Month: January 2025

Lowhill’s Denial-EP out now

LOWHILL, an aggressive Finnish metalcore band, has released their EP titled “DENIAL” today. “NUMB VISION” is the last release in the band’s trilogy, which shapes the band’s future sound more and more towards a more complex direction.

The band is set to play around Finland next spring, with the first show taking place in their hometown on January 25th, at the legendary 45 Special in Oulu.

Listen to the song here.

Line-up:
Vocals – Teemu Väntti
Guitar – Jaakko Kangasniemi
Guitar – Henri Salmi
Bass – Sami Väntti
Drums – Sami Körkkö

 

Alternative band LUNA KILLS: Nu metal-inspired LEECH single pounding alongside a dark story

LUNA KILLS release the third single from their upcoming album “DEATHMATCH”. The album, which will be released via SharpTone Records on April 4th, has already featured the single “Slay Ur Enemies” and “Sugar Rush”. The new “LEECH” clearly follows in the footsteps of nu metal and tells of a dark inner battle.

“LEECH is a raw description of suicide and the fight against depression. The song reflects the painful situation where you realize that fear and self-loathing are starting to become part of your identity and it is impossible to separate them. Even though the subject of the song is dark, the song itself was created in a really good atmosphere and in a lighthearted way. It was one of the last songs written for the upcoming album, and it hit us all right away,” describes singer Lotta Ruutiainen.

A music video for “LEECH” has also been released. The new single can be heard live this Thursday at the prestigious ESNS/Eurosonic showcase festival in the Netherlands, where LUNA KILLS has been invited to perform. Following the DEATHMATCH album release tour in Finland this spring, the band will also be performing at numerous summer festivals, the first of which is Poland’s largest metal festival, Mystic Festival.

LUNA KILLS live:

16.1.2025, ESNS, Groningen, Netherlands
14.2.2025 6 Feet Underground, Kannusali, Espoo
4.4.2025 ZRock, Kempele
5.4.2025 On The Rocks, Helsinki (album release gig)
11.4.2025 Olympia, Tampere (+ Balance Breach, Beyond Awareness)
12.4.2025 House of Rock, Kouvola
17.4.2025 Monttu, Pori (+ Awake Again)
18.4.2025 Brummi, Rauma (+ Awake Again)
5.6.2025 Mystic Festival, Poland
26.7.2025 Qstock, Oulu
8.-9.8.2025 Hellsinki Metal Festival

LUNA KILLS is:

Lotta Ruutiainen – vocals
Samuli Paasineva – guitar
Lassi Peltonen – bass
Jimi Kinnunen – drums

WWW | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK

Finnish metal band Exision release their third single ‘Haaksirikko’, taken from their upcoming second album

Finnish groove/alternative metal band Exision released the third single ‘Haaksirikko’ from their forthcoming second studio album ‘Uhreina Ajassa’ which is set to be released on February 20th 2025 via Inverse Records. 

LISTEN to ‘Haaksirikko’ on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/exision-haaksirikko

The band comments:

“As the ship runs aground or the crew is swept overboard by a rogue wave, remember the words of Kari Tapio: “After the storm, there is a calm”. Whether it is a serene summer day or death; silence awaits.”

BIOGRAPHY:
Exision is a Groove/Alternative metal band founded in 2017, known for their energetic live shows and colorful social media updates.
The band includes Joonas Kataja, the man of thousand voices and also the main lyricist of the band.
Bassist Jere “AV” Ala-Varvi, a song composing machine and the main song writer who brings in so much new material nearly every week that it has to be poured into other projects as well.
The rhythmical foundation, Tapio Haverinen makes sure that the capturing drum beats keep the crowd going.
The groove continues with the rhythm guitarist Nico Välkkilä‘s iron grip and high-flying lifestyle.
The lead guitarist Jarkko Oksman can also be held responsible for the song writing and composing. He stretches chords placing the cherry on top when putting the songs together.
The songs get their final form and polishing with the teamwork from the entire band by getting flavor from politics, movies and games. The band also doesn’t shy away when it comes to breaking the barriers of different music genres.

Exision – Haaksirikko (single 2025)

Track list:

01. Haaksirikko

Composed by Jarkko Oksman
Lyrics by Joonas Kataja

ISRC: FI3FC2587903

Single cover by Mari K. / usva_peikko

Exision – Uhreina Ajassa (Album 2025)

Track list:

01. Puhdistava Liekki
02. Älytön Ikiliikkuja
03. Haaksirikko
04. Pimeyden Aallot (feat. Sirkku-Sisko Kostamo)
05. Tähtihenkilö
06. Persona Non Grata (feat. Jesse Salo)
07. Impulssi
08. Uhreina Ajassa
09. Loputon Meri
10. Adrenokromi
11. Ihmisvirhe

Album cover by Mari K. / usva_peikko

Line-up:
Joonas Kataja – Vocals
Tapio Haverinen – Drums, mixing

Nico Välkkilä – Guitar

Jarkko Oksman – Solo guitar, backing vocals, keys

Jere “AV” Ala-Varvi – Bass, backing vocals, mixing, keys

Links: 
https://www.facebook.com/ExisionBand
https://instagram.com/exision.official
https://tiktok.com/@exision.official
https://exision.bandcamp.com

King Satan and The Abbey live at Monttu New Level, Pori (Finland) 10.01.2025

Industrial metal band KING SATAN, known for their mischievous extreme metal and explosive stage charisma, released their fourth album “The Devil’s Evangelion” at the end of 2024 and in support they organized a mini-tour in Finland, including a date at Montu New Level in Pori on January 10th. The band, which is also gaining momentum in Europe, has a “death metal disco” that defies rigid genre definitions and combines influences from industrial, death metal, electronic dance music and symphonic black metal in their music. With their energetic live performances, the band has conquered Finnish rock clubs and the stages of Tuska, Nummirock and SaariHelvetti, among others, as well as concert stages in 17 different countries during their European tours.
The warm-up act for the Pori crowd was the doom metal band THE ABBEY. The band’s debut album “Word of Sin”, released in 2023, has attracted interest from the international rock press and has taken the band to the stage of Tuska, among others, and toured Europe twice.
Our reporter Cristina Gregori was there for the occasion, below is the photo gallery of the event.

Finnish Thrash Legends BLOODRIDE Unleash January 2025 Studio Update on Explosive Upcoming Album

Finnish thrash legends, BLOODRIDE, are currently entrenched in the
crucible of creation, meticulously molding what is destined to be the
next monumental chapter in thrash metal history. Their passion ignites
the studio as they channel their raw energy and unrivaled skill into
their fifth album, promising an unparalleled auditory assault that will
redefine the boundaries of thrash metal.

Studio Confessions from the Heart of the Metal Storm – Guitarist Teemu
Vähäkangas Shares Insight:

“Final mixings with magician Jarno Hänninen in D-Studio are pretty much
done. With some tracks we even tried some lighter sounds for the
guitars, but no worries: this will be Bloodridic mayhem from the start
to the very end. Harsh, fast, heavy and brutal.
Jarno will also take care of the mastering and we have to say that this
cake tastes great already. The process has taken more time as we planned
but the most important thing is that we are satisfied with the result.
Also at this point, we begin to look ahead to upcoming gigs again. It
will be a blast to thrash out these new tunes to the pitting crowd.
Thrashing madness continues!!!”

Stay tuned for more updates from the studio as BLOODRIDE continues to
craft their next thrash masterpiece.

Experience the ferocity of BLOODRIDE in their latest music videos:
Hate of Hatred
Cast Out From Idiocracy
LIVE at Speed Metal Party in Tampere, Finland on the 13th of August 2022
Planet Alcatraz
Live @ Helsinki 15th September 2017
Horror Has a New Prey
Battered

About BLOODRIDE:
Formed in 2000, BLOODRIDE has been a force to be reckoned with in the
Finnish thrash metal scene. Their journey began with the EP “Bloodridden
Disease” in 2004, leading to their debut full-length album “Crowned In
Hell” in 2011. Their latest and fourth album, “Idiocracy,” was unleashed
in September 2021 through Great Dane Records. BLOODRIDE’s sonic assault
combines old-school thrash metal with dark death metal elements and the
raw edge of hardcore, delivering a headbanging, neck-breaking
experience. Over the years, they’ve shared stages with legendary acts
like Exhumed, Exodus, Nunslaughter, Toxic Holocaust, and Whiplash,
consistently delivering an electrifying live performance that’s nothing
short of a perfect storm.

Lineup:
– Jykä Leskinen: Vocals
– Esa Pennala: Bass
– Simo Partanen: Guitar
– Teemu Vähäkangas: Guitar
– Petteri Lammassaari: Drums

Discography:
– “Idiocracy” – Album, Release Date: 2021-09-17, Label: Great Dane
Records
– “Planet Alcatraz” – Album, Release Date: 2016-11-25, Label: Inverse
Records
– “Bloodmachine” – Album, Release Date: 2014-03-14, Label: Violent
Journey Records
– “Crowned in Hell” – Album, Release Date: 2011-04-16, Label: Violent
Journey Records
– “Supreme Predator” – Single, Release Date: 2010-04
– “Bloodridden Disease” – EP, Release Date: 2004

More information at
BAND:http://bloodride.com/
MANAGEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/SplitScreenManagement

BERIEDIR’s New Album “Liminal Spaces” Out Now

Beriedir proudly releases their third studio album “Liminal Spaces”, now available as of January 10th from Rockshots Records.

With “Liminal Spaces”, Beriedir fully embraces a progressive and experimental sound, moving away from their power metal origins. The new record delves into melancholia, nostalgia, longing, and seclusion, delivering in both lyrics and music.

“It’s okay to bask in memories, we’re not alone in our burnouts, weird dreams can (and do) affect us, and it’s entirely possible to relapse into the same old sorrows. Sometimes we just need a song to accompany us in this. This is Liminal Spaces.” adds the band.

In the first half, fans are introduced to the album with the straightforward style of the opening track Halo, and explore the main theme of Liminal Spaces with the song Neon, followed by the tight rhythms and variations of In The Corner Of My Eyes. Listeners should be ready to break their neck in the “kyrie eleison” section of As Tight As Phantoms Hold and get carried by the deeply introspective style of F.I.V.E.

The record’s second half gets sweetened with More Than Starlight‘s romantic and wide-open style. Understand what Burnout really is, with the homonym track and its headbanging section followed by polyrhythmic-dying-heartbeat. Return straight to life with the “in your face” styles of Anemoia and Massive, dealing with the wildly incalculable facets of our human depth both in waking life and dreams. In the closure, enter In The Liminal Space, the empty room where you know that you don’t belong, and finally get out, following the familiar sound of a classic guitar playing, right in front of you, a sweet outro melody. Lyrics are a core part of this production, as they reflect introspective themes through an elevated poetic style. Make sure to read them while you listen.

Don’t miss the opportunity to dive into this new chapter of Beriedir’s story, prepare yourself to experience “Liminal Spaces”.

Digital – https://lnk.to/AR9Bpc​

CD – https://rockshots.eu/products/beriedir-liminal-spaces-cd​

Music Video – “Neon” – https://youtu.be/R5WalIheULc​

Music Video – “Halo” – https://youtu.be/vb-QwoHrU8c​

Track Listing:
1. Halo
2. Neon
3. In The Corner Of My Eyes
4. As Tight As Phantoms Hold
5. F.I.V.E.
6. More Than Starlight
7. Burnout
8. Anemoia
9. Massive
10. In The Liminal Space

Line-up:​
Stefano Nüsperli: Vocals, Keyboards
Simone Bacchi Mottin: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Francesco Ideo: Guitars
Ciro Salvi: Drums
Daniele Cantaboni: Bass Guitar

Beriedir offers a sound that, throughout their discography, spans from progressive power metal—characterized by its signature, neck-breaking choruses—to a contemporary progressive identity, delivering tight rhythms, gargantuan emotional sections, and earth-shattering, surgically precise breakdowns. This powerful musical package is wrapped in introspective themes, melancholic and nostalgic, creating a dark and enveloping aesthetic.

The band originated as a project by frontman Stefano Nüsperli and began their live career in 2015 with the release of their first demo, The Line. From that point on, they have participated in numerous musical events, such as Fosch Fest 2016, and have had the opportunity to share the stage with renowned metal acts like Korpiklaani and Pathfinder.

In 2018, they released their debut full-length album, The Path Beyond the Moon, which allowed them to reach a broader audience. Following the release of their acoustic EP, Lullabies Beyond the Moon (2020), Beriedir signed with Rockshots Records in January 2022 for the release of their second full-length, AQVA, which features Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine, Derdian) as a guest on the track Stormbound. The album received enthusiastic reviews from the press and was warmly welcomed by listeners. As a bonus track, the band released the single Send Me An Angel, a cover of the song by Vision Divine.

Following the album’s release, Beriedir performed several live shows, sharing the stage with prominent bands from both the Italian and international scenes, such as Stratovarius, ELEGY, Moonlight Haze, Trick or Treat, Strana Officina, Derdian, Crying Steel, and others.

After a period focused on live performances and production sessions—including the release of a well-received cover of Lady Gaga’s Bloody Mary in 2023—the band released Elegies From The Lighthouse, an EP featuring acoustic reinterpretations of tracks from AQVA, in September 2024. Shortly thereafter, they announced their third full-length album, Liminal Spaces, scheduled for release in January 2025, once again through Rockshots Records, and preceded by the launch of two singles.

More info: https://www.rockshots.eu | https://www.facebook.com/BeriedirOfficial | https://www.instagram.com/beriedirofficial​

SHORES OF NULL Announces Live Album “Beauty Over Europe” Out May 2025; Unveil “The Last Flower” Live Video From Aschaffenburg 2023

Italian melancholic dark metal SHORES OF NULL announces they will be unraveling a live album for May 2025. Enitled “Beauty Over Europe” the live record features 10 tracks that were recorded during their monumental 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium. Throughout that tour, Shores of Null performed 35 shows across 18 countries, including Norway, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Hungary, bringing their critically acclaimed album “The Loss Of Beauty” to the stage.

The live recordings, captured in the cities of Leipzig, Munich, Aschaffenburg, Budapest, and Belfast, preserve the raw and emotive energy of their performances. Each track reflects the band’s ability to blend melancholic melodies with crushing heaviness, offering fans a visceral live experience.

“Beauty Over Europe” is both a celebration of the tour and a gift to all fans of the band. Exactly two years after that unforgettable journey, this live album offers a chance to relive the emotional intensity and true essence of Shores Of Null’s live performances.

Guitarist Gabriele Giaccari comments:

“This tour was an incredible journey, the longest in our career, and a true milestone for Shores Of Null. As the promotional tour for The Loss Of Beauty, our latest and most acclaimed album to date, it was an honor to bring these songs to life across 35 shows in 18 countries. Sharing the stage with monumental bands like Swallow The Sun and Draconian—huge inspirations for our music—was unforgettable. Despite the melancholy of their sound, they’re some of the most fun and genuine people we’ve met, and by the end of this epic journey, we were proud to call them friends.

We owe special thanks to our incredible crew—Petri, Matti, Mikko, and Tero—who ensured everything ran seamlessly and made this experience unforgettable. To pay homage to this extraordinary chapter, we decided to produce a live album. Recorded during key moments of the tour, it captures the essence of these unforgettable performances and is dedicated to all the people who supported us live and shared these magical moments with us.”

​

Today, Shores of Null shares a live video clip from their tour stop in Aschaffenburg, Germany performing “The Last Flower” – https://youtu.be/w-Hq69KG2RM​

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3BU584W​

​

Setlist:​
1. Transitory (Live intro)
2. Destination Woe (Live in Leipzig)
3. Nothing Left To Burn (Live in Leipzig)
4. Quiescent (Live in Munich)
5. The Last Flower (Live in Aschaffenburg)
6. Black Drapes For Tomorrow (Live in Budapest)
7. A Nature in Disguise (Live in Munich)
8. Darkness Won’t Take Me (Live in Belfast)
9. My Darkest Years (Live in Aschaffenburg)
10. Blazing Sunlight (Live Outro)
​
Live Recording: Matti Kynsijärvi
Mixing and Mastering: Marco Mastrobuono at Bloom Recording Studios
​
​Band:​
Davide Straccione – Vocals
Gabriele Giaccari – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Raffaele Colace – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Lorenzo Carlini – Live Bass
Matteo Capozucca – Bass
Emiliano Cantiano – Drums

“The Loss of Beauty” is Shores Of Null’s fourth album and follows the acclaimed “Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)”, unanimously considered by fans and critics as one of the Doom Metal gems of recent years. The lyrics celebrate beauty in imperfection and transience and are meant to be an invitation to seek beauty in little things, especially those unexpected and ephemeral.

Stylistically, “The Loss of Beauty” continues along the sulcus set forth by “Quiescence” and “Black Drapes For Tomorrow”, its melancholic dark metal with a wide range of influences, from gothic metal to doom metal and melodic black/death metal, with frequent use of vocal harmonies and deep growls.

The album consists of 13 songs, while the LP version only contains 11, the two extra tracks are bonus tracks that can be found on the CD version as well as on the streaming platforms. Dark and heavy, tinged with feelings of despair and melancholy, “The Loss Of Beauty” was released on March 24th, 2023, and is recommended for fans of Swallow The Sun, Borknagar, and Paradise Lost.

Album Stream:

YouTube – https://youtu.be/vWOcwJYjhq8​

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3ZckbMW​

Album order (Digital, CD, Vinyl) – https://linktr.ee/thelossofbeauty​

For more info: Spikerot.com | Shoresofnull.com

About:

Shores of Null stand out from their contemporaries with their ability to blend seemingly disparate elements into their sound, overwhelmingly heavy and soothing at the same time: blackened aggression stands alongside gothic-doom sections without either sounding out of place. Their music can be both melancholic yet majestic, made of chorale-like guitar textures across the instrument’s entire range, sustained by a powerful rhythmic section and punctuated by a refined mixture of clean and growled vocals, along with extensive use of pleasing vocal harmonies which have become the band’s trademark through the years.

The Rome-based metal band has been an unwavering presence within the metal underground since their musical outset in 2013, churning out a series of impressive records: the melodic and somber “Quiescence” (Candlelight, 2014), the darker and more complex “Black Drapes For Tomorrow” (Candlelight/Spinefarm, 2017), and the ambitious “Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)” (Spikerot Records, 2020), a 38-minute long doom manifesto that sees guest appearances of the doom-titans Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun) and Thomas A.G. Jensen (Saturnus), along with the angelic voice of Elisabetta Marchetti (Inno).

Shores Of Null’s fourth album, “The Loss Of Beauty”, released in March 2023, was hailed as one of the best albums of the year within the genre. The band supported the release with an extensive EU/UK tour alongside Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium, followed by standout performances at major festivals like Hellfest, Rock Imperium, and 70000 Tons Of Metal among others, further solidifying their status as one of the rising forces in the metal scene.

SVANZICA Release New Single – New Album “Anastasja” Out February 21st

SVANZICA announce the release of their new single , now available on all digital platforms. The track stands out for its perfect balance between technical complexity and melodic intensity. Elegant and refined guitar lines merge seamlessly with a dynamic and engaging rhythm section, while melancholic and evocative atmospheres further enrich the final result, transporting the listener into a unique musical world. The single is accompanied by an official music video, available on YouTube, which visually captures the message and atmosphere of the song, taking the viewer into an intense and evocative visual dimension.

“Limegar” is a preview of the band’s upcoming album, “Anastasja”, set to be released on February 21 by Volcano Records & Promotion. However, this won’t be the final teaser before the album’s release. The album Anastasja features 9 tracks that narrate a profound musical and conceptual journey.

Tracklist:

1. On our light clothes
2. Limegar
3. Mother of the skyscraper
4. The Black Shirt
5. Fossores
6. Elettra
7. Stylites
8. Anastasis
9. Ultramarina

In the meantime, dive into the world of Svanzica with Limegar and its official video, available at:https://youtu.be/VN16bPczaIY

Watch also the official lyric video for the previous single ‘On Our Light Clothes’: https://youtu.be/5icyYo6MkUE

Further info at
www.volcanopromotion.com
www.facebook.com/svanzicaofficial

Finnish thrash metaller Nervebreak released the third single from their upcoming EP

Formed in 2020, Nervebreak caught the attention of the metal community with the release of their “Desperate Measures” EP in 2022 and a performance at Tuska the following summer. The band’s production mixes elements of old-school thrash metal, groove metal and funk.

The band is currently preparing for their “Hopeless Society” EP, which will be released on March 7th, and has so far released the singles “Better Off” and “Dead End”. The EP’s third single, “Give Me a Break”, represents Nervebreak’s grooviest and most aggressive side. The song starts with a fiercely forward-pedaling riff, around which the entire song is built.

“One day I picked up my guitar and the intro riff was the first thing that came out of the guitar. The riff is playful and a very groovy Nervebreak piece was built on it!”, guitarist Lassi Kuusela commented.

“Give Me a Break” was recorded together with the band’s regular recording and mixing engineer Joel Pöllänen. Mikko Herranen was responsible for the mastering.

The lyrics of the song are the domain of the band’s soloist. Nervebreak’s singer Santeri Salmela says that the inspiration for the song arose after a poorly played gig.

“We recently played a gig with my previous band absolutely horribly and, of course, people patted us on the back after the gig to praise the performance. Of course, everyone meant well, but I just thought in my head, ‘give me a break’. This inspired me to write the lyrics for the song – a little tongue in cheek, of course.”

Nervebreak is:
Santeri Salmela – vocals
Lassi Kuusela – guitar
Fernando Arriaga – bass
Aki Kuokkanen – drums

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Garden of Stone’s debut album The Grave Mistake out now

The Finnish melancholic metal band Garden of Stone have released their debut album ‘The Grave Mistake’ on January 10th 2025 via Inverse Records. 

LISTEN to the Grave Mistake album on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/gos-album

Garden of Stone’s debut album, “The Grave Mistake”, paints a musical landscape filled with savage riffs and aggression juxtaposed with mesmerizingly haunting melodies and ballads. An amalgamation of death metal and melodic rock, “The Grave Mistake” is a testament to Garden of Stone’s genre-blending style of music, proving that the band is unafraid of branching out of their comfort zone while still remaining true to their roots.

Lyrically the album portrays a dystopian future ravaged by war, where each song represents a different scene witnessed by the main character as they travel across a desolate wasteland. The listener is granted access to a deep dive into the human psyche, as hopelessness, despair and insanity slowly consume the final glimmers of light in the world, embracing the inevitable void.

Watch Day of Discord (1st single) music video: https://youtu.be/uQZ_fXKyChk
Watch Waiting For The Dawn (2nd single) music video: https://youtu.be/_aFwqy7MgK0
Watch Daydream (3rd single) lyric video: https://youtu.be/t-875jKWYBQ

BIOGRAPHY:
Garden of Stone is a melodic metal band that weaves together melancholic rock and heavy metal. From the band you can expect brooding atmospheres, beautiful melodies, and face melting riffs.

The band was formed in 2023 when guitarists Jere Mäntysalo and Ville Penkari recruited Jesse Salo to sing and scream for their project. Soon after, drummer Tapio Haverinen joined to keep the rhythm department in check. The group was completed when bassist Kalle Hänninen joined to govern the lowest frequencies.

Garden of Stone published their debut EP, Tides of Decay, in February of 2024. The band is showing no signs of slowing down, as they are gearing up to release an LP in early 2025 after a series of singles.

Garden of Stone – The Grave Mistake (album 2024)


Track list:
1. Visions of the End
2. Day of Discord
3. The Prophet
4. Waiting for the Light
5. Observer
6. Paradigm Shift
7. Unveiled
8. New Dawn
9. Daydream
10. Resolution
11. Ode to Rage
12. Insanity

Artwork by Noora Khouya

Line-up:

Jere Mäntysalo – Guitar

Jesse Salo – Vocals

Kalle Hänninen – Bass

Ville Penkari – Guitar

Tapio Haverinen – Drums

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/gardenofstonetre
https://www.instagram.com/garden_of_stone_official
https://gardenofstoneband.bandcamp.com