Rockville
01.06.25 LV – Riga / Palladium 02.06.25 EE – Tallin / Noblessner Foundry 03.06.25 LT – Vilnius / Compesa Hall 04.06.25 SE – Sölvesborg / Sweden Rock 06.06.25 PL – Gdańsk / Mystic Festival 07.06.25 DE – Nuremberg / Rock im Park 08.06.25 DE – Nürburg / Rock am Ring 10.06.25 SI – Laibach / Mediacenter 12.06.25 AT – Nickelsdorf / Nova Rock Festival 13.06.25 FI – Turku / Rock Fest 14.06.25 CH – Interlaken / Greenfield Festival 15.06.25 UK – Donington Park / Download Festival 17.06.25 BG – Sofia / Maimunarnika 19.06.25 FR – Clisson / Hellfest 20.06.25 BE – Dessel / Graspop Metal Meeting 22.06.25 IT – Milan / Dissonance Fest 25.06.25 ES – Viveiro / Resurrection Fest 26.06.25 NL – Ysselsteyn / Jera On Air 28.06.25 NO – Oslo / Tons Of Rock 29.06.25 PT – Lisbon / Evil Live Festival 02.07.25 DK – Roskilde / Roskilde Festival
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SUPPORTING BABYMETAL w/ Bloodywood: 05.07.25 US – Milwaukee / Summerfest 06.07.25 US – Maryland Heights / Saint Louis Music Park 08.07.25 US – Chicago / Aragon Ballroom 09.07.25 US – Minneapolis / The Armory 11.07.25 US – Denver / The JunkYard 14.07.25 CA – Vancouver / Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Center 15.07.25 US – Kent / Showare Center 17.07.25 US – San Francisco / Masonic 18.07.25 US – San Francisco / Masonic 20.07.25 US – Las Vegas / The Pearl 21.07.25 US – Salt Lake City / Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre 23.07.25 US – Phoenix / Arizona Financial
… to be continued …
JINJER is: Tatiana Shmayluk – Vocals Roman Ibramkhalilov – Guitars Eugene Abdukhanov – Bass Vlad Ulasevich – Drums
Swedish thrash metal juggernaut METHANE has officially announced the addition of Richard “Owlheade” Fredriksson as their full-time drummer. Richard, who has been impressing audiences with his focused power on the skins since joining Methane on their European tour in 2023 alongside Massacre (US DM), is now the band’s eighth drummer, stepping into a role filled with high expectations and legacy.
Richard’s journey to Methane began at a gig where his former band, Flamedriven, opened for Methane. It was during this performance that he was introduced to band members Tim, Jimi, and Markus, leading to his eventual place in the lineup. With a background in Swedish thrash band Arsenite and groove metal group Flamedriven, Richard brings a wealth of experience and energy to the band.
Currently, Richard is in the studio recording the band’s highly anticipated third album, which promises to deliver a punishing, faster, and more brutal crossover version of Methane’s thrashing style, appealing to fans of the genre and beyond.
With its eigth drummer, in the spirit of legendary rock comedy Spinal Tap, Methane continues to defy convention and push the boundaries of thrash metal while maintaining a sense of humor and fun in their performances. With Richard “Owlheade” Fredriksson now officially part of the band, fans can expect nothing short of explosive energy and unforgettable shows.
Methane is set to demolish stages across Sweden this May, supporting legendary acts F.K.Ü. and Mezzrow. The upcoming tour dates include:
May 10 – Örnsköldsvik, SE – Musikhuset
May 16 – Jönköping, SE – Klubb Dissonans
May 17 – Sandviken, SE – Kungen
May 23 – Mora, SE – Lilla Helfvetet
In addition to these shows, Methane will perform at several summer metal festivals, including:
May 24 – Mangelfest, Stockholm, SE
July 4 – Metal Mayhem, Mariehamn, FI
July 5 – Bomberfest, Motala, SE
August 23 – Rockwälln, Dala Floda, SE
Stay tuned for more updates and prepare for a summer of thrash with Methane.
Female-fronted symphonic metal act Just Reborn have released the official Lyric video for “Brain Fag”, the third single from their critically praised concept album Formae Mentis.
“Brain Fag” delves deep into the psychological torment of a mind unraveling under the weight of isolation, confusion, and emotional dissonance. The term fag in the title refers to an archaic and rarely used definition—a state of mental weariness or fog—completely unrelated to any modern or derogatory usage. Here, it’s used to underline a crisis of identity and clarity, a brutal internal conflict between darkness and the desperate human will to break free.
Just Reborn invites listeners into a harrowing descent and a battle for rebirth through haunting melodies, cinematic arrangements, and the raw power of frontwoman Monica Bisquadro.
Released after three years of intense creative exploration, Formae Mentis is a concept album that maps the twisted corridors of the human psyche. Blending symphonic metal with classical, medieval, progressive rock, blues, and lyrical opera, the album is a genre-defying triumph—a sonic mirror held up to the soul.
Swedish artist Linnea Hjertén returns with “Blodmåne” (‘Blood Moon’), a lyrical offering without words, rooted in ritual and transformation. Echoing the spirit of her debut album “Nio systrar”, this piece blends acoustic and digital percussion beneath layered vocal mantras – composed, performed, and mixed entirely by Hjertén in the solitude of her home. ‘I sacrifice a part of me as an offering,’ she reflects. ‘I remove what is no longer needed to make space for the next chapter.’ With echoes of Dead Can Dance and Kari Rueslåtten, Hjertén continues to conjure music that is both intimate and otherworldly.
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 ) 