Author: Crix

Endfest: Taste of Moth, AherA, Kantør, Fatal Renal Failure & Guts live at Annis, Pori (Finland) 21.2.2026

Endfest is a volunteer-run festival for all ages, focusing on underground heavy music. This year it was held at the Pori Cultural Center Annis on February 21st. The event featured six bands from across Finland, representing styles ranging from alternative metal to death metal and goregrind.
The band performing on this year event were: Taste of Moth, AherA, Kantør, Fatal Renal Failure, Guts & Corpsume (we have not see this last band).
Taste of Moth‘s music has harsh riffs and a gray world. The band’s prog-tinged alt metal will surely appeal to fans of Katatonia, Muse and Gojira.
AherA is a progressive groove metal band from Jyväskylä, founded in 2024. Their broad genre palette inspires and drives music forward purposefully on its own path. You can hear nuances of groove, black, thrash, death and progressive metal, as well as reggae, jazz and funk. That unique palette takes the listener on a journey through anger, despair, purification and melancholy. The soundscape is colored by frustration with our society and how far humans have fallen from the natural.
KANTØR is a young, fresh and powerful goth-death metal band from Turku. Founded in 2020, the band has grown from a shared passion of friends to an emerging name in the Turku metal scene, aiming for bigger stages. Their music combines melodic death metal and gothic metal with industrial, cathedral and symphonic elements, creating a dark but catchy sound that has been compared to Amorphis, Sentenced and Type O Negative, among others. The band is known for their intense live performance and energetic stage charisma, which has taken them to metal festivals and several cities around Finland.
Founded in 2025, Fatal Renal Failure plays tight and old school style Extreme Death Metal. The band is made up of 3 young guys.
Guts is a Death Metal band from Turku. Their music focuses on mid-tempo rhythms, as well as grooving and trotting riffs. The band has already released 2 rock-hard albums, Decay and Nightmare Fuel. These works, which respect the old school vibe, have gained appreciation among the scene.
The bands featured were very interesting and musically skilled, and most of the audience was under 18. As a reporter, I spotted a couple of bands that could grow internationally in the future. Below are some shots from the evening, credits: Cristina Gregori.

Finnish Female Fronted Powerhouse Crimson Day signs with Wormholedeath

The Finnish rising force of modern heavy metal, Crimson Day, is proud to announce the signing of a worldwide distribution deal with WormHoleDeath Records for the release of their highly anticipated new album, Dark Dimension.

Blending crushing riffs, atmospheric depth, and emotionally charged songwriting, Dark Dimension marks a bold new chapter for the band. The album explores themes of inner conflict, alternate realities, and the shadows that shape human existence—delivered through Crimson Day’s signature fusion of melodic intensity and relentless heaviness.

“This partnership represents a major milestone for us,” says the band. “WormHoleDeath understands our vision and the sonic universe we’re building with Dark Dimension. We’re about to push our sound further than ever before.”

With this new release, Crimson Day elevates their production, songwriting, and conceptual scope, offering listeners their most immersive and dynamic material to date. The album promises massive choruses, intricate guitar work, thunderous rhythms, and a dark, almost cinematic atmosphere that defines the band’s evolving identity.

WormHoleDeath will handle worldwide distribution, promotion, and marketing for Dark Dimension, bringing Crimson Day’s powerful sound to an even broader global audience.

Crimson Day is a metal band known for combining modern heaviness with melodic depth and atmospheric textures. Since their formation, they have built a reputation for high-energy performances and emotionally resonant songwriting.

Formed in Tampere, Crimson Day has built a boundary-pushing sound rooted in heavy metal and enriched with melodic depth and cross-genre influences. Since their 2013 debut and early releases through Iron Shield Records, the band has released three studio albums, multiple acclaimed singles, and high-profile covers of Led Zeppelin, Bonnie Tyler, and Shakira, earning strong international fan response and radio airplay across the USA, Brazil, Germany, France, and beyond.

Crimson Day has performed nearly 100 shows across Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the Baltic region, including tours with Herald and support for Wolf. They have also appeared at major festivals alongside leading acts such as Sonata Arctica, Turmion Kätilöt, Turisas, Reckless Love, and Korpiklaani.

Their fourth studio album, Dark Dimension, set for release in 2026, was mixed by Jussi Kulomaa and mastered by Svante Forsbäck, marking a new milestone in the band’s steady rise and expanding international presence.

Crimson Day is:

Milka Uusitalo – vocals
Ari Balzar – lead guitar
Janne Rantanen – guitar/screams
Jesse ”Kämy” Kämäräinen – bass
Janne Ollikainen – drums/percussions

www.crimsonday.com
www.instagram.com/crimsonday_official
www.facebook.com/crimson.day.band
www.tiktok.com/@crimsonday_official
www.youtube.com/@crimsonday_official

Lavina to represent Serbia in Eurovision 2026

Modern metal band Lavina won the Serbian pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Kraj Mene,” chosen by a combination of public and jury votes.
“Kraj Mene” was a popular choice, winning both the public and jury votes. In the public vote, it received 29,759 votes, more than double the number of votes received by the second-place song in that section.
The band will perform in the first semifinal in Vienna on May 12th, during the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Lavina is a six-member powerhouse from Niš, Serbia, formed in the middle of 2020 that redefines the boundaries of modern metal. After forming, the members spent most of the time writing and recording the songs for the band’s debut album—ODYSSEY, which was released in November 2022.

Blending heavy guitar riffs with cold electronic textures and raw, introspective lyrics, the band has toured extensively across Europe, performing at festivals like Sziget and Eurosonic.

Lavina is best described as a mix of wide range of metal and rock influences with a dramatic and poetic sensibility. A truly unresting group of musicians, Lavina challenges their perception of metal by ever-changing influences and energetic, larger-than-life live performances.

Line-Up:
Luka Aranđelović (vocals)
Pavle Samardžić (guitar)
Andrija Cvetanović (guitar)
Nikola Petrović (bass)
Pavle Aranđelović (keys)
Bojan Ilić (drums).

https://www.facebook.com/lavinabandpage/
https://www.instagram.com/lavinametal
https://lavinaband.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2a1W5RyJCm4GugnlqckLw3?si=6TREf7guSTKZgnmwwhIDAw

French post-metal architects Sick Sad World shared new music video “Bargaining”- New album ‘Deuil’ out now

Following the release of their new album ‘Deuil‘, French post-metal architects Sick Sad World has just unveiled a stunning new music video illustrating the track “Bargaining” — a cinematic exploration of the soul’s desperate attempt to negotiate with loss.

Extracted from a concept album that spans 41 minutes across only five tracks, the “Bargaining” video serves as the atmospheric centerpiece of the record’s narrative. It mirrors the track’s slow-burn tension and crushing emotional weight, utilizing cinematic imagery to navigate the “inner collapse” that defines the grieving process.

This visual journey functions as a visceral soundtrack to profound loss, charting a slow, deliberate ascent where every movement is given the space to breathe, collapse, and eventually, heal.

The sonic odyssey of ‘Deuil’ begins with “Denial”, a nine-minute descent into a suffocating atmosphere of hypnotic guitars and pained, primal cries, before transitioning into the melodic clarity and rising intensity of Bargaining, which acts as a desperate plea for hope against fate.

The descent continues through the dark, leaden weight of Depression and its heartbreaking interlude, leading directly into the crushing riffs and raw agony of Anger—a moment of pure power that evokes the atmospheric titans of the genre, from Memories Of A Dead Man to Cult Of Luna. Finally, the cycle breaks with Acceptance, where relentless double-pedal percussion eventually gives way to luminous melodies, closing the album on a defiant note of hope.

Boasting a production that is massive, powerful, and pristine, Deuil captures a band at the height of their technical and emotional prowess. It is more than an album; it is a conceptual immersion that demands the listener take the time to truly feel every shadow and every spark of light.

http://www.sicksadworldband.fr/

Resumption Video Interview

Resumption is the new doom metal project from Wilhelm Lindh (The Gardnerz, ex-Tristitia, ex-Pandemonium, ex-Allameda). This project bridges the gap between the crushing groove of Bolt Thrower, Broken Hope, Pyrexia, Acheron (US) and the suffocating slow atmosphere of Funeral (Nor).
Resumption’s lyrics address the harrowing realities of mental health and anti-religious sentiment.
The debut album, “The Respite,” out digitally on April 17th, is dedicated to Wilhelm’s father, who hated metal music but always supported his son’s musical aspirations.
We had the opportunity to speak with Wilhelm the mastermind behind the project and learn more about his music, the upcoming album, and the future.

youtube.com/@resumptiondeathdoom
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586606459561
instagram.com/resumptiondeathdoom
resumptiondeathdoom.bandcamp.com

Terravia Video Interview

With the debut album A New World, Norwegian act Terravia is positioning themselves as a new comet in the prog sky. After several shows around their hometown of Trondheim throughout the past year – which culminated in a support gig with Conception at their show in Trondheim last October – the focus has been on completing their debut album. With the album out, the band is now ready to address a larger audience.
We had the chance to talk with Øystein and Anders about the origin of the band, their influences, the debut album and live shows.

https://linktr.ee/terraviaofficial

Metal Pizza Night: Artkills, Eartheria, What Awaits Us, Lust For Lily & Memoria live at Annis, Pori 7.2.2026

A free music event called Metal Pizza Night to celebrate my 40th birthday, was held at Annis Cultural Center in Pori on February 7.
Five metal bands performed; Artkills, What Awaits Us, Eartheria, Lust For Lily, and Memoira.
The event was live-streamed and can be watched on YouTube.
The evening was a success. Aside from a technical issue during one band’s performance, everything went smoothly. The bands delivered excellent performances, showcasing their talent.
Here some photos from the night.

Australia’s GREYSTONE CANYON Animated Video For Neil Young Cover “Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)” From New Album “Something Borrowed…Something New”

Australian rockers Greystone Canyon return with a powerful take on “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)”, the iconic track by Neil Young, reimagined with the band’s raw and unfiltered rock ’n’ roll attitude.

Taken from their new album “Something Borrowed…Something New”, this version captures everything Greystone Canyon stands for: real amps, real performance, no tricks. Recorded live in one room without click tracks or edits, the song delivers a warm, punchy, and authentic sound that brings back the true spirit of rock music. With respect to the original and the grit of their own identity, the band transforms this timeless classic into a heavy, driving anthem, loud, honest, and unapologetic.

“Neil Young and this song need no introduction, and we are hopeful that Neil Young fans, even Neil himself, perhaps will approve of this rendition. This song has been transformed from a folk acoustic guitar strum along to a very dark arpeggiated piece that is rounded out by a spooky bass guitar solo and a beautiful acoustic guitar solo. This might be the furthest we have taken a cover from its original, but the lyrics and meaning of the song really work in this context. We hope you enjoy the animated video for the single,” adds the band.

Watch and listen to Greystone Canyon‘s animated cover video for Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRqbJTGu5KQ​

Formed by vocalist/guitarist Darren Cherry, whose lifelong passion for music was inspired by AC/DC, KISS, and his father’s career as a professional musician, Greystone Canyon has built a reputation for tone, feel, fire, honesty, and organic sound. With drummer Sham (also of Nothing Sacred), guitarist Richard Vella, and bassist David Poulter, the band brings decades of experience, including Cherry’s tenure with Paul Di’Anno’s final Australian tour in 2024.
​
​Greystone Canyon’s new album “Something Borrowed… Something New” pays homage to rock legends like UFO, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, and Neil Young, while introducing powerful originals such as Drives Us, Friend of the Fox, and Stealing Our Freedom. Inspired by Van Halen’s Diver Down, the record blends covers and originals into a dynamic listening experience. From the faithful tribute of UFO’s Doctor, Doctor and the smoky swing of ZZ Top’s Just Got Paid, to the road-trip energy of Drives Us and the heavier, metalized punch of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, the album showcases both reverence and reinvention. Originals like the acoustic, eerie Friend of the Fox and the protest anthem Stealing Our Freedom stand proudly alongside covers such as Thin Lizzy’s Suicide and Neil Young’s haunting Hey Hey, My My. With creative flourishes like “AAF,” a Hendrix-style guitar homage to the Australian National Anthem, the album captures Greystone Canyon’s ability to honour rock’s greatest while carving out its own identity.
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Unlike their previous album, “Iron & Oak,” which took six years to complete, “Something Borrowed… Something New” was tracked, mixed, and mastered in just five months. Recorded at Black Lodge Studio under the guidance of Joel Taylor, the band embraced a raw, live recording method that captures the warmth, punch, and energy of musicians playing together in real time.
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​“This album has been the most fun we’ve had recording. Albums can be hard work and tedious, but this was a joy to make, and we think you can hear that in the recording,” adds Cherry.
​
​Greystone Canyon is an Australian hard rock band blending classic rock, heavy metal, blues, and folk influences. Known for their organic sound and passionate performances, the band continues to evolve while staying true to their roots. Their music is inspired by life, history, and the future, with lyrics that reflect both personal experiences and broader social themes.
​
​“Something Borrowed… Something New” was released on December 5th, 2025, from Rockshots Records and is available on all major streaming platforms and physical formats.

CD – https://rockshots.eu/products/greystone-canyon-something-borrowed-something-new-cd​

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZyEq4kWkhDg6RnzCbGKJj​

Music Video – Suicide (Thin Lizzy cover) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLNaHClXKc0​

Music Video – Stealing Our Freedom – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SSd6fzgwhU​

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Track Listing:
​1. Doctor, Doctor (UFO cover) – 04:16
2. Just Got Paid (ZZ Top cover) – 03:35
3. Drives Us – 05:06
4. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) – 02:21
5. Friend of the Fox – 03:57
6. Suicide (Thin Lizzy cover) – 05:14
7. Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black) (Neil Young cover) – 03:22
8. AAF – 1:47
9. Stealing Our Freedom – 04:26
Album Length: 33:54

More info: Rockshots.eu | Facebook.com/greystonecanyon | Instagram.com/greystonecanyon_official​

THE VALLEY Release New Single ‘Like I Never Lived (Without You)’, Produced in California by Fabrizio Grossi

Available from today, February 27th on all digital platforms, THE VALLEY’s new single “Like I Never Lived (Without You)” is released via Volcano Records & Promotion and produced in Los Angeles by Fabrizio Grossi (Alice Cooper, Steve Vai, Slash).

With this new track, the Ligurian alt-prog band takes a significant step forward, expanding its artistic path into an international dimension while preserving its distinctive sonic identity. “Like I Never Lived (Without You)” is an intense and straightforward song, built on constantly evolving emotional dynamics, where enveloping guitars and atmospheric tension merge with a deeply expressive vocal performance. The song explores themes of absence and emotional dependency, transforming loss into awareness.

The band’s alternative soul intertwines with progressive influences in a mature balance that recalls acts such as Incubus, Alice In Chains, and Faith No More, without ever losing its own personality. The production plays a crucial role in the project: Fabrizio Grossi coordinated the work from Los Angeles, bringing an international vision to the band’s sound. The mastering was handled by legendary American sound engineer Pete Doell (Miles Davis, Toto, Marilyn Manson), while all recordings were entirely carried out by The Valley in their own studio in Liguria, confirming an independent yet ambitious artistic journey.

“Like I Never Lived (Without You)” is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms. The official music video is now streaming on Volcano Records’ YouTube channel at the following link: https://youtu.be/c_fsbDpIGdU

Also watch the video for the earlier singles
‘Magpie’s Eyelid’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_C_xZunnN8
‘Eons’: https://youtu.be/3VbvAbrbQkw
‘Hypnagogia’: https://youtu.be/0zhsSfs6at4

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

Divine Sovereign Unveils Lyric Video “Enshrined Kind” as Autaxia Chronicles Hits Shelves Worldwide

Polish atmospheric black/epic doom metal solo project Divine Sovereign has released the lyric video for “Enshrined Kind,” a defining track from the album Autaxia Chronicles: Dawn Of A New Age, out in digital format and on CD.

“Enshrined Kind” marks the moment where Divine Sovereign fully shaped the narrative core of the project. What began as a distant vision of galactic conflict shifted toward a more grounded and human question: why do uprisings fail, and what force is strong enough to unite people when shared culture and history are not?

“The Lyric video for that song is like a milestone in my musical endeavors, sort of cementing this first chapter,” says Divine Sovereign, “beginning of, hopefully, a long journey that’s ahead of me.”

The inspiration came from the revolt of Spartacus, the largest slave uprising in ancient Rome. Nearly 100,000 rebels rose together, only to fall apart from internal division. Their defeat sparked a key idea behind Autaxia Chronicles: what would it take for such a rebellion to succeed?

The answer was belief.

Centuries after Spartacus, Christianity spread through the Roman Empire and became its state religion. “Enshrined Kind” reflects this turning point—not as an account of an organized faith, but as its earliest formation. Under oppression, faith emerges in fragments: shared stories, half-remembered parables, and the idea of a chosen people. Slowly, belief becomes a bond stronger than blood or origin.

The track captures unity at its rawest stage. Not doctrine. Not structure. Just belief beginning to take shape—and already powerful enough to change history.

Video by: www.instagram.com/inhale_tea

Founded in 2023 by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Cezary Rochnowski, Divine Sovereign draws inspiration from the likes of Ethereal Shroud, Panopticon, and Atlantean Kodex. The project crafts epic, narrative-driven compositions set in the world of Autaxia, a planet where advanced beings unearth the remnants of a once-thriving civilization. Through intricate songwriting and atmospheric intensity, Divine Sovereign explores the duality of faith—its power to liberate and its potential to enslave.

divinesovereign.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/DivineSovereign