Author: Crix

Big-chorus rock newcomer Star Crossed tackles the pitfalls of a twisted relationship with their single “Heal Me”

Finnish rock newcomer Star Crossed, who gave a storm warning with their single Star Crossed Lovers late last year, now releases the heaviest song of their career so far, Heal Me. The song’s subject matter is also heavy:

“Heal Me is the band’s musically heaviest work, the subject of which deals with an abusive and twisted relationship, where the narrator is not bothered by lies or pain, because he believes in the healing effect of the other person despite them,” the band says.

The band’s trademark has become a combo of catchy melodies and very tragic love stories. The band, which mixes elements of 2000s alternative rock with modern metal, has also set the guidelines on which their upcoming debut album will be built.

If the previous single was a melancholic and beautiful song, now there is also conscious playfulness in addition to heavy melodies. The song was once again produced by producer-co-writer Ben Varon, and the mixing and mastering were done by Lauri Hämäläinen.

“It works both on record and live, and it turned out well,” the band says with satisfaction.

Star Crossed will next be seen live at Bar Loose in Helsinki on February 27th.

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY

Alternative band LUNA KILLS to embark on their first European tour

Last year, alternative metal band LUNA KILLS became the first Finnish band to sign a recording contract with the American label SharpTone Records, which specializes in modern metal, and will release their highly anticipated album DEATHMATCH on April 4. The band recently released the third single from the upcoming album, LEECH, which has given the band even more momentum: the song has garnered radio play on the prestigious Radio BBC1 as well as on Finnish and international rock radio stations, and its stylish music video has become the band’s most popular. Now, the band has revealed that the album promotion tour will continue not only in Finland but also abroad: LUNA KILLS will embark on their first European tour in May.

“This is our first European tour and we are visiting many countries for the very first time, so we are extremely excited about the tour! We are also really looking forward to the release of the album, and it will be cool to be able to perform new songs live,” the band comments.

In Finland, LUNA KILLS will next be seen live next week at the MARS festival in Seinäjoki, and more gig dates have also been added to the extensive album release tour.

LUNA KILLS live 2025:

13.2. MARS Festival, Bar15, Seinäjoki
14.2. 6 Feet Underground, Kannusali, Espoo
4.4. Z Rock, Kempele
5.4. On The Rocks, Helsinki (album release gig)
11.4. Olympia, Tampere (+ Balance Breach, Beyond Awareness)
12.4. House of Rock, Kouvola
17.4. Monttu, Pori (+ Awake Again)
18.4. Brummi, Rauma (+ Awake Again)
25.4. Kulttuuritalo Tempo, Mikkeli (+ Balance Breach)
8.5. U&F Turmzimmer, Hamburg, Germany
9.5. Iduna, Drachten, Netherlands
10.5. Cafe The Jack, Eindhoven, Netherlands
11.5. Club Hell, Diest, Belgium
12.5. MTC, Cologne, Germany
14.5. The Black Heart, London, UK
18.5. X-Tra Musikcafé, Zurich, Switzerland
20.5. Kranhalle, Munich, Germany
22.5. B72, Vienna, Austria
23.5. Chapeau Rouge, Prague, Czech Republic
5.6. Mystic Festival, Poland
26.7.2025 Qstock, Oulu
8.-9.8.2025 Hellsinki Metal Festival

LUNA KILLS is:

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

WWW | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK

Finnish old school death metal project Minuutti Hulluuteen to release debut mini-album featuring Mathias Lillmåns on guest vocals

Minuutti Hulluutteen is Lasse Laihola‘s (ex-MindMirror, Hauras) solo project and a sign of his love for heavy music. In music you are able to sense a mix of old school death metal, black metal and even more modern expression. Mathias Lillmåns (Finntroll, …And Oceans, etc.) is featured as a guest vocalist on the mini-album named ‘Uni’ which will be released on March 13th 2025 via Inverse Records. The first and only single ‘Palava Portti’ was unleashed on February 5th and is available on all major streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/mh-palava

“Uni” contains eight songs and each song takes you to different levels of nightmare. The album songs are mixed together and they create a story that takes you to the darkest place. The solo project waited for a moment before implementation, looking for its complete form of expression. The result is a delicious piece of music that moves from one mood to another.

Minuutti Hulluuteen – Uni (mini-album 2025)

Track list:

1. Uni vai Painajainen

2.  Vajoan

3. Painajainen

4. Synkkä Illuusio

5. Minä olen pimeys

6. Palava Portti

7. Tyhjyys

8. Loppu

Recorded, mixed & mastered by Vesa Viitanen / Napalm to thy Face Prod.

Album cover by Bjp PhotoGraphy

Minuutti Hulluuteen – Palava Portti (Single 2025)

Music & lyrics: Lasse Laihola

ISRC: FI3FC2590102

Single cover by Bjp PhotoGraphy

Line-up:

Lasse Laihola – Guitar, drums, bass & vocals
Mathias Lillmåns – Featuring vocals

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/minuuttihulluuteen
https://www.instagram.com/minuuttihulluuteen
https://minuuttihulluuteen.bandcamp.com

Finnish 90’s rooted melodic death metal band Northvoid will release a new EP Ember Remains – first single Wilderness out now

Finnish metal band Northvoid is set to release a new EP ‘Ember Remains’ on April 25th 2025 via Inverse Records. The first single ‘Wilderness’ aims to transport the listener to the quiet, wilderness-like landscape.

LISTEN to the single on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/northvoid-wilderness

“The lyrics of the single Wilderness are related to the wilderness and landscape of Eastern Finland. We also find a source for our music from these hidden places in the forests,” the band states.

“The wilderness is an endless source of inspiration, which we bring out with metallic verses,” continues the band’s drummer and lyricist Timo Korkalainen.

The first version of Wilderness was completed in the summer of 2022. The song was played in rehearsals and took its final form after several rounds of arrangements.

According to the band’s guitarist and composer Markus Heikkinen, “Wilderness is a great example of mixing different genres into our style of music.

We start with a faster and more intense tempo and visit the surroundings of a black metal. The middle section takes on a slightly calmer, painterly atmosphere, before returning to the pace of the beginning. The keyboards emphasize the atmosphere throughout the song, gluing it together as a whole.”

BIOGRAPHY:
Forged in North Karelia in January 2020, Northvoid delivers a musical assault rooted in the melodic death metal of the 90’s. With a bond forged in childhood, our members now channel the raw, untamed energy of the past & present into every note.

Our music is a fusion of melodic heaviness and groove, inspired by the harsh environment and wilderness of the north. Experience the power and versatility of our music, which broadly covers different elements of metal music, guided by the attitude of the frost-bitten north. Northvoid isn’t just music – it’s a journey into the heart of coldness and wilderness.

Join us and feel the fury!

Northvoid – Ember Remains (EP 2025)

Track list:

1. Northern Breeze

2. Wilderness

3. Sun & Moon

4. Entrusted

5. The Ember

Mix & Master: Heikki Marttila/Guru Studio, Joensuu

EP picture by Timo Korkalainen, cover artwork Markus Heikkinen

Northvoid – Wilderness (Single 2025)

Composed by Markus Heikkinen
Lyrics by Timo Korkalainen

ISRC: FI3FC2589802

Single picture by Kimmo Timonen, cover artwork Markus Heikkinen

Line-up:
Markus Heikkinen: guitars
Timo Korkalainen: drums
Kimmo Timonen: vocals
Risto Aittola: bass

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/northvoid
https://www.instagram.com/northvoid.band
https://northvoid.bandcamp.com

SHE WANTS REVENGE Vocalist Justin Warfield Announces His First Solo Project

Justin Warfield, lyricist and frontman of Goth Rock luminaries She Wants Revenge drops his first proper solo release since co-founding the legacy Dark Alternative band in 2004. 
Yes, he’s released various side projects and one-offs over the years (and who can forget his guest appearance with Bomb The Bass way back when? Or the dancefloors he packed with “Live From The Opium Den”?). 
But WARFIELD, he says, “is the only recording and touring project I’ve helmed outside of SWR.”
A first-listen hook-filled high-octane party anthem, “All The Fun (Kiss, Kiss, Kiss)” is the frenetic first single from Deathrock Devotionals Vol I, the upcoming EP out on Black Heathers/Cleopatra Records.  The song blends the descriptive storytelling Warfield is known for along with future goth energy, and a touch of throwback to the classic 80s Deathrock born of his hometown Los Angeles.
The accompanying video, too, is riotously exuberant, smash cut imagery slicing through a characteristically energetic live performance, within and around which the song’s subtitle is enacted by couple after couple – and why not, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner? 
The release will also be accompanied by a robust social media and digital marketing campaign.
This will include: 
  • Servicing to College, Specialty, Commercial and non-Comm radio (specifically fans and early-adopters of his past work).
  • A DJ “ take-over” with Flood FM/Live 105 DJ Aaron Axelsen.
  • Multiple podcast appearances.
  • Visualizers and short form teasers.
  • A micro-influencer TikToK campaign built around a “challenge” from the video, and multiple ads running on Meta and YouTube.
  • Servicing Twitch and online DJs in the Goth and Dark Music community.
  • Outreach to Goth and Deathrock influencers in the Drag, Makeup, Black/Afro-Goth, and Fashion communities.
  • Justin will also be available for interviews and podcast appearances.
On the live front, WARFIELD will play their first ever live show at an EP release party in Echo Park, Los Angeles on March 29th, as well as launching a full European/UK tour in June, and North American tours in the Summer and Fall.
Additionally,  Justin will be fronting She Wants Revenge at Los Angeles’ famed Cruel World Festival on May 17th, and Forever Now, the sister festival in Milton Keynes, UK.

Vulvarine, who exude fierce, punk energy, signed to Napalm Records – The first single from the upcoming album Fool is now out

Vulvarine, a band that generates raw rock, punk and catchy choruses, was announced this week as the latest addition to Napalm Records. The band, which hails from Vienna, Austria, has been attracting attention in music circles with their attitude since 2019. Their 2020 debut album ‘Unleashed’ brought the band to international prominence.

The band announced their upcoming album ‘Fast Lane’, which will be released on March 28th. The first single from the new album ‘Fool’ was released with a spectacular music video.

“Fool is about the pressure to live up to expectations and the struggle to find one’s own identity. The song questions societal norms that define success through career and achievement, and push people into a ‘work until you die’ mindset. This theme was brought to life in the song’s music video. We got to work with a dedicated camera crew who captured the tension between external pressure and personal freedom beautifully,” the band comments.

Vulvarine cites bands like Girlschool, The Runaways and The Donnas as their influences. The music, which the band calls vulvarock, combines energetic rock ‘n’ roll and glam with elements of punk and blues. These elements are also at the heart of the upcoming aöbum ‘Fast Lane’.

“Fast Lane captures the whirlwind of creativity and energy that has driven us as a band. The album process was intense and exciting. We pushed our limits and got to work with some incredible people. Signing with Napalm Records is a huge milestone. We’re ready to jump into the fast lane and dive headfirst into this new adventure,” Vulvarine says.

Fast Lane album track-list:

1. The Drugs, the Love and the Pain
2. Ancient Soul
3. Heads Held High
4. Demons
5. Alright Tonight
6. Equal, Not the Same
7. Fool
8. Polly the Trucker
9. Dark Red
10. Cheri Cheri Lady (feat. Filippa Nässil)
11. She’ll Come Around

Vulvarine is:
Bea Heartbeat – drums
Robin Redbreast – bass
Sandy Dee – guitar
Suzy Q – vocals

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY

Nobody’s Hellfire single taken from the forthcoming Shadow Companions EP is out now

Finnish one-man dark folk band Nobody is set to release a new EP ‘Shadow Companions‘on March 14th 2025 via Inverse Records. The first and only single Hellfire was unleashed on February 4th.

LISTEN to ‘Hellfire” on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/nobody-hellfire

The man behind Nobody, Tuomas Kauppinen comments the single:
“Hellfire is a Dostoyevskian journey into the minds of a secluded community that brainwashes its members into blind submission. The outside world considers their simple way of life as pacifist generally, even though underneath its surface the religious sect is rampant with domestic and sexual abuse, especially of women of all ages. Archbishop John is notorious within the community for his deviant desires and though he is feared and loathed, his role as the spiritual leader of the community gives him free reign to carry out his crimes.”

Nobody – Shadow Companions (EP 2025)


Track list:

1. Hellfire
2. Get Me
3. The Forest Has My Woman
4. Blunt Force Trauma

-Music & Lyrics by Tuomas Kauppinen
-Mixed by Jaakko Luomanen (ex-Lähiöbotox)
-Cover art by Don Artvaara

Nobody – Hellfire (Single 2025)

Music & lyrics by Tuomas Kauppinen

ISRC: FI3FC2589901

Single cover by Don Artvaara

Line-up:

Tuomas Kauppinen – vocals, guitars, bass & drums

Links:
https://nobodymetal.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/nobodymetal

https://www.instagram.com/nobodyofficial666

https://spoti.fi/2OP9MFY

SVNTH Announces “Cinnamon Moon” From Anticipated Blackgaze Album “Pink Noise Youth” Out April 2025

Italian experimental metal outfit SVNTH has just released their single “Cinnamon Moon” off their forthcoming album “Pink Noise Youth” out on These Hands Melt Records this coming April 2025. “Cinnamon Moon” showcases SVNTH‘s distinctive approach to genre-blending, weaving together elements of blackgaze and post-hardcore to create a deeply personal sonic landscape. The track stands as an emotional open letter, chronicling the complex journey of late youth through a rich tapestry of sound that includes slowdive-inspired ethereal delays, black metal screams, and the unconventional incorporation of the electric Indian sitar. The band shares their thoughts on the single:

“It unveils some of the most interesting features offered on the album in terms of sound and mood. With its captivating mix of blackgaze and post-hardcore, the song is an open letter soaked in fragility and emotional exposure, delivered to a loved one as a memorial of the hampered paths walked together on the road of late youth.”

While their earlier work explored life’s struggles through a childhood lens, “Pink Noise Youth” examines the chaos and emotional instability of early adulthood, giving voice to a generation as unpredictable as its namesake audio phenomenon.

“Pink Noise Youth” demonstrates SVNTH‘s continued evolution, deliberately transcending genre boundaries by combining elements of hardcore, metal, shoegaze, and post-rock with unexpected instrumental choices. The album promises to take listeners on a cohesive journey through its carefully crafted track sequence, maintaining the band’s tradition of creating conceptually unified works. It is recommended for fans of Deafheaven, Alcest, and Agalloch.

Single Cover – Cinnamon Moon – Artwork by Tryfar

Listen to “Cinnamon Moon” at the following links:

Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/0hpPr0mFxQs​

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3PWfwMK​

“Pink Noise Youth” is due out on April 18, 2025, on Vinyl, CD, and Digital via These Hands Melt Records and is available for pre-order / pre-save at https://lnk.to/SVNTH​

Album Cover – Pink Noise Youth – Artwork by Tryfar

Track Listing:​
1. Inhale – 1:31
2. Cinnamon Moon – 5:18
3. Perfume – 4:19
4. Elephant – 6:49
5. Narrow, Narrow – 5:35
6. Exhale – 4:33
7. Winter Blues – 4:32
8. Nairobi Lullaby – 4:37
Album Length: 37:18

Album Credits:​
All music and lyrics written by Rodolfo Ciuffo
Performed by Rodolfo Ciuffo, Alessandro De Falco, Valerio Primo and Alessandro Canzoneri
Guitar solos on “Elephant”, “Exhale” and “Nairobi Lullaby” written by Alessandro De Falco
Recorded, mixed and produced by Alessandro De Falco
Mastered by Angel Marcloid at Angel Hair Studio
Photography by Alexandru Cozlan, modeling by alteaaetla_sg
Album Artwork by Tryfar

More info: https://linktr.ee/svnthband​

About:

With a various background of musical influences and artistic inspirations, SVNTH (written all caps and pronounced “Seventh”, formerly “Seventh Genocide”) from Rome, Italy has been shaping a unique equilibrium of sounds through the years moving across a huge variety of directions on the palette of contemporary alternative music to create a distinctive soundtrack for inner emotions, life scenarios, and existentialist questioning. Expanding the energy of black and post-metal over the mellow and contemplative boundaries of shoegaze, art pop, and cinematic post-rock.

From the vivid early black gaze melodies of the debut “Breeze of Memories” (2015) to the long song structures with acoustic overtures and Godspeed You! Black Emperor inspired sections of the monumental “Toward Akina” (2017); SVNTH confirms this more complex approach on the double LP “Spring in Blue” (2020), the childhood chapter of a trilogy of colors based on emotions in different phases of life.

The upcoming “Pink Noise Youth” (2025) gets back to a more traditional song format, introducing a unique use of Indian sitar, and an array of acoustic instruments and singing expressions, which develops SVNTH to a one-of-a-kind sound and personality.

As of today, the band has done several tours and single shows all over Europe and in the USA touching even non-frequently toured countries such as Albania and Turkey and performing at notable festivals like Rockstadt and Frantic Fest, bringing a defining cathartic live energy.

Montreal’s MAD PARISH Unveils Epic Progressive / NWOBHM Concept Album “The Dust Of Forever” + Comic Book

The wait is over as Montreal, Canada’s heavy metal visionaries Mad Parish release their highly anticipated concept album “The Dust Of Forever”. Available now on all major platforms as of Jan 31st, this ambitious project marks a new pinnacle in the band’s decade-long journey. “The Dust Of Forever” is not just an album; it’s a multi-faceted experience that pushes the boundaries of heavy metal storytelling. Spanning 21 tracks, the album weaves an original narrative following Joe, an immortal protagonist caught in a universe-threatening cataclysm. The band shares how the album came to be:

“The album has interesting origins. A song from our first album was inspired by a comic book. After Bob joined the band, he mused about what would happen if this priest from the comic discovered that he was immortal, and the song “The Dust Of Forever” was written. Once we started writing some more songs we discussed what kind of album to make next. That is when we came upon the idea of expanding this world we were writing about, and making a concept album.”

Going full-on, epic prog metal was a big challenge for Mad Parish and they set out to write a story that they would tell through the songs, and decided to create a companion comic book to accompany the album. Creatively, this is the most adventurous thing they’ve done to date.

From the opening “Prologue” to the climactic “Hail To The Hunter”, listeners are taken on an immersive journey through a richly imagined world. The album showcases Mad Parish‘s evolution, blending their NWOBHM-inspired roots with progressive rock structures, 70’s rock swagger, 80’s new wave textures, and even hints of classical and jazz. This eclectic mix results in a sound that’s uniquely Mad Parish – heavy, melodic, and deeply atmospheric. It is recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Rush, and Rainbow.

“The Dust Of Forever” is available on January 31, 2025, digitally plus CD and Vinyl along with a limited edition Comic Book “The Experience Hunter Chronicles” via their Bandcamp at https://madparish1.bandcamp.com/album/the-dust-of-forever​

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/4jBAs9v​

Music Video – Bishop’s Tomb – https://youtu.be/zrpXosWhnuU​

Music Video – Loched – https://youtu.be/IHS5qxAp3-s​

Comic Book Cover – The Experience Hunter Chronicles

Comic Book Credits:​
Story – Josh McConnell
Artwork – Niall Skinner
Editing – Rahl Stafford
Design – Maximus Rex

​

Track Listing:​
1. Prophecy – 1:30
2. Defecther – 4:32
3. Possess The Child – 4:45
4. Outerest In Irisius – 1:34
5. Ouen Formation – 6:35
6. Hunted – 1:51
7. Astra T.R.A.Z (Tower Reformatory Asteroid Zone) – 4:42
8. Transmission #1 Dream On – 1:40
9. Resistius – 6:44
10. Aeternal – 1:44
11. An Age To Quell – 4:05
12. Transmission #2 – Will Of God – 2:04
13. Loched – 3:24
14. Cathedron Wakes – 5:37
15. Book of Rites – 1:06
16. Bishop’s Tomb – 3:32
17. Transmission #3 – Baz Raa Luum – 1:46
18. The Experience Hunter – 5:04
19. Trajectory: Tantus – 2:02
20. The Dust Of Forever – 5:11
21. Hail To The Hunter – 1:01
Album Length: 1:10:40

Album Band Line Up:​
Josh McConnell – Lead Vocals, Guitars, Bass (Track 8)
Bob Eaglesham – Guitars, Vocals, Bass (Track 18), Drums (Track 18), Keyboards (All Tracks except 8, 12, 15, 18, 19)
Andre Bisson – Keyboards (All Tracks except 1, 4, 6, 10, 12, 17, 21), Piano (Track 15)
Peter Mika – Keyboards (2nd keyboard solo on Resistius Track 9)
Patrick Latreille – Bass (All Tracks except 8, 18)
Paskal Belanger – Drums (Track 2,3,5,7,9,13,14)
Gopal Devanathan – Drums (Track 11, 16, 20)
Tony Spina – Drums (Track 12)
Jeff Louch – Piano (Track 12)

Live Band Line Up:​
Josh McConnell – Vocals
Bob Eaglesham – Guitar, Vocals
Aaron Carbray – Guitar
Andre Bisson – Keyboards
Gino Laposta – Bass
Max Rex – Drums

More Info: Madparishmetal.com | Facebook.com/madparishmetal | Instagram.com/madparishmetal

Italian garage rock duo The Devils make their US debut with a scorching new studio album

Three things you need to know about The Devils: 
  1. They embody the definitive sound of chaos!
  2. Their style is primitive, wild and loud, and filled with sex, sin and rock ‘n’ roll!
  3. Their new album is growing closer every day.
Erika Switchblade and Gianni Blacula knew exactly what they wanted when they formed The Devils in 2015… a band that would live up to its name.  Which they took, they say, from Ken Russell’s 1971 flick The Devils – a b-movie on steroids if ever there was one.
And, across the years, and albums, that have followed, they’ve lived up to that intention with a wall of sound that is part fuzz, part feedback, completely frenzied and deliciously blasphemous. They’ve been known to dress in ecclesiastic robes, and if Hell ever needs a new house band, The Devils will be first in line.
Now The Devils are preparing for their debut US release with a new album, Devil’s Got It, dropping on March 28 and, to get everyone in the mood, a new  single, “Lonely For You, Baby.”
Mixed and mastered by Alain Johannes (QOTSA, Them Crooked Vultures, Chris Cornell, PJ Harvey), it’s an exquisite introduction to one of the most freakishly innovative bands around, two-and-a-half minutes of twisted blues built around a churning riff, compulsive percussion and garage fuzz desire.
The Devils themselves explain.  
“Although we’ve never really played blues or soul music, we’ve spent years exploring and pursuing these genres. We’ve delved into their roots and absorbed countless musical influences. 
“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, it feels fitting to create this record as a tribute to the music that has become our steadfast inspiration and something we can truly rely on, and for the occasion we are honored and excited to team up with the legendary American label Cleopatra Records.”
The single is accompanied, too, by a video, described by The Devils as a “deeply-felt homage to David Lynch.” Director Rob Schmidt continues. “David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, specifically the ‘In Dreams/Roy Orbison’ sequence, was the specific aesthetic inspiration for our video. We even looked at stills from it on set. Now, a few days after the master’s death, I am realizing how much he has inspired our work with his dark retro style. Rest in peace good master, your voice echoes through time.”