Uhrattu is a new Finnish band that fuses black metal with elements of death/doom to create a wicked hybrid of these two dark musical genres. The band is currently recording their debut album, scheduled for release in 2026.
Our reporter Cristina had the chance to meet Eloton and Kirottu after their debut show and learn more about the band, their music and more.
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Metal band Stam1na, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary, have released a new song from their upcoming album Apnea today. Listen to Käärmeennyrkki here.
The band’s 11th album, Apnea, will be released on February 20, 2026. The album was produced by Stam1na together with Julius Mauranen (Viitasen Piia, Oranssi Pazuzu).
“Käärmeennyrkki shed its skin several times during the demo sessions, sometimes causing feelings of despair as to whether it was a king cobra or an earthworm. With the support of Julius “Reksi” Mauranen, we boldly set out to examine the amount of distortion and seek airiness in the arrangements, and we happily succeeded. Faced with the combination of beauty and ugliness, it is easy to go to the mirror, take a handshake position and say the words “Thank you, Reksi. Thank you,” describes the song’s composer Kai-Pekka Kangasmäki.
The Käärmeennyrkki music video was directed by internationally awarded filmmaker and musician Anna Eriksson. This is Eriksson’s first music video direction for another artist.
“After listening to the song, I thought for a long time about what Käärmeennyrkki means to me. I think it is an awareness of death and at the same time its exorcism. I wanted to depict pain, strength and sensitivity. Antti’s dedication to the process made a big impression on me. I appreciate Stam1na’s attitude and desire to seek something new,” Anna Eriksson commented.
“In my opinion, Kai-Pekka often composes the most interesting, different Stam1na songs. Käärmeennyrkki is no exception. The atmosphere when the song meets Anna’s wonderful cinematography is unique. It was a special honor to be able to act in this music video”- Antti Hyyrynen.
Stam1na, who has won seven Emma awards during their career, will start the Käärmeennyrkki 2026 tour in support of thier new album on March 6, 2026.
Wormholedeath Records is proud to announce the signing of Hungarian modern metal powerhouse SENKI. This new partnership will see the global digital release of the band’s highly anticipated EP, “Szilánkok” (Shards), on March 13, 2026.
Emerging from the depths of the Hungarian underground, SENKI (Hungarian for “Nobody”) has evolved from a solitary vision into a crushing collective. Their sound, a blend of Metalcore, Groove, and Progressive Metal, is defined by tension-driven riffs, massive dynamic shifts, and an uncompromising vocal delivery that mirrors the raw energy of their live performances.
For frontman and founder Ákos Rikter, Szilánkok is more than just a collection of songs; it is a sonic confession. The EP explores the internal fracture between the relentless pursuit of artistic dreams and the profound responsibilities of family life.
“It is a huge honor that such an acclaimed label sees potential in Senki’s music and concept,” the band stated. “We have been searching for a long time for a partner who can help us achieve our goals, and we believe that Wormholedeath Records is the best base for taking the next step. We are ready to work together to bring the emotional charge of ‘Szilánkok’ to the international community.”
What began in 2018 as Ákos Rikter’s solo project has transformed into a formidable three-piece. After years of refinement and several lineup iterations, the band solidified its foundation with bassist Olivér Takács and the recent addition of drummer Adrián Miskoltzy in late 2025. With a complete lineup and a global label behind them, SENKI is now ready for international expansion and is already developing material for a full-length album.
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2002 formed Finnish industrial metal band Ruoska, will release their sixth studio album “Kade” February 27th. Now they have released the final single Ikirouta from the upcoming album.
When the mood darkens and despair rears its head, Ikirouta hits you in the face with memories, biting into your bones and core like a freezing winter wind.
Based on audience reactions at recent gigs, Ikirouta proved that there is demand among Ruoska fans for heavy, slow-tempo tracks. The feedback on the song surprised the band members themselves, even though Ikirouta breaks the traditional boundaries of Ruoska.
For the first time, Ruoska combines powerful distorted guitars with stunning orchestral arrangements in a way that reveals new nuances with each listen. Ikirouta keeps its listeners in its strong grip, creating a chilling and gloomy mental landscape that only a Finn can understand.
Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal etc.): https://push.fm/fl/ruoska-ikirouta
The band, which hails from Juva, Eastern Finland, and has already racked up nearly 25 million plays on Spotify alone, will also be heading out on an album release tour, which will be starting right after album release.
Ruoska is:
Patrik Mennander (Vocals)
Samuli Rimmi (Guitar, Backing vocals)
Miika Kokkola (Bass, Backing vocals)
Teemu Karppinen (Drums)
https://www.facebook.com/ruoskaband
From Ashes To New, who emerged from Pennsylvania to the world, have made a convincing rise in the metal scene in recent years. The band’s distinctive style, combining elements of modern metal with heavy electronic sound and rap, has gathered a large fan base around the band, for whom there is good news today!
From Ashes To New will release their new studio album Reflections on April 17th. The publisher is Better Noise Music.
Accompanying the good news is the single Villain, which is a split from the album, and is released with a music video. Villain offers a new perspective on the dynamics of toxic relationships. Often the story is told from the perspective of the person who is aware of the destructiveness of the relationship, but still stays in it. The song Villain turns the situation upside down.
“Villain is about the magnetic attraction between two people. They know the risks, but they still go for it. It’s about that moment when the will to overcome the consequences and the chaos becomes attractive. The song dives into that dark and intoxicating tension where temptation feels right. It’s not about saving each other, it’s about surrendering to a part of yourself that you pretend doesn’t exist,” says the band’s singer Matt Brandyberry.
The 12-track album Reflections follows the Blackout album, released in 2023, which collected the top spots on several radio and streaming charts. The new album has already released two singles – New Disease, about blindly following trends, and the intense and dark Drag Me.
From Ashes To New is:
Danny Case – vocals
Matt Brandyberry – vocals
Lance Dowdle – guitar
Maty Madiro – drums
Jimmy Bennett – guitar
FROM ASHES TO NEW | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ
A new year, new trends and summer is inexorably approaching. The Tuska festival, which will take to the Suvilahti area on the last weekend of June, has once again announced a strong heavy metal talent to strengthen what is already the most diverse metal offering in Finland next summer.
New additions to all festival days:
Tuska Fridays have been confirmed with Skindred, a ragga metal band founded in Wales in 1998 that combines metal, reggae, punk, hip hop and electronic music; Awake Again, a post-hardcore band that fearlessly merges different subgenres of metal and pop elements; Nenerchy, a genre-bending band that plays on the playing fields of rap, rock and drum’n’bass; and the Italian progressive melodic death metal act Lunarsea.
Omnivortex, a combination of technical death metal and black metal that has matured in the Helsinki underground, has been added to the Saturday program.
Tuska Sunday’s lineup includes the absolute cornerstone of Finnish metal, Amorphis, who recently released their new and highly acclaimed album “Borderland”, as well as the true pioneer of Finnish heavy metal, Tarot, who are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut album “The Spell of Iron” in the canon of Finnish metal.
Tuska KVLT bands
In addition, 8 bands have been added to the program, who have secured their performance spots by participating in the activities of the Tuska KVLT community last summer. The summer 2026 Tuska KVLT bands are Ashes of Perishing, representing the new wave of modern metalcore, hard rock regiment JellyDixx, Scythe Of Sorrow, serving up powerful melo-death, Despiser, the messenger of the new wave of Oulu metal, Dying Reverie, playing melodic death metal, Shere Khan, combining hedonistic hard rock and emotional metalcore, thrash whip NITRIK, and Suicide Chain, running hard rock with the power of groove metal.
Changes in performance dates
The performance date of both The Plot In You and 802 bands has changed to Saturday.
At this point, confirmed Tuska 2026 artists by performance date:
Friday 26.6.2026
Megadeth
D-A-D, Pain
Blood Incantation, Lost Society, Gatecreeper
Skindred, Bloodred Hourglass, Ensiferum
aurorawave, Awake Again, Slope,
Kneel Before The Death, Lunarsea, Nenerchy
Ashes of Perishing, JellyDixx, Scythe of Sorrow
Saturday 27.6.2026
Bad Omens
Trivium, P.O.D.
Kublai Khan TX, The Plot In You, Paleface Swiss, Rivers of Nihil, HOKKA
Swallow The Sun, The Funeral Portrait, Majestica, Dogma, Melrose Avenue
The Callous Daoboys, 802, Survivors Zero, Kallomäki, Omnivortex
Despiser, Dying Reverie, Shere Khan
Sunday 28.6.2026
Bring Me The Horizon
Amorphis, Tarot
Stam1na, Queensrÿche, Malevolence, Soilwork, The Browning
Sara, Return To Dust, Neckbreakker, Allt, Atlas
Kajos, Rukous, Necrotic Ooze, NITRIK, Suicide Chain
The remaining Tuska 2026 artists and schedules will be announced later.
Tuska Festival Director Eeka Mäkynen comments on the upcoming summer and the festival: “It’s absolutely amazing that we have such a diverse lineup to present in Suvilahti next summer, and the people of Tuska seem to agree with this, as tickets are currently selling at a record pace. Suvilahti will be tuned to the optimal settings to receive the entire choir.”
Remember to subscribe to the Tuska newsletter and you will definitely be up to date with the latest Tuska news.
Tickets:
All ticket categories are now on sale at Tuska’s official ticket sales partner networks, Tiketti and Lippu.fi.
One-day tickets from €159.00
Two-day tickets from €229.00
Three-day tickets from €249.00
One-day VIP tickets from €249.00
Three-day VIP tickets from €389.00
Tuska’s age limit is 18 years.
In collaboration with: Fortum, Helsinki, Karhu, Radio City, Redi
TUSKA 26–28 June 2026
Helsinki, Suvilahti
#TuskaFestival
Rising progressive Latin metal force MANUEL has released the official music video for their latest single, “Native Temple,” featuring a powerful guest performance by vocalist Ryan Reeves. The track is the second glimpse into the band’s highly anticipated EP, Parasite, set to arrive on February 27, 2026, via Wormholedeath Records.
“Native Temple” is a visceral exploration of emotional entropy, masterfully bridging the gap between celestial beauty and the grit of human decay. Featuring a haunting performance by Ryan Reeves, the track serves as a sonic meditation on the “Frostfire”, the paralyzing intersection of burning passion and the cold stasis of a dying connection.
The song gets deep into the pain of drifting apart, using words like “sutures” and “creases” to describe a relationship breaking at the seams. It’s a powerful look at isolation and how being away from someone can change your whole world, leaving you caught between the warmth of the past and the cold truth of the present.
While “Native Temple” explores internal landscapes, the upcoming EP Parasite is a fierce outward confrontation of systemic rot. The record boldly challenges the oppressive grip of the wealthy elite, exposing the manipulative tactics used to divide society for corporate and political gain.
“Parasite is more than just a title; it’s a reflection of the parasitic forces at work in our society,” says project founder Manuel Urgiles. “We reject the idea of rulers or masters. This EP serves as a rallying cry to unite against the corrupt systems that exploit us. It’s a call to dismantle their control and build a future rooted in genuine change.”
Fans can experience the fearless evolution of progressive Latin metal by pre-saving the EP now.
Pre-save “Parasite” here: orcd.co/parasiteep
MANUEL is:
Manuel Urgiles – Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Jason Ingalls – Drums
Thomas Hiscock – Bass Guitar
Ryan Cummings – Rhythm Guitar
DJKTF – Keys/Percussion
Official Website: manuelguitarist.com
Bandcamp: westboundmusic.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/manuelguitarist
Instagram: www.instagram.com/manuelguitarist
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MANUELGUITARIST
Finnish theatrical metal band Endless Exam returns from couple years of hiatus from releasing new music with a new furious single “Shut up!”.
Vocalist Nina Kuronen tells about the theme of the song “The song is about mental violence. Intentional psychological violence. Belittling, threatening, blaming, manipulation that causes deep psychological wounds. A difficult topic that is often not visible from the outside.”
“The song is the band’s fastest and darkest release to date. The song combines two ideas that fit together perfectly.” Guitarist Jukka Saarinen says.
Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, tidal etc.): https://push.fm/fl/endlessexam-shutup
Endless Exam from southern Finland is a theatrical metal band formed in 2020. The band combines atmospheric melodies with heavy rhythms, led by vocalist Nina Kuronen.
The band’s debut album, “Voice of Passion and Agony,” was released in June 2023 through Inverse Records.
Line-up:
Vocals: Nina Kuronen
Guitar: Jukka Saarinen
Bass: Tuomas Vartiainen
Drums: Joni Kouki
Edmonton, Canada’s alt‑metal visionaries Famous Strangers, have unveiled the long‑anticipated music video for “Deepstar,” their debut 2024 single and the first song the band ever released. After two years in the vault, the cinematic visual finally arrives in 2026, marking a major milestone in the band’s evolving creative journey.
Originally released in September 2024, “Deepstar”, mixed by Juno‑winner Phil Anderson (Econoline Crush, Garth Prince, Van Halst) and mastered by world‑renowned engineer Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Dokken, Dream Theater, Limp Bizkit), introduced listeners to Famous Strangers’ signature blend of atmospheric storytelling, haunting melodies, and emotional intensity. The new long‑form video brings the track’s cosmic narrative fully to life.
Vocalist Amanda Kiernan describes the origins of the song as deeply personal and unexpectedly cosmic:
“I started writing this song literally just describing my friend Mileena, how she makes me feel, and how her presence feels in the room. It all came together so perfectly when I added all the space and healing. The world needs a hero, and I put those two together… it just happened, flooding the paper like some epic extraterrestrial being. What’s even better is that she agreed to be Deepstar and be in our video. We are honored and blessed to have her.”
Guitarist Jeff Kittlitz recalls how naturally the music itself formed:
“Deep Star came together quickly and organically. While exploring presets on my new Fractal FM9, I landed on a tone that instantly brought to mind classic Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, and the main riff came together almost immediately. Once I brought it to Beej, the song fell into place fast and gave Amanda plenty of space to write. It was one of the first songs the four of us created together. During recording, the ending evolved in the studio, and we loved it so much we kept it. It was one of those moments that proves the magic that happens when everyone’s locked in. At its core, it’s a straight‑up rock song.”
Kittlitz adds:
“Deep Star is coming. This was the very first song we ever released, and the video has been two years in the making. We’re fired up that it’s finally unleashed. A dark cosmic tale of a woman from space sent to save our doomed souls. Massive thanks to Brad Thompson, Mileena Kombat, and Shade Nightclub for helping summon this beast.”
“Deepstar” represents the earliest spark of what would become Famous Strangers, a band that formed almost by accident, yet grew into something powerful and intentional. Since their formation in 2023, the group has released four singles, each expanding their sonic universe: (Deepstar 2024), (George 2024), (I’ll See You In The Stars 2025), and (L.S.C. 2025).
These tracks have positioned Famous Strangers as one of Canada’s most intriguing emerging heavy acts. The band has performed at Armstrong MetalFest, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival, and shared stages with Revocation, Danko Jones, Three Inches of Blood, Riot City, and more. Their dark aesthetic, emotional depth, and cinematic approach to songwriting continue to draw attention across the metal and hard‑rock landscape.
With the release of the “Deepstar” video, Famous Strangers close the loop on their earliest chapter while stepping boldly into their next. Their upcoming 2026 full‑length album promises to expand their universe even further, darker, deeper, and more immersive than ever.
For fans of Halestorm, Nothing More, Sevendust, Butcher Babies, and Bad Omens, watch the “Deepstar” video via Space Untravel’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXBDka5r1UQ
Add “Deepstar” to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/track/70ubKz5KnptZEvLHi5KpbY
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In additional news, Famous Strangers have been chosen as local support for Danko Jones‘ show date in Sherwood Park, AB, a suburb of Edmonton, on February 6th at Sherwood Park Festival Place. For more info, please visit https://festivalplace.ca/events/danko-jones-2/
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Previous Singles:
Music Video- L.S.C. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXowgk7zopA
Music Video – I’ll See You In The Stars – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtdfaMp4Hec
Lyric Video – George – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz85ChqELO4
About: Formed through a collision of ideas, personalities, and musical histories, Famous Strangers craft a sound that is as moody and mysterious as it is intense. Their music blends atmospheric textures with melodic and aggressive vocals, creating a sonic world that feels both intimate and otherworldly.
Each member brings years of experience from previous projects, shaping a band that thrives on creativity, experimentation, and emotional honesty. Their music is recorded and mixed almost entirely in‑house by guitarist Jeff Kittlitz, keeping their sound raw, authentic, and fully under their artistic control.
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In a strikingly raw and intimate film, director Wes Orshoski captures the late singer riding an emotional rollercoaster toward the end of his life. Featuring appearances by James Hetfield(Metallica), Gene Simmons (Kiss) Maiden’s Steve Harris and members of Exodus, Slayer, Megadeth, Overkill and Sepultura, the film chronicles how two Iron Maiden fans encounter Di’Anno at the lowest point of his life and then set out to restore his health and relaunch his career.
Wheelchair-bound since the mid-2010s, Di’Anno’s health nosedived during the Covid-19 pandemic, when those two fans launched a crowdfunding campaign which ultimately led to him relocating to Croatia, where – through the help of those fans and doctors – he made a dramatic turnaround while running out of money, reuniting with his former Maiden bandmates, and falling in love. Eventually he makes a heroic and drama-filled return to the stage. All of this is captured in Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer, which Orshoski began shooting in 2017.
“For years there wasn’t much to capture,” says Orshoski, whose credits include Lemmy, a study of Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister and The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead. “Paul was waiting for surgeries that doctors in the U.K. would not green-light. He was in an incredibly dark place. But once he got to Croatia, fans and doctors gave him the hope he was desperately searching for. It was beautiful to witness. I wanted to make a film that was unlike any rock doc you’ve ever seen. And in the end, I think we got there.”
One of icons of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, London-born Di’Anno helped launch Iron Maiden around the world, appearing on two of the most foundational metal albums ever released: Iron Maiden’s 1980 self-titled debut and the celebrated follow-up, Killers, released in 1981. In one of the most epic sagas in metal history, Di’Anno left Maiden in 1981 and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, leaving metal fans around the world to debate which line-up and which singer was/is better. It’s a debate that continues to this day, almost 50 years later.
Orshoski finished work on the film (which was shot in England, Croatia, Brazil and the United States) shortly before Di’Anno’s death at 66 in October 2023. Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer has been screening at European film festivals and will be released worldwide on both streaming services and on Home Entertainment DVD and BLU RAY formats.
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