ARMORED SAINT to Release Ninth Studio Album “Emotion Factory Reset” on May 22nd, Video/Single ‘Close To The Bone’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 25, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Travis Shinn

American heavy metal icons, ARMORED SAINT, are back with their anticipated new full-length release, Emotion Factory Reset, set for release on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records.

Emotion Factory Reset, the lineup’s ninth studio album since 1984’s March Of The Saint, is a resurrection of sorts, a tearing down and a rebuilding in eleven songs of diverse musicality and lyrical themes. Produced, as were the previous four albums, by bassist Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour) the record finds the quintet challenging themselves. Songs like “Close To The Bone,” “Hit A Moonshot,” and “Every Man-Any Man” have ARMORED SAINT honoring their past as one of the most respected and recognizable bands in heavy music while making forward-thinking music rooted in the present.

“Each ARMORED SAINT record, to me, is like a new skin for the band, a different chapter. I don’t think we’ve ever repeated ourselves,” says Vera. “Every album has been pretty different from the previous one, a snapshot in time. In 2026, Emotion Factory Reset is where our heads are at.”

“When we start coming up with songs, I always say we can do whatever we want,” notes Bush. “Use all our influences through the years, diverse music that we listen to and love, and let that seep in and bring something new out of us. It leads to something more adventurous.”

Bush, one of music’s most respected vocalists, operates from a place of passion and presence in the studio and on stage. In fact, about 85% of his vocals from the last three ARMORED SAINT records are taken from the demo sessions, capturing the raw power. While Vera is a granular and detailed writer, like Bush, the bassist says, “I try not to overthink and be right where I’m at that time. I really don’t look over my shoulder much, like, ‘what did I do in the past? What’s going on in the next lane?’ Once the ball starts rolling, I just sit back and let it happen.”

The collaborative nature of Emotion Factory Reset led to the album title, a phrase from Phil Sandoval. “To me, ‘Emotion Factory Reset’ means to reset yourself back to clarity. Take a pause and breathe before you respond or react. You can’t control outside events, but you can control your mind,” the guitarist says. “How you interpret things is what hurts you, not the event itself.“

His brother, drummer Gonzo notes, “the world is going through a technological upswing/awakening. I look at our planet as the factory and in the most positive way we need to realign, reimagine, reset for our better selves.”

In advance of the record’s release, today the band presents the first single and album opener, “Close To The Bone.” Comments Bush, “The first track on the record sounds like vintage ARMORED SAINT. Yet vintage that comes out in 2026! How did we do that? The title of the record, Emotion Factory Reset appears as the first line of the bridge. Killer riffs, awesome rhythms and attacking vocals gets this train rolling. The title implies the human response to withdraw and keep things to yourself instead of being confrontational; Something I believe we all struggle with as humans. Do you just say, ‘aww, whatever man,’ or do you say, ‘hey, fuck you!’ Depends on the moment I guess.”

Adds Vera, “Musically, this song was inspired by my love and appreciation for metal that was coming out around the time of the NWOBHM, which is right when ARMORED SAINT was formed. As always, I try to reimagine my early influences by giving them a slight modern twist.”

Guitarist Jeff Duncan agrees, “I like to think that ARMORED SAINT doesn’t keep making the same album over and over. Emotion Factory Reset is another musical chapter for the band. When the five of us play together, we have a special chemistry and our first single ‘Close To The Bone’ demonstrates this perfectly; it’s musically sophisticated but still retains the ARMORED SAINT signature sound.”

Watch ARMORED SAINT‘s video for “Close To The Bone,” directed by My Good Eye: Music Visuals:

ARMORED SAINT‘s Emotion Factory Reset was recorded across several studios including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios, and Bridge Recording, engineered by Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera, and Jason Constantine, and features cover art by DDKing.

The record will be released on CD digipack (w/ 20-page booklet) and digital formats as well as vinyl in various color variants.

Find all pre-orders at: metalblade.com/armoredsaint

Emotion Factory Reset Track Listing:
01. Close to the Bone
02. Every Man-Any Man
03. Not on Your Life
04. Hit a Moonshot
05. Buckeye
06. Compromise
07. It’s a Buzzkill
08. Throwing Caution to the Wind
09. Ladders and Slides
10. Bottom Feeder
11. Epilogue

Additionally, a special European edition of the CD digipak includes the bonus track “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison),” only available digitally until now!

A special European edition of the single gatefold LP comes w/ insert and DL card + 7″ vinyl “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison),” (only available digitally until now!) w/ an etching on the B-side, a poster, and slipmat.

Catch ARMORED SAINT live throughout the Spring and Summer months with more dates to be announced in the weeks to come.

ARMORED SAINT Live:
4/19/2026 Rainbow Bar & Grill – West Hollywood, CA w/ L.A. Guns, Pentagram, Alien Ant Farm, Boy Hits Car
5/17/2026 San Luis Metal Fest – San Luis Potosí, MX
5/22/2026 Rock Hard Festival – Gelsenkirchen, DE
6/06/2026 Milwaukee Metalfest @ The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI
7/30/2026 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK w/ Metal Church
7/31/2026 Skogsrojet Festival – Rejmyre, SE
8/01/2026 Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/02/2026 Mejeriet – Lund, SE w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/05/2026 Brutal Assault – Jaroměř, CZ
8/07/2026 Alcatraz Festival – Dessel, BE
8/08/2026 Poppodium Boerderij – Zoetermeer, NL *ARMORED SAINT headlining show
8/09/2026 Keep It True Legions – Geiselwind, DE
8/11/2026 Progresja – Warsaw, PL w/ Savatage, Nevermore
8/12/2026 Collosseum – Kosice, SK w/ Vio-Lence
8/13/2026 Klub Studio – Krakow, PL w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/29/2026 Stonedead Festival – Newark, UK

ARMORED SAINT:
John Bush – Vocals
Joey Vera – Bass
Jeff Duncan – Guitars
Gonzo Sandoval – Drums
Phil Sandoval – Guitars

https://www.armoredsaint.com
https://www.facebook.com/thearmoredsaint
https://x.com/thearmoredsaint
https://www.instagram.com/thearmoredsaint

Zürich’s FUELED BY FEAR Reinterpret A-HA’s Classic Hit ‘Take On Me’ with Official Music Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 25, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo credit: Marcel Bruderer

Zürich’s FUELED BY FEAR have released their reinterpretation of A-HA’s 1985 classic hit song ‘Take On Me’, unveiling another emotional layer hidden beneath the surface. The track is taken from the band’s new EP “Ordinary Evil” (released on January 31st 2026), produced by Oscar Nilsson (The Halo Effect, The Haunted), bringing the characteristic Gothenburg metal sound to perfection at Bohus Studio. His extremely broad and uncompromisingly hard production gives Fueled By Fear their final edge – like the missing puzzle piece of their sound.

Watch the official video here:

Daniel Zopfi (Guitar) on ‘Take On Me’:
“We grew up with “Take On Me” by A-HA. it’s one of those songs that everyone knows, but we always felt there was another emotional layer hidden beneath the surface. With our version, we wanted to bring out the darker side of that feeling . the tension, the urgency, and the sense of stepping into the unknown. The video reflects that idea: being pulled between worlds, between safety and risk. It’s not just nostalgia. it’s about what that song feels like today, through our lens. We didn’t want to copy the original we wanted to reinterpret it in a way that feels honest to who we are as a band!”

Mauro Galasso (Drums) adds:
“The idea to cover “Take On Me” came up about four years ago, and at first, I honestly thought: what the hell? Turning an 80s pop classic into a metalcore / melodic death metal track just didn’t seem to make sense. At least not to me. That changed the moment I actually heard it. Once the arrangement came together, everything clicked. For the video, we leaned into that contrast. We embraced the 80s aesthetic, added a bit of parody, and mixed it with our heavier sound. It’s a tribute, but definitely not a traditional one. We shot the entire video in a single day in a small location, keeping things raw and simple, focusing on vibe over perfection. What started as a random idea turned into something we didn’t see coming. And probably not what you expect when you hear “Take On Me.”

Stream, download and add to your playlists the “Ordinary Evil” EP: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fI2HcU1Xn3qdXXiMGAu0g

Mauro Galasso (Drums) on “Ordinary Evil”:
“The title Ordinary Evil is inspired by Hannah Arendt’s book Eichmann in Jerusalem and her idea of the banality of evil. The realization that evil often doesn’t appear as an obvious monster, but emerges through conformity, thoughtlessness, and the abdication of personal responsibility.
These thoughts feel disturbingly relevant today. Authoritarian tendencies, power figures, and oversimplification show how quickly history repeats itself when people stop thinking for themselves and find resistance too exhausting.
This confrontation also shaped our work on the EP. During the creative process, we completely questioned ourselves musically and personally. What defines us? Where do we want to go? It was a process that forced us to let go of the familiar and approach things differently. There were moments when it would have been easier to give up rather than face this confrontation. This is exactly where Ordinary Evil comes in: Don’t give up. Keep going. Face the repetitions,
defend your own path, and don’t let indifference win. It’s worth staying committed. Creatively, humanly, defiantly. Ordinary Evil is our statement for that”

Manuel Elber (Guitar) continues:
“Imagine making a dough, only to discover that you don’t like the texture. You put it back into the fridge. The next day you add a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and after processing, your dough still sucks, but not so much to scrap it. So you put it back in the fridge, thinking about what to change. Then you try to learn all the insights a baker learns in a crash course. You add your dangerous half-assed knowledge you gained and surprisingly it starts to feel better. You keep
going, learn, each time adding more to the dough and finally you have a bake-worthy consistency, so far from where you started, that it seems like magic.
For context: “Ordinary Evil” took about four years to come to life. Scrapped more times than I can count. Cost us blood, sweat and tears, caused literal breakdowns, frequent questioning of the reason why we do this. But it shaped us as musicians, as a family, as a team. The amount of things we learned, technical, recording-wise, in persistence, in constructive criticism, is something no one can take from us. And as for all endeavours this heap of maniacs is tackling: it’s always evolving, always changing, following the heart with an open mind. This one, we’re especially proud of!”

Daniel Zopfi (Guitar) adds:
“Ordinary Evil was written out of frustration, anger, and watching the same systems fail us over and over again. It’s about how cruelty gets normalized, how power hides behind routine, and how people learn to live with injustice as long as it’s quiet enough. This EP isn’t subtle and it’s not meant to be comfortable. It’s confrontational by necessity. These songs come from a place of distrust toward empty promises, authority without accountability, and a world that keeps demanding silence and obedience. It’s loud, raw, and uncompromising, fueled by everything we’re done ignoring: the hypocrisy, the violence beneath the surface, and our own complicity in letting it happen. This is us calling it out, refusing to soften the message, and turning that anger into sound exactly as we feel it right now.”

On the EP artwork Mauro Galasso shared:
“The cover of Ordinary Evil visually captures the central idea of the EP: Hannah Arendt’s realization that evil often doesn’t appear as an obvious monster, but hides behind an ordinary facade. The ancient bust, whose surface crumbles to reveal a demonic face, is deliberately chosen. Ancient busts are a core element of my visual language as an artist, but here an additional layer emerged: They represent history and human patterns that repeat themselves. The monumental decays and releases what has been repressed.
We had various approaches that were either conceptually too complex or didn’t properly convey the message. When I returned to my own visual language, it became clear: The rawness, the epic quality, and the bold impact of this visual language reflect exactly the musical identity we developed with this EP.
The series was planned from the beginning. With each release, the facade crumbles further until the true face is fully visible at the end. A visual evolution that runs parallel to the EP. That my own style represents the band best has confirmed me as a graphic designer and as the drummer of Fueled By Fear: We have taken the right creative path.”

With their new EP, Fueled By Fear deliver their most mature and uncompromising work to date. The five tracks move between dark groove steamrollers and melodically dense anthems – harder, more powerful, and more forceful than all previous productions. The band has sharpened their sound: hardness meets groove, tempo meets aggression, while melodic passages merge with modern pressure. The result is songs with enormous chorus quality and real singalong potential – dark, but irresistibly catchy.

BIO:
FUELED BY FEAR from Zurich have been combining the intensity of metalcore with the melodic depth of melodic death metal since 2011. The band manages to merge melodic passages with grooving rhythms into a sound that can both strike brutally and touch emotionally. Support performances for In Flames, Sepultura, and even Pantera underscore their international relevance. Their debut “Two By Eight” reached #5 on the Swedish rock charts and #22 in Switzerland.
Fueled By Fear stands for authentic metal without filters!

For Fans Of: Heaven Shall Burn, In Flames, Caliban, Darkest Hour, At the Gates, The Haunted, Bleed From Within

Line-up:
Vocals: Marco Böhlen
Guitar: Manuel Elber
Guitar: Daniel Zopfi
Bass: Josh De Souza
Drums: Mauro Galasso

Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/fueled_by_fear_official/
https://www.facebook.com/fueledbyfear/
https://www.youtube.com/@fueledbyfear2516
https://www.tiktok.com/@fueled_by_fear_official

Streaming Links:
https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/6trMH3h5QEeV4RkGJUTKkH
https://music.apple.com/ch/artist/fueled-by-fear/1175459666
https://soundcloud.com/fueledbyfear
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UChy74syl4Mi2XG03J0qyWkw

MORTIIS Announces New Album “Ghosts of Europa” + Unveils Music Video for Title Track

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo credits: Claudio Marino

Iconic Norwegian artist MORTIIS presents the the stunning music video ‘Ghosts of Europa‘. This is also the title track (feat. vocals of Sarah Jezebel Deva (THE KOVENANT, CRADLE OF FILTH et al.) and Laurie Ann Haus (BLIZZARD GAMES, TODESBONDEN) as well as additional synths & sequencers from TANGERINE DREAM’s Thorsten Quaeschning) and first advance single taken from his upcoming new full-length.

“Ghosts of Europa” has been scheduled for release on June 26, 2026. Please see below for cover art & album details.

Watch the music video for ‘Ghosts of Europa‘:

MORTIIS comments on ‘Ghosts of Europa’: “This song has tried many shapes and forms, until it finally sort of found itself”, the Norwegian writes. “I never thought that it would end up this way. Strange, mysterious, and choral. It started out as a simple thing, a different song, with a different title, which got slowly de-constructed and altered. This did not happen due to dissatisfaction with the original, but because layers of new ideas appeared. As excited as I am about this new ‘entity’ and the way it shaped up, the title, that has already been in existence for years, feels slightly, and sadly, prophetic – although that was never my intention.”

Video credits
Written & directed by Claudio Marino
First assistant director: Daniel Josefsson
Produced by Artax Film
Colouring by Yellowtone

Cast
Woman: Enya Ellefsen
Oracle: Gunn Johansson
Key Bearers: Daniel Josefsson & Mortiis

Tracklist:

  1. Ghosts of Europa
  2. Return to the Old Fields
  3. The Faith That Fades Away
  4. Violent Silence
  5. Transcending Morpheus
  6. Tundra, Heart of Hell
  7. Tribes of Dystopia
  8. Farewell Romero
Cover artwork by Nihil – Layout by Laurent Clément (Dead Seed Productions)

THE WITCHES OF DYSTOPIA TOUR MMXXVI
(UADA + MORTIIS w/ Jerome Reuter’s ROME + WRAITH KNIGHT):

04/10/26: Portland, OR @ Dante’s
04/11/26: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw
04/13/26: Calgary, AB @ Dickens
04/14/26: Edmonton, AB @ Starlite
04/16/26: Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage
04/17/26: Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway at Studio B
04/18/26: Madison, WI @ Annex
04/19/26: Chicago, IL @ Reggies
04/20/26: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
04/21/26: Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle
04/22/26: Covington, KY @ Madison Live
04/23/26: Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground
04/24/26: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
04/25/26: Montreal, QC @ Cafe Campus
04/26/26: Quebec City, QC @ La Source
04/27/26: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
04/28/26: Brooklyn, NY @ Meadows
04/29/26: Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet
04/30/26: Baltimore, MD @ Metro
05/01/26: Raleigh, NC @ Chapel Of Bones
05/02/26: Atlanta, GA @ 529 EAV
05/03/26: Orlando, FL @ Conduit
05/05/26: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
05/06/26: Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live
05/07/26: Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
05/08/26: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
05/09/26: Denver, CO @ HQ
05/10/26: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
05/11/26: Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive
05/12/26: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
05/13/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
05/14/26: San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
05/15/26: Eugene, OR @ John Henry’s
05/16/26: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

Shop
https://spkr.store/collections/mortiis
https://mortiiswebstore.com/pages/ghosts-of-europa

Available formats

“Ghosts of Europa” is available as ltd. box set incl. 2CD artbook edition, gatefold LP (excl. handmade sand-filled vinyl), bonus LP, music cassette et al. (50 copies). Ltd. box set incl. 2CD artbook edition, gatefold LP (excl. ‘galaxy’ metallic vinyl), bonus LP, music cassette et al. (450 copies). As a 60-page hardcover 2CD artbook incl. 8-track bonus CD, ltd. Gatefold marble smoke vinyl LP (300 copies), ltd. Gatefold crystal clear vinyl LP (300 copies), Gatefold black vinyl LP, and Digipak CD.

More info:
–https://mortiiswebstore.com
–www.facebook.com/officialmortiis
–www.instagram.com/mortiisofficial

AMBERIAN DAWN to Release New Album “Temptation’s Gates” on June 26th + Announce New Singer

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[Photo Credit: Kanerva Mantila]

Finnish symphonic metal band AMBERIAN DAWN is headed for a new era: not only do they announce their ninth album, Temptation’s Gates, which will be released on June 26, 2026 via Napalm Records, but they also introduce a new singer with it. Swedish-English musician Nicole Willerton is taking over from previous frontwoman Capri, who sadly couldn’t continue her work with the band due to scheduling reasons. AMBERIAN DAWN’s founder, multi-instrumentalist, and main composer, Tuomas Seppälä, comments on the mutual split: “We want to sincerely thank Capri for the incredible journey we shared. Over more than ten years together, we recorded five albums, toured around the world, and experienced so much side by side. We wish her all the best in her many musical and artistic projects. You will always remain a part of our story and in our hearts.” But the band’s outlook at the future is bright: “Nicole brings new life, energy, and inspiration into the band. She is an incredibly versatile musician, a dedicated professional, and a wonderful person to work with. Her creativity and drive have already had a big impact on our new material.”
 
AMBERIAN DAWN give a first impression of Nicole Willerton with the brand-new song “Temptation’s Gates”. Simultaneously the opening and title track of the upcoming album, it sweeps in fast, filled to the brim with epic orchestrals and charming storytelling. It’s an enticing start to AMBERIAN DAWN’s more modern, occasionally even surprisingly rough path, which has the quintet slowly emancipating themselves from being “just” the band who—gloriously!—covered Swedish pop legends ABBA with their previous album, Take a Chance – A Metal Tribute to ABBA (2022). “Temptation’s Gates” proves that AMBERIAN DAWN are more determined than ever.
 
Tuomas Seppälä about “Temptation’s Gates”:
“This song is pure intensity and relentless aggression from start to finish. It’s short, fast, and straight in your face—no compromises, leaving no room to catch your breath. I remember talking about this back in 2010 with our other founding member, Tommi Kuri (RIP). He told me that I should write a song that would be nothing but relentless energy from beginning to end. This track is the realization of that idea. It fits our new vocalist perfectly and represents our renewed sound in the most honest way possible. The track also features a classic guitar-keyboard solo battle, something that has always been part of our identity. This is the kind of sound and intensity that I know many of our longtime fans have been waiting for.”
 
Nicole Willerton about “Temptation’s Gates”:
“The song ‘Temptation’s Gates’ speaks about facing one’s inner desires and accepting what you truly like and want, acknowledging that these cannot be ignored or avoided. It’s about rebelliously finding liberation through the intense struggle between who you think you should be and who you truly are. I’ve always loved the poems ‘Les Fleurs du mal’ (‘The Flowers of Evil’) by Charles Baudelaire, and they were a major inspiration while writing the lyrics for Temptation’s Gates.”

Infusing their epic keyboard sounds with guitar-driven melodic metal, AMBERIAN DAWN reach into a world unknown and prove their versatility while their catchy anthems remain strong and charming as ever. Temptation’s Gates has the band determined for a future sparkling temptingly bright—and they’re ready to step through that gate.
 
Tuomas Seppälä about Temptation’s Gates:
“When I started working with our new singer, I felt the same kind of excitement I had years ago when I began creating our debut album back in 2007 and 2008. At that time, AMBERIAN DAWN were still newcomers to the band world, even though we were already experienced musicians. With Temptation’s Gates, I felt that same spark of creating something new for the first time in a long while. I hadn’t composed many songs yet when I began collaborating with our new vocalist. Most of the material came together surprisingly fast once I realized how easy and natural it was to work with her. I was deeply inspired by Nicole’s enthusiasm, dedication, and efficiency. I truly feel that the band has been reborn with her joining us. Musically, our style has evolved once again, perhaps moving slightly back toward a heavier, more metal-driven direction. At the same time, elements of our classic sound and identity are naturally still present. In many ways, creating this album felt like going back to my roots. For the first time in a long while, I also took on a bigger role as a guitarist. I focused more on crafting guitar riffs, played roughly half of the guitar leads on the album, and even performed one full guitar solo myself.”
 
Nicole Willerton about Temptation’s Gates:
“Temptation’s Gates is the first album I’ve sung on and recorded with AMBERIAN DAWN, and it has been a beautiful experience. While writing the lyrics, each song was inspired by feelings, memories, and moments that were especially prominent during the creation of the album. Writing the lyrics felt like diving into the subconscious, bringing these emotions to the surface. It was wonderful to explore the creative process of arranging the backing vocals. I especially love how AMBERIAN DAWN’s music makes strong use of backing vocals, helping to create a fuller, richer sound around the lead vocals. It’s definitely a fiery album that combines a broad spectrum of emotional depths, ranging from love and melancholy to darker elements such as fear and inner struggles. A recurring message throughout the album is to embrace one’s true desires and to accept and acknowledge one’s honest feelings.”

Get Your Copy Of Temptation’s Gates NOW

AMBERIAN DAWN introduce their new voice with the album’s title track. “Temptation’s Gates” sweeps in fast, filled to the brim with epic keyboards and charming storytelling. The band’s increased determination equally seeps through “The Vision Of Dreaming”, whose poignant riff spirals right into long-term memory and which first hints at Willerton being more than an angelic fairy gently guiding listeners through languorous realms. The following invocation to the “Moon” turns up the speed to blast beat intensity, remaining magical up until its unexpected end. The final screams fittingly reverberate in “Unchained”, which has the new leading lady unleash her full potential in powerful growls contrasting her seraphic vocals—a first for AMBERIAN DAWN! It is here at the very latest that Temptation’s Gates demonstrates that this is no longer ABBA, but that the Finnish quintet has boldly created something different but equally as fitting. “Eternal Flame” and “Life is Art” are epic hymns with beautiful guitar work, further having AMBERIAN DAWN rewrite their destiny. Another testimony of the band’s changed direction, “The Night is Waiting for Me” makes heads nod and feet tap from the first note with its captivatingly modern sound infused with a dark metal atmosphere. More in line with previous work, the ballad “Undying Colours” transports listeners to a multilayered dreamscape that is, just as “The Garden” frames it, self-directed. “Phantasmagoria” wraps up the album as an irresistibly danceable track, leading the way for symphonic metal to become more modern while losing none of its whimsical grandeur.

Temptation’s Gates tracklisting:

  1. Temptation’s Gates
  2. The Vision of Dreaming
  3. Moon
  4. Unchained
  5. Eternal Flame
  6. Life is Art
  7. This Night is Waiting for Me
  8. Undying Colours
  9. The Garden
  10. Phantasmagoria

AMBERIAN DAWN are:
Tuomas Seppälä – Keyboards, Guitar
Nicole Willerton – Vocals
Emil Pohjalainen – Guitar
Joonas Pykälä-aho – Drums
Jukka Hoffren – Bass

AMBERIAN DAWN online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
NAPALM RECORDS

MY BLOODLINE Complete Third Studio Session with New Single ‘Flame’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Lari Järnefelt / Felt Fotografi

Finnish modern hard rock band My Bloodline released a new single ‘Flame’ on March 24th 2026.

LISTEN to the track on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/my-bloodline-flame 

  • Composed by Arto Hasu, Tommi Rauvala, Eelis Keijama, Jarmo Havukunnas, Jarmo Kortelahti & Mika Haapasalo
  • Lyrics by Arto Hasu, Tommi Rauvala, Eelis Keijama, Jarmo Havukunnas, Jarmo Kortelahti
  • Produced, recorded & mixed by Mika Haapasalo
  • Mastered by Jonas W. Karlsson / NorthSound
  • Cover art by Daniel Westerlund

The band comments:

“We all walk down thousands and thousands of roads in our lifetime trying to get somewhere. Many of just not quite sure where we’re going to or what we’re hoping to find. The lyrics on ‘Flame’ were inspired by that eternal search, be it conscious or unconscious. 

“Inspiration, meaning, answers or even the ultimate reason for our existence… whatever it may be one might be looking for, it just might be that there are no answers to be found but those inside of us. Not a unique insight as such of course but we wanted to take on that notion with ‘Flame’ –  that the search is experienced differently by all of us. The story-like narration fit well to the verses dominated by the captivating guitar riff without stealing too much focus from the story”, elaborates Hagi on the writing process.

‘Flame’ stands out from the rest of the My Bloodline catalogue by being even more melodic than most of the repertoire accompanied by a typical poppish chord progression in the chorus before a full stop. 

“For the bridge, we wanted the song to really halt. To bring the audience to a full stop and reflect. So we really worked on getting the dynamics right on that bit. Starting out with just the drum beat and bass guitar, bringing in that punchy guitar riff and topping the instrumentals by a plethora of vocal harmonics laid out via a chanting choir and commanding lead vocals entering into the final outro chorus the part just felt it concluded the arrangement.”, accompanies Tommi from behind the drum kit.

With ‘Flame’ all the songs from the band’s recent recording sessions are now released and the band is getting ready for gigging.

“We’re confident ‘Flame’ will bring in some new audiences for the band, especially those leaning toward more melodic songs and hoping they’ll find they’re way into the rest of catalogue.”

My Bloodline is a modern hard rock band from the Helsinki metropolitan area that solidified its final lineup in 2023.

By the winter of 2026, the band has released ten self-published songs in several installments. Their debut EP, Afterlife Limited, was released in 2024 and features five tracks. The EP’s opening song, Spirit, remains one of the band’s most listened-to tracks thanks to its catchy riffs and memorable choruses.

The recording sessions continued the following year with the release of four new singles, including Whiteout Moon, which spent several months on Spotify’sVolume Suomi playlist. The band already has new material lined up for release in the coming winter and spring, carrying their familiar sound while trying to bring something new to the table.

The band consists of five members: Tommi (drums), Eelis (guitar), Jake (bass), Arto (vocals), and Japo (guitar). From the very beginning, My Bloodline has written all of its own material, with every member taking part in the songwriting process. Perhaps this is why the band has found a distinctive sound that sits between bottom-heavy guitars and more melodic musical passages.

All of the band’s releases have been produced, recorded, and mixed by veteran professional musician Mika Haapasalo, whose influence can be heard in the arrangements and harmonies that define the band’s polished productions.

My Bloodline has also performed selected live shows across Southern Finland, and plans to significantly increase its live activity during this year.

Line-up:
Arto Hasu – Vocals
Tommi Rauvala – Drums
Eelis Keijama – Rhythm Guitar
Jarmo Havukunnas – Bass
Jarmo Kortelahti – Lead Guitar

https://www.mybloodlineband.com
https://www.facebook.com/mybloodlineband
https://www.instagram.com/mybloodline.band
https://www.youtube.com/@MyBloodlineBand

DAVE MUSTAINE Congratulates Frontiers on 30th Anniversary as Label Celebrates Role in MEGADETH’s Billboard #1 Success

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 24, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
From left: Aaron Neigher of The Orchard, Megadeth’s Teemu Mäntysaari, Ben Burstein of The Orchard, BLKIIBLK’s Jeff Stevenson, Steve Ross of CTK Enterprises, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, CTK’s Justis Mustaine, CTK CEO Danny Nozell, Megadeth’s James LoMenzo, CTK’s Elizabeth Manser, BLKIIBLK’s Tim Bailey, Megadeth’s Dirk Verbeuren, and Results Global’s Alissa Endres – 📸: Cameron Nunez

Frontiers Music Srl’s 30th Anniversary celebrations continue with a new milestone moment, as Dave Mustaine of Megadeth congratulates the label following the global success of the band’s latest release, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200.

This achievement is a significant result for Frontiers and its partners, showing the label’s continued growth and global impact.

Mustaine recorded a video message for Frontiers President & CEO Serafino Perugino and the entire team, recognizing the collaboration behind the campaign.

Watch Dave Mustaine’s Video Message:

In the video, Mustaine says:

“Hey, this is Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. I just wanted to congratulate Serafino, his family, and the entire Frontiers label group on your 30th anniversary.

“Thank you to the team and partners who helped deliver such a successful campaign around our new release – including reaching number one on the Billboard Top 200 charts.

“I wish I could be there to celebrate with you, and I look forward to seeing you out on the road soon.”

The message follows Frontiers’ recent 30th anniversary celebration in Naples, marking three decades of independent growth, nearly 2,000 releases, and its evolution into a global rock and metal powerhouse.

As part of this milestone moment, Megadeth recently gathered in Nashville for “Thrash The Charts, Megadeth’s #1 Celebration,” an event honouring the album’s chart-topping success.

“The last two private events for Megadeth fans were a reward for all the hard work leading up to this,” Dave Mustaine says. “Thank you to our label Frontiers and BLKIIBLK, our management at CTK Enterprises, BMI, Warner Chappell, The Orchard, and all of our guests and VIP’s. It was a blast!”

“Congratulations to Dave and Megadeth on this historic moment”, says Jeff Stevenson, General Manager, Frontiers Label Group/BLKIIBLK Records. “We, at Frontiers Label Group/BLKIIBLK Records, couldn’t be prouder to have partnered with the band and CTK Management to help achieve this amazing accomplishment, marking a milestone in the legendary career of one of metal’s most important bands.”

Following the performance, commemorative #1 plaques were presented to the band and key partners, including Frontiers Label Group / BLKIIBLK, alongside The Orchard and other collaborators.

Watch the Plaque Presentation:

Released in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s BLKIIBLK label, the album debuted at #1 in 11 countries worldwide and reached Top 5 positions in 11 additional territories, marking one of the most significant achievements in the label’s history.

Thirty years after its founding in Naples, Frontiers continues to expand its international presence while remaining focused on its core mission: supporting artists, developing long-term careers, and delivering global success through strong creative and commercial partnerships.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/frontiersmusicsrl