Author: Crix

CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY Release New Single ‘Venom & Stardust’ on DESMOND CHILD’s birthday – A Tribute to Legendary Songwriter’s Influence

Andrzej Citowicz, performing as CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY, has released “Venom & Stardust”, a new track from the forthcoming album “Living Room Rockstar Part 2”. The release coincides with the birthday of legendary songwriter Desmond Child, whose influence on Citowicz’s musical journey runs deeper than the artist himself realized.

A SPONTANEOUS HOMAGE
“Venom & Stardust” emerged from a spontaneous writing session several weeks ago, with the song’s distinctive key changes and melodic progressions flowing naturally and unexpectedly.

Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FED3dekP0uY

“I was playing guitar, and everything just came—all these key changes, these progressions, these moments that felt right,” Citowicz recalls. “When I stepped back and listened, I thought: this sounds like something Desmond Child would create. And that’s when I realized how much his work has shaped the way I think about songwriting, even on a subconscious level.”

DESMOND CHILD: THE ARCHITECT OF ANTHEMS
Desmond Child stands as one of rock music’s most influential songwriters, crafting hits for Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, and countless others. His work defined the sound of 1980s and 1990s rock, creating anthems that combined accessibility with emotional depth.

For Citowicz, growing up in Wałbrzych, Poland, Child’s compositions provided more than entertainment—they offered a masterclass in songwriting craft.
“Desmond Child wrote the soundtrack to my youth without ever knowing it,” Citowicz reflects. “Songs like ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ and ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ weren’t just hits—they were blueprints. They taught me that rock music could be both massive and intimate, both anthemic and personal. When I was alone in my room with those Bon Jovi posters and a battered guitar, I was studying Desmond’s work, learning how to build a chorus that connects, how to create that moment where everyone sings along.”

He continues: “What makes Desmond’s songwriting so powerful is the marriage of craft and emotion. The songs are meticulously constructed—those key changes, those melodic hooks, those bridges that elevate everything—but they never feel calculated. They feel inevitable, like they’ve always existed and he just discovered them. That’s the magic I chase in my own writing.”

THE GUITAR AS STORYTELLER
For Citowicz, the guitar serves as both instrument and voice, a means of expressing what words alone cannot capture.
“The guitar is my first language,” he explains. “Before I write lyrics, before I think about structure, I play. The guitar tells me where the song wants to go. Sometimes it’s angry, sometimes it’s melancholy, sometimes—like with ‘Venom & Stardust’—it’s playful and ambitious, pushing into these key changes that feel like reaching for something just out of grasp.”

He adds: “When you play guitar, you’re not just making sound. You’re telling a story without words. Every bend, every slide, every choice of whether to let a note ring or cut it short—those are narrative decisions. The guitar solo in ‘Venom & Stardust’ says things I could never articulate verbally. That’s what I learned from players like Richie Sambora and the songwriters who understood how to let guitar breathe within a song.”

WHAT MUSIC MEANS: SURVIVAL AND SALVATION
Throughout our conversations, Citowicz has consistently described music not as a career choice but as a necessity—a form of therapy, communication, and survival.

“Music for me isn’t optional,” he states plainly. “It’s how I process everything I can’t process any other way. Being on the autism spectrum means the world often feels overwhelming, confusing, difficult to navigate. But when I pick up a guitar, when I’m writing a song, suddenly everything makes sense. The noise becomes melody. The chaos becomes structure.”

He continues: “After losing ,my Son, Jonasz, music became even more essential. It’s the only place where I can hold all these contradictory emotions at once—the grief, the love, the anger, the hope. A conversation has rules, social cues, expected responses. A song has no rules except honesty. That’s why I keep creating, even when it’s painful. Especially when it’s painful. Because music can hold what nothing else can.”

THE LIVING ROOM ROCKSTAR PHILOSOPHY
“Venom & Stardust” will appear on Living Room Rockstar Part 2, scheduled for release in November 2025. The album, dedicated to Citowicz’s late son Jonasz, represents a father’s tribute and a musician’s journey through grief toward healing.

“The ‘living room rockstar’ concept is about understanding that you don’t need stadiums to matter,” Citowicz explains. “I never became the rockstar on those posters in my teenage bedroom. But I became someone who still plays, still writes, still believes that creating music means something, even if the audience is small or imaginary. That’s not failure—that’s victory. That’s survival.”

He adds: “Desmond Child wrote songs that played in stadiums, that millions sang along to. I write songs in my living room that maybe hundreds will hear. But the act of creation is the same. The need to say something through music is the same. The hope that your song might reach someone who needs it is the same. That’s what being a living room rockstar means—you keep playing like it matters, because it does.”

ABOUT THE SONG
“Venom & Stardust” showcases Citowicz’s guitar-driven rock aesthetic, featuring dynamic key changes, anthemic choruses, and the melodic craftsmanship that connects his work to the classic rock tradition. Patryk Szymański’s bass work provides the song’s foundation, adding depth and power to the composition.

“The title ‘Venom & Stardust’ captures the duality I was chasing,” Citowicz notes. “The venom is the edge, the bite, the acknowledgment that life isn’t all beautiful. The stardust is the hope, the magic, the belief that something transcendent can emerge from ordinary moments. That tension between darkness and light, between earthbound and reaching for the sky—that’s what makes rock and roll powerful.”

A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE
Releasing “Venom & Stardust” on Desmond Child’s birthday serves as both celebration and acknowledgment of artistic debt.

“I’ll never meet Desmond Child,” Citowicz reflects. “He’ll never know about the Polish kid in Wałbrzych who studied his work like sacred texts. But that doesn’t diminish the impact. He taught me how to write songs that connect. He showed me that rock music could be both intelligent and accessible, both crafted and passionate. This song is my way of saying thank you to someone who changed my life without ever knowing I existed.”
He concludes: “That’s the beautiful thing about music—it travels across borders, across decades, across circumstances. A songwriter in one place and time creates something that reaches a listener in another place and time, and that listener becomes a creator themselves. That’s the lineage. That’s the tradition. And on Desmond Child’s birthday, I’m honoring that tradition by releasing a song that exists because of everything he taught me.”

ABOUT LIVING ROOM ROCKSTAR PART 2
Living Room Rockstar Part 2, scheduled for November 2025, will feature ten tracks exploring themes of loss, resilience, love, and the transformative power of music. The album is dedicated to Citowicz’s late son, Jonasz, and represents the artist’s journey through profound grief following the loss of his stillborn son whilst maintaining commitment to creative expression.

Recent singles from the project include “Serpents of Tomorrow,” “Living Room Rockstar,” and collaborations with Citowicz’s wife, Shereen, on tracks like “Burn Like Thunder,” “When The Fight Is Gone,” and “The Space Between.”
“Venom & Stardust” is available exclusively as an official audio on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FED3dekP0uY

Listen to the first single “Serpents of Tomorrow”: https://youtu.be/Mlwy6guwlK0

CREDITS:
Music, Lyrics, Guitars: Andrzej Citowicz
Bass: Patryk Szymański

Andrzej Citowicz is an acclaimed Polish guitarist and songwriter currently based in Cairo, Egypt. As a former recording artist for DownBoys Records, he has built a reputation for emotionally resonant songwriting and distinctive guitar work. His music combines classic rock influences with contemporary production, creating a sound that bridges generational and cultural gaps while maintaining artistic authenticity. His YouTube channel has garnered over 70,000 views from an international audience.

Connect with Andrzej Citowicz:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aIeg5DyI7xwkYLsBgJNWf
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AndrzejCitowicz
Instagram: https://instagram.com/citovitz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citovitz/

DIRT ends its one-year hiatus with the single Born Again

Rock band DIRT, who made a convincing impression with their Deadbeat debut album, have just released their single Born Again. This is the Helsinki-based five-piece’s first release in over three years, and it also marks the end of their silence on the gig front, as the band took the stage at DIRT’s already traditional Halloween party last Friday at Helsinki’s On The Rocks.

“After the sold-out Danko Jones gig in 2023, we had a feeling in Tavastia that things weren’t going to get any better and that we had to move on,” the band comments, continuing: “We toured as much as we could for the debut album and got more back from the fans and the music industry than we could have ever expected. We ended the first album cycle there, put the tour calendar on hold completely, and started focusing on making the second album. From there, we insidiously fell into a vacuum that took us a long time to recover from.”

Over the past three years, DIRT has spent more time together without instruments than with them, which was a necessity for the band to continue. They focused on practically completely recreating the band’s culture of conversation and began to open up the knots between the members that had been simmering in the background for a long time.

“We have had to do an awful lot of work, both with ourselves on a personal level and also with each other, to get the will to work together back. There were internal conflicts under the surface, and things could no longer continue in the same way as before. Ironical in a way, since the band is still as tough as diamonds. But the joy of working had to be rediscovered. Fortunately, the starting point has always been that these five guys in particular want to continue together, because otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”

The Born Again single also has a particularly great weight in that it serves as a game-changer for the band’s expected comeback and opens the curtain on the world of the second album, which will be released in 2026. The new song therefore means rebirth in a very concrete way.

“Our common feeling is what the title of the song suggests. Now it feels good to work together and it was important that we took our time, even though many thought we were putting our heads in the sand. On the contrary; we made our best song so far, and now it’s yours.”

The single was produced by Juho Salaterä and mastered by Riku Kuikka.

DIRT | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY

Modern metal giants Ode Of Disgrace release Under Grey Skies EP – Annihilation single prepares humanity for inevitable destruction

Ode Of Disgrace, who released their most successful single, Omen, in early autumn, are now loading the Under Grey Skies EP, which leaves little room for doubt. The Finnish band, which has made a new turn, operates in the realm of metal, sprinkling in catchy melodies, which are also present on the Annihilation single from the EP. However, now they are diving deep in terms of both lyrics and sounds.

“Annihilation is a story about cynicism towards humanity and its inevitable fate: everything comes to an end and we deserve every single trial that this cataclysm brings as the world plunges towards destruction,” the band says.

If Ode Of Disgrace’s previous ORBIS EP was ultimately full of hope and light, such sourness has indeed been left behind, and the whole is complemented by sounds that support the thematics of the new single.

“Annihilation is thematically almost the complete opposite of the ORBIS EP, and musically it represents the band at its heaviest with its death metal-like riffs and crushing breakdown that tramples the listener to the core.”

With the release of the EP, the band is also heading to gigs, the next of which will be at Vantaa’s Skenesal on November 22nd. The evening will also feature Kneel Before The Death and Hollowborn. More information and tickets are now available here.

Ode Of Disgrace is:
Roope Meriläinen – vocals
Pessi Laine – guitar/vocals
Markus Lahti – guitar
Lauri Halme – Drums
Ville Lehtonen – Bass/Backing vocals

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY

Rioghan releases a haunting reimagining of Madonna’s “Frozen” – accompanied by a stunning music video

One of the most intriguing rising names in Finnish metal, Rioghan, begins a new cycle with the release of “Chapter I: Frozen“, the first single from their upcoming ‘Frozen EP’. Known for their blend of modern metal, gothic melancholy, and cinematic atmosphere, Rioghan transforms Madonna’s 1998 hit into a darkly ethereal experience that bridges fragility and crushing heaviness.

The song serves as the first chapter of a story that will continue through the band’s upcoming original material. The ‘Frozen EP’, set for release next spring, will feature five tracks – each accompanied by its own music video. Rioghan worked again with their long-time collaborator Aarni Visuals, and like always, the results are breathtaking.


“We’ve continued our usual way of releasing a new EP after an album. However, this time there’s only one cover song. We were planning a fourth cover EP and wanted to include our own version of Madonna’s ‘Frozen’. But as we began working on it, Valtteri and Teemu started developing a broader narrative idea based on the song – something that could extend into a full EP”, vocalist Rioghan Darcy comments.

“So, we decided to abandon the idea of cover EP entirely, and dive into this alternative path that we could shape into something truly our own. ‘Chapter I: Frozen’ lays the foundation for a heart-melting story rooted in the theme of the ‘Kept’ album.”

This year has been an eventful one for Rioghan. Their sophomore album ‘Kept‘, released in February, debuted at #6 on the Finnish physical album chart and received glowing reviews internationally. Following the release tour, Rioghan joined Finnish alternative pioneers SARA for a show at Helsinki’s Ääniwalli and marked their first-ever festival appearance at the legendary Nummirock.

The momentum continues through the end of the year. On October 31st, Rioghan performed at the H-18 Halloween event at Science Center Heureka, followed by a show at John Smith Frozen Festival in Jyväskylä (November 28th). Both performances are special acoustic shows, offering audiences a new perspective on Rioghan’s world – intimate, mesmerizing, and emotionally powerful.

Rioghan is:
Vocs – Rioghan Darcy
Guitar  – Teemu Liekkala
Guitar – Tero Luukkonen
Bass – Antti Varjanne
Keys – Aleks Toppari
Drums – Valtteri Revonkorpi

RIOGHAN | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

New single from Finnish industrial metal band Fear Of Domination – “All As One” bursts with 80s-style energy and pure joy

Known for their mischievous attitude, Fear of Domination is about to drop a truly colourful bomb from their upcoming album. “All As One” bursts with 80s-style energy and pure joy – a track that demands you dive in headfirst.

On the music video Lauri Hämäläinen has captured the band’s trademark vision of full-on UV mayhem, a spectacle that has already lit up their live shows. While the rest of the upcoming album explores deeper and darker themes, “All As One” stands out as a radiant explosion of fun. A perfect reminder that Fear of Domination can still throw one hell of a party.

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

Jessica Salmi, lyrics:
“Once, identity was forged through family, work, culture, and community. Today, social media offers endless ways to shape, stage, and measure oneself against others. This breeds insecurity and shatters the sense of self. The song speaks of humanity’s blindness and the crushing weight of the spirit, yet above all, it stands as a fierce proclamation of unity and liberation.”

Lasse Raelahti, composer:
“All as One started as a very straightforward EDM-style track but our producer (Jarno “Jassi” Hänninen) got a really strong 80’s vibe from the original demo and started pushing everything in the song towards that. 80’s is something that needs to be done full-on or not at all, so the final song has a huge amount of 80’s style elements with some obvious modern twists. As a part of the upcoming album, All as One is one of the tracks that keep up the party-vibes while most of the songs are more dark or even brutal!”

Fear Of Domination are:
Jessica Salmi – voc
Saku Solin – voc
Johannes Niemi – gtr
Jan-Erik Kari – gtr
Lauri Ojanen – Bass
Lasse Raelahti – Synths
Anton Nisonen – Drums

https://www.fod.fi/
https://www.facebook.com/FearOfDomination/
https://www.instagram.com/fearofdomination
https://www.youtube.com/user/FoDofficial

Montreal Brass Metal Trailblazers FALLSTAF Unveils Next Single “Bastard Son” Off New Album “Ode To The Dead” Out On November

Montreal’s brass metal trailblazers FALLSTAF are back with a vengeance, dropping their second single, “Bastard Son,” from the forthcoming album “Ode To The Dead,” set for release on November 14th. The track can be heard via its lyric video that captures its thrash-driven intensity. Fans can also pre-order the album in a limited-edition interactive coffin-shaped USB, an exclusive collectible packed with bonus content.
​
​“Bastard Son” is a blistering tale of legacy and redemption, told through the eyes of a hitman father warning his son not to follow in his footsteps. Originally written years ago, the track was reborn with galloping riffs by guitarist Simm, gang vocals, and a fast-paced thrash chorus that perfectly matches its dark theme.

“We wanted a more thrash metal vibe on this one. The energy, the riff, the chorus, it all clicked,” says the band.

Watch and listen to the lyric video for “Bastard Son” via its premiere on MetalUniverse.net HERE.
​
Produced by Kevin Jardine (Slaves On Dope, Uplift Recording Studio), “Ode To The Dead” marks FALLSTAF’s first full-length release since their 2011 debut “Bastard Son of a Pure Breed.” The new album dives deep into themes of death, survival, and memory, drawing from frontman Iann’s near-fatal accident in 2016 and the band’s decade-long hiatus. With seven tracks that blend groove, prog, hardcore, and sludge metal, the album showcases a more refined, melodic, and emotionally charged sound. With tracks like “Sunless Friday”, a chilling account of Iann’s accident, “Kings of the West Side”, a gritty homage to Montreal’s criminal underworld, “The Burden”, a powerful reflection on cancer and loss to “Under The Same Sky”, a global meditation on conflict and unity, this comeback record is a story of friendship, therapy and the love for metal.

“We’re just excited to share our new album with the world. We can’t wait to play shows again and have fun. We didn’t make this album to tour the world or to impress anyone. The idea came from wanting to make music out of friendship; we are all friends in the band, music is therapeutic, it brings people together, metal brings people together, and we missed that energy. We believe people will notice our evolution, and what a pleasure it is to work with Kevin Jardine again! Stay Tuned!” adds the band.

FALLSTAF’s live performances are legendary. With suits and ties, a masked trombonist, and a frontman with a robotic leg, the band defies expectations. They plan to hit the stage across Montreal and beyond in early 2026.

“People think we’re a ska band until we hit that first chord. Then they know, we kick ass,” the band adds.
​
The album cover, designed by FALLSTAF vocalist Iann, features a layered skull image, symbolic of the album’s lyrical darkness and sonic vibrancy. Fans can also grab the album in a coffin-shaped USB drive, loaded with exclusive content and designed to be as unique as the band’s sound.

(coffin video)
​
​“Ode to the Dead” will be available on all major streaming platforms on November 14th, 2025

Album pre-order – https://fallstaf1.bandcamp.com/album/ode-to-the-dead

Lyric Video for “Ode To The Dead” – https://youtu.be/GM4EPsLnMlE

​

Track Listing:​
1. Sunless Friday – 2:57
2. Ode to the Dead – 3:27
3. Battered Soul – 3:40
4. Kings of the West Side – 3:31
5. Under the Same Sky – 3:31
6. Bastard Son – 3:45
7. The Burden – 4:41
Album length: 25:37

Album Credits:​
Songs performed by: FALLSTAF
Songs written by: Ian Lavoie/Kevin Jardine
Produced by: Kevin Jardine
Mixed by: Kevin Jardine
Mastered by: Kevin Jardine
Album artwork by: Ian Lavoie
MAPL – Canadian Content

BAND LINE UP:​
SIMM / Guitars
RICKK / Horns
IANN / Vocals
GOYY / Bass
MATT / Drums

More info: https://www.facebook.com/fallstafmontrealbrassmetal | https://www.instagram.com/fallstafmontreal/

Rising rockstar Austen Starr announces debut album ‘I Am The Enemy’ out on February 13th

Following the success of singles “I Am The Enemy” and “Remain Unseen,” rising rocker AUSTEN STARR is proud to announce the release of her debut album, ‘I Am The Enemy,’ due out on February 13, 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl. To celebrate the announcement, AUSTEN also shares the third single from the release, “Medusa,” alongside an official music video, available below.

On the new track, AUSTEN comments:

“‘Medusa’ tells a story where I’m this evil seductress who strings guys along just to break their hearts and ‘turn [them] to stone.’ For the video, we definitely took creative liberties with the myth. Medusa’s mask keeps her power sealed, and she is playing with the guy like a cat plays with a mouse, but she intends to let him go–with a turn when he really falls for her. ‘Medusa’ has a special place in my heart because I wrote the song when I was really young and pretending to be confident, and it became the demo shown to Frontiers that sparked the entire album. I’m still waiting on that confidence, but this one little song from forever ago has cultivated something better than I ever could have imagined. I hope ‘Medusa’ evokes a feeling of power in listeners the way that writing and performing it did for me!”

AUSTEN STARR’s debut album, ‘I Am The Enemy,’ delivers a hard-hitting blend of contemporary rock with classic influences, drawing comparisons to artists like The Warning and Halestorm while infusing a more traditional hard rock sound. Featuring powerhouse musicians, the album songs’ have been written by AUSTEN in collaboration with Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Revolution Saints, Iconic, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), who also takes care of all guitars on the album. Other musicians appearing include Chris Collier (Mick Mars, Lita Ford) on bass and drums, Steve Ferlazzo (Hugo’s Voyage) on keyboards and Chloe Lowery (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) on background vocals.

On the upcoming release, AUSTEN shares:

“I’m ecstatic to finally be releasing an actual album! This project has been a long time coming–a lifetime in the making, as cliché as that may be. It’s a really wild feeling to be putting music out into the world after being so afraid to for the duration of my existence, and the fact that the first couple of songs have been received well is completely blowing my anxious, self-deprecating mind. With the release of this debut album, I feel like I’m putting my life in your hands just to see what you’ll do with it. It’s terrifying, exhilarating, and freeing. Thank you so much to everyone at Frontiers, thank you to Joel Hoekstra, Chris Collier, Steve Ferlazzo, and Chloe Lowery, thank you to everyone who has made this project possible, and thank you to everyone who listens to the music. I hope you all enjoy it!”

Pre-Order ‘I Am The Enemy’ HERE

‘I Am The Enemy’ Track List:
1. Remain Unseen
2. Medusa
3. I Am The Enemy
4. Read Your Mind
5. Get Out Alive
6. Effigy
7. Running Out Of Time
8. All Alone
9. Not This Life
10. The Light
11. Until I See You Again

About AUSTEN STARR:

AUSTEN STARR is a reluctant Bostonian with a penchant for self-induced misery. A natural contrarian, she was raised in a household where being a musician was the last thing she was encouraged to do—so, of course, AUSTEN recorded an album with the help of some heavy-hitters from Frontiers and beyond. While AUSTEN considers herself to be an “anxious wreck,” she’s channeled her inner turmoil and contradictions into a compelling musical statement. AUSTEN’s penchant for hypocrisy is almost as defined as her narrative voice. After all, she admits to both hating bad grammar and using it in one of her own songs because it fits the meter. When she’s not rocking out on stage or recording, AUSTEN is learning guitar, embracing “emo karaoke nights,” and forging ahead with a relentless, albeit trepidatious, determination to carve out her place in the music world.

BAND LINE UP:
Vocals: Austen Starr
Guitars: Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Revolution Saints, Iconic, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Bass/Drums: Chris Collier (Mick Mars, Lita Ford)
Keyboards: Steve Ferlazzo (Hugo’s Voyage, Avril Lavigne)
Background Vocals: Chloe Lowery (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

FOLLOW AUSTEN STARR:
Instagram
Website

The Finnish Death Metal band Wounded in Forest released the second single from the upcoming EP

The Finnish death metal band Wounded In Forest is set to unleash their debut EP ‘Antihuman Artist‘ on December 5th 2025 via Inverse Records. The second single ‘Take The Son Of A Bitch’ was just released and it’s available on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/wounded-in-forest-take

“Take the Son of a Bitch’ throws you into the brutality of early 1700s Finland. Crown soldiers arrive at the antihero’s home to take a man for the army, and his own family gladly gives him up, calling him a waste of food. It’s based on real stories of men dragged from rural farmhouses into war. This is where his descent plunges even deeper — another step further into a life shaped entirely by violence.”

–Miikka Pyykkönen

“The song opens with a skank beat and open-picked chords that nod toward thrash metal before diving into death metal riffing and blast beats. At 200bpm, it moves with the urgency of a forced march, shifting rhythms without losing focus. The dual vocals mirror the story’s tension — rage clashing with inevitability — until you’re marched out alongside him into the jaws of war.”

–Jussi Tuomisto

LISTEN to the first single Godspeed Filthy Warrior: https://push.fm/fl/wounded-in-forest-godspeed

Wounded In Forest is a death metal band from Oulu, Finland, born from tragedy and reborn with a sharpened edge. Formed in 2023 following the death of the drummer from a previous project that had lasted over 15 years, the surviving members regrouped with a stripped-down, more direct musical vision. Every member took on a new role or instrument to forge something raw and uncompromising — an outlet for grief, rage, and reflection.

Musically rooted in old school death metal, Wounded in Forest blends the primal ferocity of early ’90s death metal with a conceptual storytelling approach. Their lyrics, written in English, revolve around one fictional narrative per release, each grounded in a real event or period from Finnish history. Themes of violence, war, trauma, and moral decay are explored with unflinching intensity.

The band’s upcoming debut EP, Antihuman Artist, is set during the Great Wrath in the early 1700s — a time of Russian occupation and widespread atrocities in Finland. The EP tells the disturbing story of an individual shaped by violence — born into abuse, sent to war, and ultimately transformed into a serial killer who expresses himself by creating grotesque art from the remains of his victims.

Wounded in Forest’s dual-vocalist setup deepens their storytelling Joni Moisanen delivers classic low-end death metal growls, while Miikka Pyykkönen unleashes high-pitched shrieks more akin to black metal. This contrast creates a dynamic narrative texture, with each voice representing different facets of the characters and their descent into darkness.

Musically, the band combines relentless blast beats, simple but sinister riffing, and shifting rhythmic patterns that keep listeners on edge. Guitarists Joni Moisanen and Joonas Kokkoniemi mix chugging riffs, open-picked chords, and black metal-style tremolo passages with the occasional technical flourish. Drummer Jussi Tuomisto drives the chaos with aggressive blasts and constantly evolving grooves that mirror the tension in each story.

For fans of old school Death Metal with a conceptual twist, Wounded In Forest offers stories carved from something raw and real. These are stories steeped in blood, rooted in Finnish soil, and delivered straight from the heart of the forest.

Line-up:
Joni Moisanen (guitar, vox)
Miikka Pyykkönen (bass, vox)
Joonas Kokkoniemi (guitar)
Jussi Tuomisto (drums)

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/woundedinforest

https://woundedinforest.bandcamp.com

 

Second single from the Finnish melancholic metal band Mourning Wood’s upcoming debut album out now

Finnish metal band Mourning Wood‘s new single End Of Days introduces catchy gothic vibes mixed in with 80s inspired guitar riffing and melodic hooks. The almost sobbingly eerie vocal atmosphere is accompanied by lyrics of never being content with what you have and therefore feeling that you are on the wrong path which is set in stone.

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

The debut full length album “Murder Of Crows” will be released in late 2025. The album continues with the themes of the debut EP “Fill Your Grave” (2023) but also takes them to a whole new level.

2021 founded Mourning Wood draws heavily on both Nordic melancholy and its influencers like Sentenced, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol and Gary Moore. The band that spreads the joy of sorrow consists of trained musicians with a long history of playing together. That can be heard from the tight musicianship at gigs.

The band also played Sentenced tribute tour around Finland promoting the Sentenced guitar player Miika Tenkula‘s biography (Melankolian Mestari – Miika Tenkula) (LIKE, 2024) written by Nefertiti Malaty. The tour consists three bands paying a tribute to memory of Miika Tenkula and Sentenced.

https://www.facebook.com/Mourningwoodmetal

https://www.youtube.com/@mourningwood2481

Young Norwegian rock star Red Steel releases debut EP

 

The flag of melodic and heavy modern rock is flying high on the Skagerrak coast. Red Steel, who rose to massive success on TikTok in a short time with over 50 million views, released their debut EP We Were Never Here last Friday, which is not afraid to bow relatively deeply to the band’s theatrical rock precedents.

Red Steel already released the single Nuthouse, which is full of youthful attitude and charisma. The band themselves describe the song as a love child of Ghost and Seven Nation Army.

“We are incredibly proud of how the EP – and especially Nuthouse – ultimately turned out. We knew from the beginning that the song had something special, and we worked hard to perfect it. The combination of synth melodies, heavy guitars and thunderous drums works exactly as we had imagined,” says guitarist Marius Andersen.

The band, which gained its current form and a huge new boost in 2024 with vocalist Haakon Holter, has already had time to play impressive gigs in their homeland, including at Tons of Rock, and the Norwegian five-piece has also managed to create their own concoction by borrowing selected spices from Electric Callboy or Sleep Theory. The synth-driven metal pop EP also takes listeners to the edge of emotions.

“The songs on this EP draw from deep emotions, and getting the sound right took a lot of work. I wanted the listeners to really feel both the sadness and the joy that live in these songs – and I think we managed to capture those emotions really well,” says Holter.

Red Steel is:
Marius Andersen – guitar
Jesper Andersen – guitar
Haakon Nilo Holter – vocals
Sebastian Staal – bass
Ola Hansen Rolstad – drums

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