Author: Crix

Sweet Freedom share new video “Another Day” from upcoming album “Blind Leading The Blind” out August 29th

Sweet Freedom share today their new single and official lyric video “Another Day”, taken from the upcoming new album “Blind Leading The Blind”, set for release on August 29th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

 

Pre-Order “Blind Leading The Blind” HERE

Jörgen Schelander commented on the new single, by saying: “Sweet Freedom is about being free, but “Another Day” is about the opposite, the suffocating feeling of not being free. These days, we all know where in the world that is, and we all must use our voice (our vote) to change it. This track is a true classic rock anthem, and Matti really shows what an amazing singer he is”.

Talking about the record, he stated: “This album is a blast of classic rock. Close your eyes and listen all the way through “Blind Leading The Blind” – and you’ll come out blind no more… Maybe just a little deaf! The energy we captured, especially with Stefan Boman’s production, is something rare these days”.

Sweet Freedom began as a solo project by Swedish keyboardist Jörgen Schelander during the pandemic, born from a clear artistic vision and DIY spirit that had long been brewing in his mind.

Their debut album, initially released with no promotion, gained surprising attention — even landing coverage in Sweden Rock Magazine as one of the year’s top releases. By late 2022, the band evolved from a solo project to a full lineup under the name Sweet Freedom, reminiscent of how Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow became simply Rainbow.

The new album, “Blind Leading The Blind”, sees the return of the same core lineup, but with one notable change: powerhouse vocalist Matti Alfonzetti (Skintrade, Jagged Edge) steps in as frontman, replacing Stefan Nyqvist. Matti’s signature voice and charisma elevate these already high-octane songs to new heights.

Together with Håkan Nilsson on guitar, Jan Lund on bass, and Håkan Rangemo on drums, Sweet Freedom forms a Swedish supergroup. The new album is a ten-song collection of massive classic rock with a progressive twist.

The album was recorded live as a full band at Tilt Recording Studios in Strömstad, Sweden – an intentional move to capture the raw energy and chemistry that can only happen when a real band plays together in the same room. That energy, combined with a massive-sounding mix and master by Stefan Boman (Opeth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard), results in a huge, dynamic rock production.

While Matti is well known in the rock world, the rest of Sweet Freedom’s members also boast serious credentials. Jörgen performed all keyboards on the 2024 touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar (featuring Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain of Salvation), and both Jan and Håkan previously played in Sabbtail alongside Mats Levén and Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth.

Sweet Freedom is here, loud and proud – and “Blind Leading The Blind” proves they’re a force to be reckoned with.

“Blind Leading The Blind” Tracklist:

1.    Infinity
2.    Tears Of The Sun
3.    Another Day
4.    Skin And Bone
5.    Innocent Child
6.    Live From The Heart
7.    Skeleton Key
8.    Solid Ground
9.    I Push Too Hard
10.    Outcry

Line Up:
Matti Alfonzetti – Lead and backing vocals
Håkan Nilsson – Lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Jan Lund – Bass and backing vocals
Håkan Rangemo – Drums and percussion, backing vocals
Jörgen Schelander – Organ and keyboards, backing vocals

Follow SWEET FREEDOM:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Alternative Metal Powerhouse THIS I OWE Unleash Cathartic Lyric Video for “Feelings to Dust”

Athens-based alternative metal act THIS I OWE have just dropped the visceral lyric video for their new single “Feelings to Dust”, taken from their debut album Alchemists, due out 22 August 2025 via Wormholedeath.

“Feelings to Dust” is a cathartic eruption of raw emotion and sonic grit. Fusing crushing riffs with introspective lyricism, the track explores the collapse of trust, mental unrest, and emotional burnout. Haunting, bitter, and brutally honest, “Feelings to Dust” is a soundtrack for those navigating inner chaos in a world gone cold.

This track reveals just a glimpse of the intensity and depth that Alchemists promises to deliver—a record shaped by shadow, soul, and searing honesty.

THIS I OWE blends alternative metal with strains of prog, doom, and gothic metal, crafting a genre-fluid sonic identity that’s uniquely their own. With their emotionally charged storytelling and relentless energy, the band is fast becoming a defining voice in the next wave of Greek metal.

www.facebook.com/This.I.Owe
www.instagram.com/thisiowe_official
www.youtube.com/@thisiowe_official
thisiowe.bandcamp.com

Wind Rose Video Interview

Italian power/folk metallers Wind Rose, founded in 2009, released their sixth album, “Trollslayer,” last October. The band has toured extensively with similar acts, their audience is growing, and parties are already in full swing at some venues. We had the opportunity to chat with frontman Francesco Cavalieri after their show at Tuska Festival and learn about their career highlights, the process of creating their latest album, their music videos, and much more.

windroseofficial.com/
Wind Rose Phostos at Tuska Festival, Helsinki (Finland) 27-28-29/06/2025

 

Cemetery Skyline Video Interview

When touring musicians have a brilliant idea after a few drinks at a karaoke bar, a supergroup is born. Cemetery Skyline is a gothic rock band featuring musicians well-known from Amorphis, Sentenced, Insomnium, Dark Tranquillity, and Dimmu Borgir. The band released their debut album, “Nordic Gothic,” last October, to great acclaim in both the metal and non-metal scenes. After a sold-out tour in Finland, the band is ready to hit the US and Latin America.
We had the opportunity to interview Cemetery Skyline’s Markus Vanhala and Santeri Kallio before their show at Tuska Festival in Helsinki and talk about the band’s origins, the album “Nordic Gothic,” live performances, and much more.

https://www.instagram.com/cemeteryskyline
https://www.facebook.com/cemeteryskylineofficial
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FVIkWmqjcUbtIgS86bnab?si=u4pd5unWQL64pjv3QL156g

Cemetery Skyline photos from Tuska Festival: Tuska Festival, Helsinki (Finland) 27-28-29/06/2025

Ophiolatry Announces Official Endorsement with Valeton: A Union Forged in Sonic Warfare

Brazilian extreme metal force Ophiolatry is proud to announce their new official endorsement with cutting-edge gear brand Valeton. Known for their unrelenting aggression and primal soundscapes, Ophiolatry has found a perfect tonal ally in Valeton—whose innovative, performance-ready products have become essential tools in the band’s auditory arsenal.

“Valeton not just amplifies our sound, but unleashes the beast within. Every riff hits harder, every solo screams louder. This is the tone of modern war!!!”
— OPHIOLATRY

Valeton is rapidly becoming a go-to name among discerning musicians who demand both quality and affordability. With a team boasting over a decade of experience in musical instrument design and manufacturing, Valeton combines sleek simplicity with sonic excellence. Their gear is built to last, delivering high-caliber sound while remaining accessible for artists across all genres and stages.

To mark the beginning of this powerful partnership, Ophiolatry’s guitarist Joubert Thaumiel received a specially selected Valeton GP-200—a unit chosen specifically to aid in spreading the serpent’s venom with razor-sharp clarity and crushing force.

This collaboration also aligns with a pivotal moment in the band’s journey. Ophiolatry’s latest release, Serpent Verdict, is a punishing and immersive dive into spiritual warfare and ancestral reckoning—a brutal fusion of death metal intensity and tribal rhythm that tears open the gates between past and future.

Check it out: https://youtu.be/Ps6dfRtgsyY
Learn more about Valeton: https://www.valeton.net

Listen to “Serpent’s Verdict” on all digital platforms – https://orcd.co/serpentsverdict

www.instagram.com/ophiolatry
www.youtube.com/@ophiolatryofficial2679
www.facebook.com/ophiolatry

Hoist The Sails! Crank The Volume! Pirate Metallers CALICO JACK’s New EP “Jack Speak Shanties” Is Out Now! – Music Video “Wellerman” Out Now

After conquering the Caribbean with cannon-fire and swagger, Italian pirate metal act Calico Jack set sail for colder seas with their brand new EP “Jack Speak Shanties”, a wild tribute to the sea shanties that shaped their pirate souls.
​
Marking the occasion is the new single and music video “Wellerman”, a dramatic reinterpretation of the legendary 19th-century whaling anthem. Fueled by Viking metal grit, Scandinavian flair, and original riffage, the band breathes new life into this maritime classic, now paired with a stunning video where Calico Jack sheds their Caribbean garb and embraces the rugged look of old-school whalers.

Watch “Wellerman” – https://youtu.be/ZfLdwp_ab_s​

Digital – https://lnk.to/fXbPpb​

5 tracks. 5 tales of salt, rum, and myth.
From the fierce cries of “The 24th of February” to the Celtic melancholy of “Spanish Ladies”, the EP “Jack Speak Shanties” is not just a record. It’s a roaring, storm-soaked homage to nautical tradition.
​
​“This is a love letter to the songs that made us,” says guitarist Toto. And it shows.
​
Hoist the sails. Crank the volume. The shanties have returned — pirate metal style.

CD (out July 18th, 2025) – https://rockshots.eu/products/calico-jack-jack-speak-shanties-cd​

Lyric Video – Don’t Forget Your Old Shipmate – https://youtu.be/Lb7DRyMcBYE​

​

Track Listing:​
1. Wellerman – 4:12
2. Don’t Forget your Old Shipmate – 4:03
3. Off to Sea Once More – 3:50
4. The 24th of February – 4:43
5. Spanish Ladies – 5:19

For more info: Rockshots.eu | Calico-jack.net | https://linktr.ee/Calico_Jack​

Avatar release raucous new single In The Airwaves with music video

Swedish metal circus Avatar released their new single In The Airwaves on July 18th. Known for their theatrical and distinctive production, the band also serves up a music video produced in their own stylish way alongside the new single.

The band, which has achieved widespread international success throughout its career, is known for its ambition and desire to push boundaries. The band explains the background to their latest release as follows:

“Avatar is defined by the challenges we set for ourselves. We are always looking for new perspectives and constantly striving to go further. In this endless journey towards the next great realization, we return to one of the most important elements of metal music, which is speed,” the band comments and continues:

“This is the fastest song we have made in living memory and it feels good to press the gas again. In a way, this feels like a return to something essential. Enjoy our rage!”

On the tour front, Avatar is as usual in full swing, and the band has just announced a new month-long headline tour in North America for this year. In the summer, the band will start a tour supporting Iron Maiden. In February, the band will embark on their own European tour. Next year, Avatar will also perform at four Metallica shows in Germany, Hungary, Ireland and the UK. See all the show dates here.

AVATAR | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Symphonic Black Metal Sensation Abscence Sign With Wormholedeath

Wormholedeath Records proudly welcomes ABSCENCE—a symphonic black metal act emerging from the mist-veiled moors of Yorkshire, England—to its international roster. The signing marks a significant milestone for the band, as their debut concept album Enigma is set to be reissued globally through the label.

Enigma is a concept album that chronicles the tragic and immortal love of two vampire women—bound by blood, betrayal, and devotion. It is a gothic love story steeped in myth and moonlight, told across nine long-form tracks that unfold like chapters in a dark epic. The album draws deeply from 90s black metal and gothic metal, yet carves a new identity through elaborate compositions, symphonic elements, layered vocal arrangements, and emotional depth. It rejects modern trends of minimalism, opting instead for grandeur, atmosphere, and unflinching storytelling.

Formed four years ago, ABSCENCE channels the essence of 90s black metal and gothic metal into a modern yet uncompromising sound. Their music is an immersive experience—blending sorrow, fury, and romantic darkness into sprawling compositions that reject the confines of commercial expectation.
At its heart, ABSCENCE is a band devoted to emotional authenticity and artistic freedom. While the modern industry favors short, formulaic tracks, Abscence deliberately creates long-form songs with complex structures, weaving layered atmospheres and storytelling arcs that take listeners through entire emotional and conceptual landscapes.
With symphonic arrangements, melodic guitars, dual-vocal dynamics, and narrative-driven lyricism, the band creates a sonic world where brutality meets elegance.

Pre-save “Enigma”: https://orcd.co/enigmaalbum

www.instagram.com/abscenceband
youtube.com/@abscenceband

AETHERNA Mark New Chapter with ‘Faceless God’ Single

Volcano Records & Promotion is thrilled to announce the release of ‘Faceless God’, the new single by AETHERNA available from July 18th on all digital platforms. The track marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Rome-based band and serves as the first preview of their upcoming full-length album, set for release on November 14 by the Italian label.

With a sound that blends the power of heavy metal with alternative and progressive nuances, ‘Faceless God’ explores the delicate relationship between faith, spirituality, and social manipulation. Humanity, always driven by the need to believe in something greater, has built around religion a rigid system of doctrines and rules, often at odds with the genuine and profound nature of spirituality. Within this system, the divine loses its original face and becomes a strict judge, functional to the power held by the castes that administer the cults. The song is a powerful reflection on this alienation and a clear statement: no one has the right to give a face to what we choose to believe in.

Faceless God is just the first of several releases planned over the coming months, which will lead the band toward the highly anticipated release of their new album.

Listen to the track on all digital platforms at https://music.imusician.pro/a/mN61Ofw2

www.volcanopromotion.com
https://aethernaband.wixsite.com/aethernaofficialsite

Finnish industrial metal pioneers Alfa Pentatonik released a new Gamma II EP

Finnish Industrial Metal band Alfa Pentatonik (Formed in 2002 as Pentatonik) released their new Gamma II EP on July 18th 2025 via Inverse Records. The release is a sequel to Gamma I EP which was released in early 2025. 

LISTEN to Gamma II EP:  https://push.fm/fl/alfa-pentatonik-gamma-ii 

Alfa Pentatonik (formerly Pentatonik) plays heavy Finnish industrial metal. Formed in the early 2000s, the band has released two albums and numerous other releases. The band returned in 2022 with a new name and singles. They are now releasing a sequel to their latest “Gamma I” EP. The new release is called Gamma II.

The band’s mastermind is JP Immonen (Walhalla, Aria of Sorrow, Iron Frost), who plays all the instruments, writes the songs, and handles production. The second member of the band is Janne Partanen (Hautajaisyö, Verilehto, Marraskuun Lapset, Paavalin Harhat), who writes the lyrics and sings. ‘Gamma II’ continues in the same vein as its predecessor. Hard and heavy guitars are mixed with dark vocals and almost dance beats. Sami Lindqvist joins the release to play guitar solos and backing vocals. Harri Hytönen from ‘Gamma I’ also plays a few guitar solos. Dystopian samples from an interview with Yrjö Kallinen (1971) are the icing on the cake for this new Finnish industrial metal/industrial thrash metal release.

Line-up:
JP Immonen: guitars, bass, drums, synths, composition, arrangement & production.
Janne Partanen: vocals, lyrics & arrangement.

Guests:
Harri Hytönen: solo guitar on tracks 2 & 4
Sami Lindqvist : Solo guitar on tracks 1 & 3. Backing vocals on tracks 2,3 & 5

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Alfa.Pentatonik.Official
https://www.instagram.com/alfa_pentatonik
https://alfapentatonik.bandcamp.com