Italian hardcore/metal outfit SLUG GORE are set to return with a brand new EP, “Pillars of Eco-Terror Saga”, scheduled for release on September 25, 2026 via Time To Kill Records.
Following the path established with their 2024 debut album “They Slime! They Ooze! They Kill!”, SLUG GORE continue to explore their distinctive blend of hardcore intensity and extreme metal weight, combining raw urgency with sharp, memorable songwriting. The band’s sound remains rooted in the immediacy and impact of hardcore, while embracing darker and heavier influences to create a balance between exasperating energy and infectious hooks.
“Pillars of Eco-Terror Saga” is a concept release inspired by the legend of the Four Symbols, reimagining the four mythological beasts of Eastern tradition through the lens of the kaiju universe. Across the EP, iconic creatures such as Barugon, Iris, Jiger and Gamera embody new interpretations of the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger and Black Tortoise, merging ancient symbolism with the imagery of giant monsters.
More details about the EP will be revealed soon. In the meantime, the first single “Scalpel” is now available.
“With ‘Scalpel’ we drew inspiration from Iris, the Kaiju that represents the Vermilion Bird. We have always been fascinated by its evolution, the way its body transforms, and above all by the lethal precision of its tentacles. We wanted to translate that same feeling of surgical violence into music: something fast, cold and calculated, striking with the precision of a scalpel. The song was born from this very image, attempting to transform its tension, brutality, and atmosphere into a direct and relentless sonic assault”.
THE EXILES have released the music video for the first single ‘Rainmaker’ from their album ‘Turning Time”, released on Bad Reputation Records. You can watch the video below.
“A (re)discovery highly recommended for music lovers who are fans of this heavy rock tinged with testosterone-fueled folk, largely stamped with the seventies label. Right place, wrong time, certainly, but there’s nothing wrong with giving them a second chance (especially since, in this case, you’ll be the first to benefit).” – Paris Move
Sean Manning talks about the single and new video ‘Rainmaker’, “This was the very first song that Paul and I wrote together—and it remains one of my favorites. At the time, I was heavily influenced by the ‘Native American’ energy of Southern California and its desert landscapes, which inspired the 12-string intro riff. Layering a heavy Les Paul beneath it gave the track that darker, ‘Sabbath’-influenced feel.
When we revisited the song for remastering, I added an additional Les Paul track, which sits in the left speaker. The goal was to capture a Tony Iommi-style rhythm (The King) underneath the 12-string, giving the overall sound more weight and balance.
Paul delivered a fantastic performance—not just vocally, but lyrically as well. The song has real depth and power. And a special mention goes to Greg D’Angelo, who not only played drums on the track but also recorded and mixed the original version on a Tascam 8-track cassette recorder in his garage. It’s some of his best playing—those drum fills at the end sound like a machine gun.
The ‘Zeppelin’-style riff was originally intended as a short breakdown, but it naturally evolved into a much more prominent part of the arrangement. Doubling the Les Paul tracks—one through a Marshall and the other through a Friedman amp here in the Dallas studio—added serious depth and impact to the final mix and master.”
Tracks 1, 4 Vocal – Paul Rafferty All Guitars – Sean Manning Harmonica – Sean Manning Bass – Frank Linx Drums – Myron Grombacher Keys – Jeff Jacobs
Tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 Vocal – Paul Rafferty All Guitars – Sean Manning Bass – Paul Andrew Stanley Drums – Terry Mascall Keys – Jeff Jacobs Drums – Alex Gerst (“Ain’t No Fool”) Harmonica – John Peyton (“T. Blues”)
Tracks 14, 15 Vocal – Paul Rafferty All Guitars & Bass – Sean Manning Drums – Dave Salinas Keys – Richard Baker & Jeff Jacobs
Track 2 Vocal – Paul Rafferty All Guitars – Sean Manning Bass – Paul Andrew Stanley Drums – Greg D’Angelo Keys – Jeff Jacobs
Tracks 1 and 4 originally recorded by Neil Giraldo at Soul Kitchen in Malibu, CA. Additional guitar and keyboard tracks recorded by Alex Gerst ant Empire Sound in Dallas, TX.
Tracks 3, 5–13 originally recorded by Ricky & Eddie Delana at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, and Cornerstone Recording, Chatsworth, CA. Additional guitar and keyboard tracks recorded by Alex Gerst at Empire Sound in Dallas, TX.
Tracks 14 and 15 originally recorded by Roger Sommers at Royaltone Studios, North Hollywood, CA. Additional guitar and keyboard tracks recorded by Alex Gerst at Empire Sound in Dallas, TX.
Track 2 originally recorded by Greg D’Angelo at D’Angelo Studios, Studio City, CA. Additional guitar and keyboard tracks recorded by Alex Gerst at Empire Sound in Dallas, TX
Formed by English guitarist Sean Manning, whose credits include stints with HURRICANE and QUIET RIOT offshoot, LITTLE WOMEN, and fellow Brit Paul Rafferty, the original vocalist for BONHAM, The Exiles were mainstays on the Southern California music scene in the early 1990s writing and recording a wealth of material and performing at venues such as the Troubadour, Whisky a Go Go, FM Station, and Club Lingerie.
After originally moving to Los Angeles, CA to accompany his close friend and newly minted DIO axeman, Rowan Robertson, and intending to study jazz, things changed when Manning was introduced to Rafferty by legendary local music journalist, Jon Sutherland. Discovering their mutual love for British blues rock and bands such as Free, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, and Faces, the duo quickly formed a strong writing partnership and recruited Hollywood-based English bassist, Paul Andrew Stanley. After briefly utilizing the services of former WHITE LION/CITIES drummer, Greg D’Angelo, the line-up was completed with the addition of Terry Mascall, a young John Bonham-style pounder from Cambridge.
“The Exiles were quintessentially an English band, four English blokes living in Hollywood playing classic rock…. just as Nirvana and grunge hit the scene!”, laughs Manning. “Paul and I were writing constantly over the course of the year, often up at Franklin Canyon reservoir, which resulted in all these tunes on the ‘Turning Time’ album. It’s a pretty broad pallete from traditional rock to some soul and blues numbers. Heavy electric to acoustic and mandolin with orchestration. I was and still am a huge admirer of Jimmy Page’s use of light and shade in the Zeppelin compositions. That sort of approach was really inspirational to us.”
While the bulk of the material on ‘Turning Time’ was recorded by the classic Exiles line-up, engineered and mixed by brothers Ricky Delana (NAZARETH, KIX) and Eddie Delana (QUIET RIOT, RHINO BUCKET), Manning and Rafferty would also team up with PAT BENATAR alumni, drummer Myron Grombacher and bassist Frank Linx, on ‘Tearing Up A Storm’ and the album’s ferocious title track opener, helmed by Benatar guitarist, Neil Giraldo, at his Malibu studio. Album closers ‘High Old Times’ and ‘Carry You Home’, the latter with Richard Baker (SANTANA, GINO VANNELLI) on flute and keyboards, were cut with Roger Sommers (TESLA, RIVERDOGS) at Royaltone Studios in North Hollywood and feature Dave Salinas (KENNY LOGGINS, DON FELDER) on drums.
First released in a limited capacity in 1996 as SEAN MANNING & PAUL RAFFERTY – ‘The Exiles’, ‘Turning Time’ constitutes an extensive re-working of the original 10 songs and adds five previously unheard bonus tracks unearthed by Manning during the process of transferring old reels to digital, including the stirring ‘Soul Woman’, ‘Ain’t No Fool’, a hypnotic ROLLING STONES-esque number, and ‘Soul Has No Home’, conjuring shades of early ROD STEWART.
Working at Empire Sound studios in Dallas TX over the course of several months, Manning added guitars and backing vocals to most of the tracks and brought in veteran keyboardist, Jeff Jacobs, whose credits include FOREIGNER and BILLY JOEL, to add Hammond B3 organ, piano. as well as strings to the album’s majestic magnum opus, ‘Richmond Castle Walk’, a not so subtle nod to LED ZEPPELIN.
“I am extremely pleased with how everything turned out”, states Manning who produced the project and re-mixed the album, assisted by Empire Sound operator, Alex Gerst. “When we recorded these songs originally, they were just quality demos, but we really didn’t get the chance to fully flesh things out the way we would have under different circumstances. I am grateful ‘Turning Time’ has afforded me the opportunity to return to the studio one more time and create a whole new album in the process.”
Today, traditional thrashers THE UNKNOWN unleash “Reverie Code,” the third and final single from their upcoming sophomore album, ‘Graveyard of Empires,’ set for release on September 4th via Mission 84 Productions.
Drawing inspiration from the science-fiction world of Westworld, the song plunges into the existential deep end and explores the future of the human empire. What happens when artificial intelligence goes from mimicking humanity to becoming it?
“Reverie Code” wrestles with the nature of consciousness, the blurred line between creator and creation, and what it truly means to be human. Beneath its philosophical themes lies one of the heaviest songs THE UNKNOWN have ever written, with a crushing blend of thunderous riffs, soaring melodies, and progressive atmosphere that delivers both emotional weight and unrelenting power.
As the final preview before the release of ‘Graveyard of Empires,’“Reverie Code” offers another glimpse into the album’s expansive scope and cinematic storytelling.
THE UNKNOWN are a U.S.-based heavy metal band forging a powerful blend of traditional metal and thrash. Drawing influence from bands such as Jag Panzer, Manilla Road, Anthrax, and Iron Maiden, their sound combines crushing riffs and driving rhythms with soaring melodies and commanding, emotive vocals.
Their debut album, ‘Vanishing Point,’ released through ZYX/GoldenCore Records, earned strong reviews from metal publications and fans around the world, establishing the band as a rising force in the underground heavy metal scene.
Now, THE UNKNOWN return with their forthcoming album, ‘Graveyard of Empires,’ pushing their sound even further with bigger arrangements, deeper atmosphere, and an even sharper edge. Rooted in the spirit of classic heavy metal while bringing their own modern intensity, the band continues their mission to keep true metal alive while carving out their own path within the genre.
The album’s title is a conceptual statement. ‘Graveyard of Empires’ explores the fall not of nations, but of ideas, the collapse of peace, the erosion of the human spirit, the slow unraveling of everything we build and everything we believe in. From the battlefields of World War II to the death of civilizations that never got the chance to flourish, to the quiet question of what remains of humanity when humanity itself is no longer the only answer…
Featuring cover artwork by Charles Borkowski, ‘Graveyard of Empires’ arrives September 4, 2026.
About the album, Aamir Syed comments:
“As an album, it isn’t about geopolitics, but there is a running theme throughout the stories that we’re telling. The empires that fall in this record are ideas, concepts and the slow collapse of peace. The belief that we’re building toward something and then it falls part due to greed and corruption. That’s what we’re mourning.”
Headbang to the treacherous heart of Cobra’s infamous stronghold with COLD SLITHER’s crushing new track “Cobra Island”. This thunderous heavy metal ripper captures the utter chaos, and all-out warfare of the legendary Cobra Civil War from the G.I. Joe comic book series — the brutal power struggle between Cobra Commander, Serpentor, and their rival factions that tore the organization apart and dragged G.I. Joe and the Iron Grenadiers into the fray. Interpreted by our beloved bunch of Dreadnoks!
Zartan comments on “Cobra Island”: “Well, once again The Commander has rounded up enough money to warrant my Dreadnoks and I to crawl out of our swamp and record some new music. At the same time paying us to secure his stronghold, the Terrordrome… So I wrote a song about just that. Enjoy ‘Cobra Island’ but be warned… You DO NOT want to find yourself washing up on these shores! Cobraaaaa!!!”
Packed with razor-sharp riffs, Zartan’s soaring vocals, and a relentless groove that hits like a Thunder Machine barreling through the swamps, “Cobra Island” high-octane energy and shows a glimpse of what things might sound like for a future album. Think classic ’80s metal fury meets the early thrash groove and power — perfect for headbanging, moshing, and plotting world domination.
COLD SLITHER is a declaration of war. Fronted by the enigmatic Zartan and his ruthless Dreadnok bandmates Torch, Ripper, and Buzzer, the band fuses old-school heavy metal with anarchic energy and unrelenting force. With tracks built on punishing riffs, venomous vocals, and apocalyptic atmosphere, COLD SLITHER resurrects the myth and turns it into a modern-day metal juggernaut.
ABYSSUS stand as one of the most significant forces within the Greek Death Metal scene, having forged their path since 2011. Drawing profound inspiration from genre-defining pioneers such as DEATH, OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER, the band preserves the unadulterated spirit of old school death metal while imprinting their own distinct identity.
Today, ABYSSUS are proud to announce their signing with Fireflash Records, who will release the bands upcoming new album „The Reign“. “We have known Fireflash as a label deeply rooted in the Underground scene, through its releases for bands such as Holy Moses, Mezzrow, Mystic Circle, among others, and we have always held the utmost respect for it. Therefore, when a label of this caliber shows genuine interest in your band, there is little left to be said. As Abyssus, we feel confident and ready that under the wing of Fireflash the band will rise to the next level, and we will also do our part to make the label proud of its choice”, says vocalist Konstantinos Analytis.
ABYSSUS will release the first single, entitled „The Meaning Of Pain“ on July 31st, along with the album pre-sale start. “It was the very first song we composed for the new album, and it naturally became the bridge between our past and our present. It captures the essence of our earlier sound while introducing the new elements that define who we are today“, says Konstantinos Analytis
From the very outset, ABYSSUS placed equal emphasis on studio output and live performance. A steady stream of EPs and split releases established their presence within the international Underground metal community. Their debut full-length, „Into the Abyss“ (2015), garnered widespread acclaim and marked a pivotal moment in the band’s evolution – leading to increasingly frequent appearances both in Greece and across Europe, often sharing the stage with renowned acts, like POSSESSED, SINISTER, SUICIDAL ANGELS and ROTTING CHRIST.
With renewed creative vigour and greater maturity, ABYSSUS unveiled their sophomore album „Death Revival“ in 2022 via Transcending Obscurity Records. Adorned with an arresting cover by the legendary Andreas Marschall (KREATOR, BLIND GUARDIAN, IN FLAMES a.o.), the album was met with universal praise, further cementing the band’s reputation for delivering unrelenting, yet masterfully crafted, death metal. More shows with a.o. ASPHYX, TANKARD, GRAVE DIGGER and THE CROWN followed.
Now in 2026, ABYSSUS return with their third full-length opus, “The Reign” – a ferocious testament to their artistic evolution. The album encapsulates all the core elements that have defined death metal through the decades: raw aggression, blistering riff-work, and a suffocating, commanding atmosphere. Once again, the visual narrative is entrusted to Andreas Marschall, whose artwork enhances the band’s sonic vision with striking intensity.
Relentlessly evolving, ABYSSUS remain true to their roots while continuing to push the boundaries of the genre. With a prolific discography and an ever-growing presence on the live circuit, they have rightfully earned their place as a formidable name within the global death metal landscape.
ABYSSUS live: 18.10.2026 – Athens (GR) – “Kyttaro Live Stage“ with Pestilence & Dead Congregation
ABYSSUS is: Konstantinos Analytis – Vocals Panagiotis Gkourmpaliotis – Rythm Guitar Konstantinos JaJas – Lead & Rythm Guitars Manolis Skoularakos – Bass George “Hellgrinder” Tsafos – Drums
Guests on “The Reign”: Konstantinos Foukarakis – Lead & Rythm Guitars (Rotting Christ) Fotis Benardo – Drums (Nightfall, Six For Nine, ex- Septic Flesh, ex – Nightrage) Chris Zoukas – Bass (Sacral Rage)
Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour release the groovin’ Stax-tastic ‘Tandoori Chicken,’ the latest single from Watching The Tide, which will be released on 28 August via Provogue / Artone Label Group. For an album whose title references the guitarist’s most famous co-write – Otis Redding’s 1967 standard (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay – Watching The Tide saw Cropper roll back the years. Writing alongside Jon Tiven, the acclaimed songwriter/producer and Midnight Hour vocalist Roger C. Reale – then tracking at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio C with a crack-squad band including Ana Grosh (vocals), Nioshi Jackson (drums), engineer Eddie Gore (keys/percussion), and a wishlist of guitar heroes (Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Brian May, Ronnie Wood) – the 83-year-old sounds ageless and energised. The album fades up on ‘Tandoori Chicken’; the instrumental song is not just an irresistibly funky tone-setter but a knowing nod to ‘Green Onions’ (the 1962 single that established Booker T. And The M.G.’s as stars in their own right). The single is the latest gem from the tantalising prospect of the wealth of material that sits in The Colonel’s shimmering vault.
Tiven recollects, “About a month before Steve passed, we went out for an Indian lunch. Steve really loaded up on this tandoori chicken. We had this one kicking around as a song, but we never really thought the lyrics were very good. So then I started thinking, ‘Well, if I put a sitar on it, maybe it’ll hold together as an instrumental’, because Steve is playing some amazing guitar on it. Then I said, ‘Steve, is it okay if we call it Tandoori Chicken?’ A big smile came to his face, and he goes, ‘That’s my favourite’. And y’know, he’s got a lot of history with food-oriented song titles. So it was a nice way to tie it all together.”
This follows ‘Until Now ’, which makes stellar use of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood’s stinging slide, as Tiven recalls the session: “Ronnie Wood got back to me about 10 minutes after I sent off my email: ‘Oh, this looks like a lot of fun. I’ll jump in.’
The first song to be released from the album, the tough Southern-smoked blues of ‘Ticket First’, which started with a joke and ended up with Cropper and fellow rock royalty Clapton riffing nose-to-nose. “I told Eric, ‘Man, you just turned that song inside-out – I think we’re gonna have to give you a writer’s credit,” recalls Tiven of the legendary British guitarist’s transcendent solo. “And Eric said, ‘Well, anything to get my name next to Steve Cropper’s…’”
To anyone who knows the roots and branches of American music, the passing of Steve Cropper in December 2025 was seismic. As a guitarist, songwriter, producer and engineer – not just for the iconic Stax record label but on a forest of sessions and solo releases – the Tennessee soul man was the DNA that coursed through the post-war era, his fabled right hand setting the pace of rock ‘n’ roll for 60-plus years. It’s a huge statement for a musical colossus who towered over the rock ‘n’ roll age. Yet to play this posthumous release is to hear an all-time great still at the top of his game, blending the burning passion of youth with the wisdom of an old master. Steve Cropper might have left us, but Watching The Tide indicates that there is much more still to hear from him.
Tracklisting:
1. Tandoori Chicken 2. Ticket First ft. Eric Clapton 3. My Angels Are Calling ft. Brian May & Billy F. Gibbons 4. Until Now ft. Ronnie Wood 5. Blood From A Stone 6. Here & Gone ft. Ana Grosh 7. It’s Gonna Get Worse 8. Down & Out 9. Stand Right Here ft. Billy F. Gibbons & Ana Grosh 10. Tipoff To The Ripoff 11. House of Cards 12. Tandoori Chicken Part 2
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 