Author: Crix

Awake Again released a new single “Middle Man”

Awake Again, a band currently enjoying a fantastic international rise, is adding fuel to the fire by announcing the release of their second full-length studio album next spring. Alongside the news, the band offers a first taste of the upcoming record.

The single “Middle Man” marks the beginning of a new, heavier, and more mature chapter in Awake Again’s career. Fast, chaotic, and relentlessly heavy, the track combines the crushing power of modern metalcore with the unpredictable energy and surprises characteristic of System Of A Down. Sharp riffs, explosive dynamics, and the band’s signature catchy hooks provide an aggressive first glimpse into Awake Again’s new era.

“We adopted the following guideline for the upcoming album: epic and melancholic SOAD-style frenzy with gritty, raw sounds. ‘Middle Man’ is an excellent taste of this new direction,” says the band’s vocalist Matti Österman, adding:

“We clearly wanted to move towards both a heavier sound and darker lyrical content. The upcoming album is a story about the end of the world, and ‘Middle Man’ is its first chapter. The song tells the story of the early signs of the apocalypse—a time when evil acts go unpunished, and the narrator serves as an indifferent middleman for the perpetrators of that evil.” “We also wanted to sprinkle references to various movies and TV series into the lyrics. Listeners can try to spot them and let us know how many they found,” hints the band’s bassist, Ville Loukola.

With this new chapter, Awake Again has taken its production to the next level, introducing fresh tonal elements to the songs. However, the band hasn’t changed its proven working methods; they developed the track with Österman serving as producer, while the band’s trusted collaborator Rami Nykänen handled the mixing and mastering.

Known for their explosive live energy, Awake Again has also garnered viral attention through social media videos; tracks like “PARAS!TE,” “shitwreck,” and “violins” have brought the band widespread visibility and expanded its international fan base. Meanwhile, the band’s streaming figures have surpassed 11 million. Awake Again also appeared as a special guest on Lost Society’s European tour last spring, and last summer, they commanded the tent stage at Tuska Festival with an impressive performance.

Next up on the live front for Awake Again is Joensuu’s Unholy Winterfest on November 27th. Early next year, it will be time to head abroad again as the band embarks on a German tour with the Swedish act Mister Misery. The tour will kick off the release shows for their new album. The band also hints that new tour dates will be announced soon.

March 18: Betty, Hamburg
March 19: Turock, Essen
March 20: Paunchy Cats, Lichtenfels
March 21: Bastard Club, Osnabrück
March 22: Bandhaus, Leipzig

Awake Again is:
Matti Österman – Vocals
Ville Loukola – Bass
Petteri Horn – Drums
Maron Lahdenperä – Guitar

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I Am Your God honors the anniversary of the late Sentenced’s final show with a cover of “Farewell” – The full ‘Foregods’ tribute EP will be released on November 20

I Am Your God—a band seen this summer at major events like the Summer Breeze festival—is dedicating this year to paying tribute to some of their own personal favorites. The Foregods EP, set for release on November 20th, features new versions of tracks considered cornerstones of both the band’s own influences and the metal scene at large;  the spotlight falls on Sentenced’s “Farewell.”

Each member of I Am Your God got to choose one song for the upcoming release, and “Farewell” was the pick of the band’s vocalist, Julius Vetämäjärvi.

“Sentenced is one of those bands that has always been a part of life for many of us. Their super-melodic and melancholic world, combined with dark humor, is something truly unique—much like the band’s own story, with its theatrical nature and definitive conclusion,” the band explains, adding:

“The idea behind ‘Farewell’ was to add variety to the collection and introduce something very different from our own style. We chose October 1st as the release date to honor the memory of the beloved Sentenced; the band brought their story to a close at Club Teatria in Oulu on October 1, 2005.”

Previously released tracks from the ‘Foregods’ project include Children of Bodom’s “Are You Dead Yet?” (released on Alexi Laiho’s birthday in April), Iron Maiden’s “The Evil That Men Do,” and the In Flames hit “Alias.” “The idea of ​​making an EP began to take shape when we came up with the concept of occasionally adding cover songs to our live sets as fresh, surprising elements. The final result will be a grand tribute to the forefathers of extreme metal—or, as one might say in English, the ‘foregods’.”

I Am Your God is:
Julius Vetämäjärvi – vocals
Matti Hietala – guitar
Joonas “Johnny” Erkkonen – guitar
Joonas Roivainen – bass
Atte Autio – drums

www.iamyourgodband.com

LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL Opens Band Submissions for 2027 Lineup

Where the rocks are heavy and so is the metal, Canada’s loudest gathering returns to Alberta’s Badlands. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2027, LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL is back with another unforgettable weekend of crushing performances, freak shows, burlesque acts, clinics, vendors, and, of course, dinosaurs.
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From July 30 to August 1, 2027, Drumheller, Alberta, will once again become the epicenter of extreme music as one of Western Canada’s premier metal festivals takes over the Badlands. In a landscape once ruled by dinosaurs, thousands of metalheads from across Canada and around the globe will gather to unleash a roar of their own.
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​Band submissions for the 2027 edition will be open from October 1st to October 31st. This is your band’s chance to perform alongside some of Canada’s heaviest acts and make your mark on one of the country’s most unique festival stages. Bring the noise to the Badlands, where the roar of metal echoes louder than ever.
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​Bands interested in performing can apply at: https://loudashell.ca/​

“As Western Canada’s festival season heats up, Loud as Hell Open Air stands out as an absolute heavy hitter.” – Broken Neck Radio

“Nestled in the sun-baked badlands of Drumheller, Loud As Hell has long held the crown as one of Western Canada’s premier heavy metal pilgrimages.” – Metal-Rules

“Metal music takes over Drumheller… If metal is your music of choice, Drumheller is the place to be this weekend. The Loud as Hell open-air festival showcases a diverse roster of independent and signed acts from across North America.” – Global News Edmonton (Video Interview)​
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Early Bird tickets go on sale December 1, 2026.
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Secure your spot before prices rise and join us for the loudest weekend of the summer. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Alberta’s Badlands, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival returns with earth-shaking riffs, relentless performances, and enough volume to wake the dinosaurs.
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The 2026 edition featured Fallujah, Allegaeon, Summoning the Lich, Gravemass, Crimson Shadows, Starkill, Super Monster Party, Mourning High, Edge of Paradise, and many more.

Live Video – SlimBzTV – ALLEGEON at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uX7XWNM2hY

Live Video – SlimBzTV – Summong The Lich at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXs9aEh9OHA​

Live Video – SlimBzTV – Starkill at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcZJ9AlTstY​

LAH 2026 Lineup Spotify Playlist – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Nbkvo4kG0ePTcsCVl2V2T​
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Year after year, LAH continues to grow, drawing metal fans from across Canada and beyond for a weekend of unforgettable performances, campground camaraderie, and pure moshing mayhem among the hoodoos of Drumheller, AB. As one of the country’s most distinctive heavy music destinations, the festival delivers a one-of-a-kind experience where prehistoric landscapes and extreme metal collide.

Since launching in 2012, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival has cemented its place as a cornerstone of Canada’s extreme music scene, showcasing hundreds of bands from across the country and around the world, save for a brief pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, the festival has hosted heavyweights like Revocation, First Fragment, Beyond Creation, Striker, Green Jelly, The Convalescence, Jungle Rot, Narcotic Wasteland, Into Eternity, Goatwhore, Fit for An Autopsy, Archspire, Unleash The Archers, Protest the Hero, AngelMaker, and many more, drawing metalheads from coast to coast for a weekend of sonic devastation.

In 2027, Loud As Hell returns for its 15th edition, presented by Loud As Hell Productions, Jurassic Ink Custom Tattoo, Prairie Fire Events, and Asher Media Relations. Renowned for delivering one of the most punishing lineups in Western Canada, the festival promises another unforgettable experience packed with crushing performances, freak shows, burlesque acts, clinics, vendors, and yes, dinosaurs. Loud As Hell isn’t just a festival. It’s a full-throttle celebration of metal mayhem.

More info:
​LoudAsHell.ca​
​Facebook.com/LoudAsHellFestival​
X: @LoudAsHellFest
Instagram: @LoudAsHellFestival
​Social Media Hashtags #LAHXV, #LAHOA, #LAHOA2027

LAH Partners:​
WCMFA – Western Canadian Metal Festival Alliance
Asher Media Relations
Bravewords
Metal-Rules
Absolute Underground Mag
Ghost Cult Magazine
This Day In Metal
Valley Brewing
Canalta Hotels
Neighbours’ Corner Pub
Prairie Fire Productions Ltd
CFUV 101.9 Thrash Can
Slimbztv
High Voltage TV
Through The Looking Glass Photography
Heavy Metal A Way Of Life
QMR (Queen Metal Radio)
BrokenNeckRadio

Liva Drops Official Music Video For “O Roma Nobilis”

Symphonic metal outfit LIVA unveil the official music video for “O Roma Nobilis,” bringing a centuries-old Latin hymn into the band’s distinctive world of orchestral arrangements, operatic vocals, and heavy guitar work.
The track is taken from the band’s album Ecce Mundus, out via Wormholedeath.

Written in praise of Rome, the hymn presents the Eternal City as a place of grandeur, devotion, and spiritual power, invoking the blood of its martyrs and the purity of white lilies before turning to Saints Peter and Paul. Through its prayers for mercy, guidance and wisdom, the centuries-old text becomes something far more than a historical relic in LIVA’s hands.

With its ceremonial atmosphere and imposing scale, “O Roma Nobilis” feels like a journey back through the gates of the Eternal City, where ancient voices, sacred imagery, and modern metal converge.

The official video, filmed by Pierre L’Espérance, brings another layer of visual drama to LIVA’s interpretation, complementing the song’s timeless atmosphere and theatrical character.

Known for its symphonic power metal opera approach, Liva is among the first Canadian acts to merge classical music and metal in this format.

The lineup on the new album features Nadine Guertin (soprano), Pier Carlo Liva (death and tenor vocals, guitars, electronics), Martin Tremblay (bass), and Claude Lacroix (drums). Following the recording, Philippe Leblanc joined the band as the new drummer.

Liva’s back catalog includes Requiem (2002), a heavy metal interpretation of the Latin requiem mass; De Insulis (2007), based on the Latin texts of 12th-century theologian Alain de Lille; and Human Abstract (2013). In March 2002, the band performed live with a 13-piece chamber orchestra for a Radio-Canada broadcast. The following year, they received the MIMI award for “artiste le plus avant-gardiste” (most avant-garde artist), recognizing their fusion of classical and metal. Over the years, Liva has shared the stage with acts such as Voivod, Gorguts, Nightwish, Kataklysm, and Therion.

www.livaband.com
www.instagram.com/livametalband
www.tiktok.com/@livametalband
www.youtube.com/@musicLiva
livametalband.bandcamp.com

GRIM SAILOR TURNS A BERLIN WILD BOAR ENCOUNTER INTO CROOKED NEW SINGLE “NIGHTWATCH”

Finnish-born, Berlin-based artist Grim Sailor has released his new single “Nightwatch”.  Driven by a crooked 7/8 rhythm, distorted guitars and an immediate sense of threat, the track transforms an encounter with Berlin’s wild boars into a dark portrait of obsession, control and the refusal to let go.

The song began as a challenge. While visiting Berlin, a friend suggested that Grim Sailor should write a complete song in a single day. The first idea centred on wild boars roaming the city’s streets at night, searching for food and leaving destruction behind them. Imagining one of the animals moving with a broken leg led to the track’s uneven 7/8 time signature.

As the song developed, the animal stalking the streets became something more human. “Nightwatch” follows a person watching someone from the shadows, convinced that a formerpartner still belongs to them and consumed by the need to know everything about their new life.

“The song started with the wild boars I’d seen roaming Berlin at night. I imagined one of them with a broken leg, which is where the 7/8 rhythm came from. Eventually, that animal became a person stalking someone through the dark streets, unable to accept that the relationship was over. It became a song about control, obsession and the madness of clinging to what used to be.”

Written, performed and produced by Grim Sailor, “Nightwatch” combines live-band
instrumentation with a sharp central guitar riff, a restless bassline and gritty, distorted production.

The verses briefly pull back from the track’s wild opening energy, creating a shadowy space around the vocal before the tension begins building again. Pekka Kupiainen mixed the track, helping shape the dark, close vocal sound at the centre of the recording.

Despite its odd timing and unsettling subject, “Nightwatch” never drifts into technical abstraction. The 7/8 rhythm gives the song its damaged gait while allowing it to remain direct, propulsive and accessible.

“Nightwatch” is the latest track from Grim Sailor’s forthcoming album, due for release in November 2026. The album forms part of an evolving alternative-rock project shaped by the artist’s Finnish roots, life in Berlin and interest in music that balances strong songwriting with darker, less predictable structures.

 

Grim Sailor is the alternative-rock project of Finnish musician Jouni Hirvonen, based in
Berlin. Written and produced from his own studio, his work combines live instrumentation, distorted textures and direct songwriting with progressive and unconventional musical elements. His debut album is due for release in November 2026.

https://www.instagram.com/grim.sailor/

@grim_sailor

https://grimsailor.bandcamp.com/

Finnish groove metal powerhouse Godsize Error releases a new single and music video inspired by Evil Dead movies

Godsize Error, a groove metal powerhouse from Jyväskylä, Finland, has released the third single from their upcoming debut album. The track, titled “Skin Made of Lies,” is accompanied by a music video.

The band’s lineup features a group of experienced musicians: Tony Kaikkonen (Red Eleven, Marsh Tea) on vocals, Jarkko Petosalmi and Jari Huttunen (both of Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus) on guitars, Jimi Lehtonen (Lost Madison) on bass, and Samuli Saari (Red Eleven) on drums.

“Skin Made of Lies” continues the band’s journey toward their debut album—set for release early next year—and offers yet another taste of Godsize Error’s groove-oriented metal.

Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music etc.): https://push.fm/fl/gse-skinmadeoflies

The music video released alongside the single was created in collaboration with director Anssi Korhonen and cinematographer Mikko Suuronen. Infused with 80s-style camp humor, the video draws on the atmosphere of classic horror films and ultimately evolved into a tribute to Evil Dead.

“A warm, true-to-life story about the forest’s last bottle of booze and an act of betrayal.

For me, this video is perhaps a bit atypical in the sense that we aren’t baring our souls or viewing the world through a dark lens. It was incredibly fun to make, and I believe that comes through in the final result. When you have a top-notch band and crew, it’s a blast to just let loose!”


– Anssi Korhonen, director

The actors appearing in the video are Matti Partanen and Jukka Rantanen.

https://www.facebook.com/godsizeerror

https://www.instagram.com/godsizeerror/

Finnish progressive melodic death metal band Numento releases a new single from their upcoming EP – A true-crime-inspired story about shared psychosis

“Folie à Deux”, meaning “madness of two” or “shared psychosis,” is Numento’s most theatrical and dramatic song to date. It is a chilling, true-crime-inspired story of tragic love, centered around a shared and distorted illusion of love built on control and lies. The psychosis is so deeply intertwined with identities that breaking free would require the complete destruction of a sense of self. Yet, staying in a familiar hell feels easier — with fatal consequences. Two perspectives woven into the lyrics add further depth to the story which ultimately reaches a devastating conclusion.

Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music etc.): https://push.fm/fl/numento-folieadeux

Driven by Numento’s trademark instrument, kantele, and its remarkable role in the arrangement, the song opens like a haunting, dark waltz before unfolding into soaring, unforgettable guitar melodies. Folie à Deux culminates in crushing black metal-influenced passages and dissonant harmonies, mirroring the story’s descent from twisted romance into chaos and destruction.

Folie à Deux is part of Numento’s upcoming EP, which has already seen three singles released and is set for release later this year.

 

Numento:

Atte Asikainen – Guitar & backing vocals

Katri Hiovain-Asikainen – Vocals & kantele

Johnny Grinds – Bass & backing vocals

Aleksi Vehmassalo – Guitar

Mikko Virtanen – Drums

Tropic Gold release new single ‘sodium’ out now via BLKIIBLK

South East England trio, Tropic Gold, have released a brand new single, ‘sodium’, their second for new label partner, BLKIIBLK, following the release of ‘WITCH HOUSE’ (feat. Harpy) in June.

“‘sodium’ is a story of two things being drawn together despite the destruction— two people, or one and something they can’t let go of,” share the band. “The element of sodium itself is in tears and sweat, what you can taste and feel in exhausting and painful situations. “Will you take that freak in me?” is the vulnerability at the centre of it — asking whether the unfiltered parts of you can be accepted. ‘sodium’ is knowing you’re falling, but craving the feeling enough to give in anyway.”

Watch the official video for “sodium” HERE

Tropic Gold pull from metalcore, industrial noise, electronic production and modern alternative culture without ever sitting comfortably in one lane. Self-produced and creatively self-driven, the South East trio have built early momentum through a mix of huge hooks, abrasive electronics and the kind of volatility that makes their songs feel like they could completely fall apart at any second.

Support from BBC Radio 1, Kerrang! and Rock Sound has helped push the band well beyond underground buzz, while tours alongside WARGASM, Resolve, Windwaker and Normandie have quickly established them as a genuinely impressive live band rather than just another internet-heavy project.

The material following last year’s ‘SICK TO DEATH OF EVERYTHING’ EP feels sharper, heavier and more immediate, leaning harder into contrast without losing the hooks underneath it all.

With triumphant appearances at Download Festival and a stage headline slot at 2000trees Festival this summer under the belts, Tropic Gold are starting to feel less like a promising new act and more like a band properly breaking through.

FORTHCOMING LIVE SHOWS

OCTOBER:
15: LONDON Downstairs at The Dome
16: MANCHESTER The Deaf Institute – SOLD OUT
17: GLASGOW Attic Bar (The Garage)

NOVEMBER
28: SHEFFIELD Novocaine Festival

French Sludge Trio SYCOMORE Unveils “Chat-Loup” Official Music Video – New Album Dégradé Out November 6

French sludge metal trio SYCOMORE tighten the noose with “Chat-Loup”, the first single and official music video from their forthcoming fifth album, ‘Dégradé’.

Heavy. Dark. Viscous. No room to breathe.

Sung in French, “Chat-Loup” transforms the language of pursuit into something altogether more threatening. Its lyrics move through fear, flight, disappearing faces and hostile eyes — the instinct to escape colliding with the pressure to remain, conform and conceal one’s true self.

Suffocating sludge, dark post-hardcore and abrasive noise rock drag the listener into a world where every wall seems permeable and every gaze becomes a threat. Weight and groove collide with rage and spleen, capturing the atmosphere of a present that feels increasingly damaged.

Formed in Amiens in 2015, SYCOMORE have spent the past decade developing a shape-shifting and uncompromising strain of heavy music across four albums released through Source Atone, Argonauta Records and Uproar for Veneration.

With more than one hundred shows behind them, the trio have appeared alongside acts including Amenra, Coilguns, Hangman’s Chair, Oxbow and Will Haven — building a live identity every bit as physical and confrontational as their records.

Their fifth album, Dégradé, marks a new incarnation of the band: a renewed line-up, French-language vocals and shorter, more immediate compositions, without sacrificing the darkness or crushing weight at the heart of SYCOMORE’s sound.

Mixed by Etienne Sarthou (AqME, Deliverance) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Code Orange, Torche, Mutoid Man), the ten-track album will be released on November 6, 2026, in co-production with Araki Records.

Finnish Volucrine Pushes The Boundaries of Modern Metal On Their Long-Awaited album “Chapter V: Renewal”

Finnish alternative metal act Volucrine has released their fifth full-length studio album, Chapter V: Renewal. Built around boldly personal themes and a diverse range of metal elements, the album stretches the boundaries of modern metal while taking Volucrine’s distinctive sound to new heights. The band has never been about the heaviest riffs or most savage metal vocals alone, but rather about music that uses different styles and genres simply as a means of channeling emotions in the most effective way possible. The album is released by Inverse Records and is available to purchase here.

Founded by vocalist Jupe Velin almost two decades ago as a therapeutic project, Volucrine dives deep into introspective lyrical themes.

“On a personal level, 2024 brought a serious crisis and a series of setbacks. The only way I managed to find my feet again, even somewhat shakily, was through songwriting. It was just me, a new blank white page and an emptiness that needed to be filled with something. That gave rise to the central question behind the new album: how do you build a new life from nothing?”, primus motor Jupe Velin reflects.

The vocalist goes on to explain that none of the band’s previous albums came together as quickly or instinctively as this one:
“Each song on the album represents a different stage of the process, and its own chapter within a larger whole. It was a conscious decision to let the songs take shape without the pressure of fitting into any particular genre. That’s why I feel one hundred percent that Chapter V: Renewal is the purest and most honest Volucrine has ever been.”

The album’s lead single, title track and thematic corner stone is a track called Renewal.

“We all have only a limited amount of time here. People search blindly for our purpose in different places and forget that everything we have here is only on loan for a moment. Renewal is a portrayal of a person who has had to let go and start over far too often. In the process, something gets lost along the way. You become nothing but a copy of a copy, a ghost of a past life trapped in limbo. There are only two options: vanish for good or overcome the fear of the blank page,” Velin explains, and continues:

“Renewal is the album’s title track and its central pillar. It features the most prominent metalcore influences, relatively new territory for Volucrine, which come through in the screamed vocals and technical riffs. The atmosphere is heavily coercive, inspiring the album’s ‘ghostly’ cover artwork. The chorus is big and filled with cautious hope. Beneath it all is a fragile prayer to become whole again.”

The album’s many sides have already been showcased through four singles released over the past year. The release cycle began in February with the music video for Golem. It was followed by the groove-driven Talk, the melodic rock-leaning title track Volucrine, and Borderline, which dives deep into the album’s central themes.

Chapter V: Renewal – Tracklist:
01 Borderline
02 Rendered Obsolete
03 Moving Mountains
04 Volucrine
05 Golem
06 Heavy
07 Another Mile
08 Swans
09 Drift
10 The Future That Never Was
11 Renewal
12 Talk
13 The Sum Of Changes

Following the album’s release, Volucrine will return to the stage. The band’s October live dates are:
2 October 2026 – House of Rock, Kouvola
3 October 2026 – The Van, Kotka
16 October 2026 – Bar 15 Basement, Seinäjoki

Volucrine is:
Jupe Velin – vocals
Joni Kyynäräinen – bass
Jani Aalto – drums
Marko Orava – guitar
Erik Lindroos – guitar

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