Author: Crix

French Modern Progressive Blackened Metalcore outfit ELICERE unveiled new single “Erased I: The Dome” on YouTube & Bandcamp

From the heart of France’s Tarn region, ELICERE forges a sound as complex as its philosophy: a modern metal fusion of modern-metal/hardcore’s fury, black metal’s abyss, and metalcore’s precision. But this is more than music : it’s maieutics in motion, the art of drawing forth what lies buried deep.

Their debut album traces the journey of Erased, a character trapped in her imaginary dome, watching the world’s vanities, idolatries, and murky relationships with a mix of revulsion and longing. Until the vision comes: she must become the voice. A voice against eschatological denial, illusions of omnipotence, and the path to perdition ; and the alternatives that lurk beyond.

ELICERE unveiled a first glimpse from their debut album with the single “Erased I : The Dome” available with a music video on YouTube and Bandcamp.

ELICERE is modern metal as catharsis. Rooted in the Tarn region of France (2023), the project wields modern–metal, hardcore and blackened metalcore to explore the duality of Erased—a character torn between withdrawal and the urge to expose the world’s corruption.

Inspired by the Latin elicere (“to draw from”) and the Socratic method of maieutics, ELICERE’s music is a journey inward and outward: a sublimation of the self (body, soul, spirit) and a mirror to society’s illusions. Their debut album chronicles Erased’s transformation—from a silent observer in her “imaginary dome” to a voice of defiance, witnessing denial, omnipotence, and perdition—and the alternatives that emerge from the struggle.

France’s KINGCROWN Shares New Video “Nothing” From Upcoming Album “Moonfall” Out September 2026

French melodic heavy/power metal band KINGCROWN return with “Nothing“, the second single taken from their forthcoming album “Moonfall” due for release on September 4th, 2026. Supported by an official music video, the new track further develops the album’s conceptual direction while showcasing the band’s blend of melodic heavy metal and European power metal.

After introducing the time-travel narrative of “Lost Horizon“, KINGCROWN now turn their attention to another central theme of “Moonfall” with “Nothing“. Conceived as a direct sequel to “Utopia Metropolis” from “Nova Atlantis“, the song explores the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the gradual replacement of genuine human relationships by increasingly sophisticated machines designed to replicate emotion without truly experiencing it.

Rather than presenting technology as either salvation or threat, “Nothing” reflects on the emotional consequences of a society where authentic human connections become progressively less frequent. The lyrics question whether convenience and technological progress may ultimately come at the expense of empathy, identity, and personal relationships, continuing KINGCROWN‘s interest in combining speculative themes with contemporary social reflections.

Musically, “Nothing” combines driving guitar riffs, twin-guitar harmonies, melodic vocal lines, and a memorable chorus supported by a modern and balanced production. The track reinforces the band’s melodic identity without losing the energy and precision that have characterized its most recent releases.

Produced by KINGCROWN and mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, the single reflects the consistency of a lineup that continues to refine its musical identity with each release. Alongside Jo Amore (vocals) and David Amore (drums), former members of Nightmare, the current lineup features Ced Legger and Bob Saliba on guitars and Sébastien Chabot on bass.

With “Nothing“, KINGCROWN continue to reveal new facets of “Moonfall“, an album built around interconnected stories exploring technological evolution, artificial intelligence and the future of humanity. While each song stands on its own, together they contribute to a broader narrative that continues to unfold ahead of the album’s release.

For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Symphony X, Powerwolf

LISTEN – https://lnk.to/TxF5ca​
​VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-EbQJn32Mo​

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ALBUM PRE-ORDER – https://rockshots.eu/products/kingcrown-moonfall-cd​

Previous Single – Lost Horizon

LISTEN – https://lnk.to/4mhjvC​
​VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJjlw2AZuPs​

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Kingcrown Line-up:

Joe Amore: Vocals
​Ced Legger: Guitars
​Bob Saliba: Guitars
​Seb Chabot: Bass, Guitars
​David Amore: Drums

About:

Kingcrown is a French melodic heavy/power metal band founded by brothers Jo Amore (vocals) and David Amore (drums), both former members of Nightmare.

The project traces its origins back to 2015 with the band Öblivïon, formed following their departure from Nightmare. After the release of Resilience, the group adopted the name Kingcrown in 2018, marking the beginning of a more defined artistic direction rooted in the European heavy/power metal tradition.

From the outset, Kingcrown established a sound built on strong melodic structures, dynamic riffing, and a clear emphasis on songwriting effectiveness. Drawing from the legacy of bands such as Iron Maiden, Helloween, and Gamma Ray, the band combines classic influences with a modern production approach, resulting in a sound that is both accessible and structurally solid.

Following the release of “A Perfect World” (2019) and “Wake Up Call” (2022), Kingcrown entered a new phase with “Nova Atlantis” (2024), released via Rockshots Records. The album marked a clear step forward in terms of cohesion, production quality, and conceptual direction, receiving strong feedback from both audiences and specialized media.

Building on this momentum, the band continues its collaboration with Rockshots Records for “Moonfall“, scheduled for release in 2026. The new album further develops Kingcrown’s identity through a more focused songwriting approach and a broader conceptual framework centered on dystopian themes, technological evolution, and temporal dislocation.

The first single, “Lost Horizon“, expands the narrative universe introduced in “Nova Atlantis“, acting as a direct sequel to “Endless Journey” and introducing a time-travel storyline in which a WWII B-17 pilot is propelled into the year 2045. This approach reflects the band’s growing interest in combining structured songwriting with narrative continuity.

Kingcrown’s current lineup – Jo Amore (vocals), David Amore (drums), Sébastien Chabot (bass), Bob Saliba (guitars), and Ced Legger (guitars) – has remained stable across recent releases, contributing to a consistent and cohesive musical direction.

With a steadily evolving discography and a clear artistic vision, Kingcrown has established itself as a credible presence within the European metal scene, balancing melodic immediacy, conceptual depth, and production precision.

https://rockshots.eu/
https://linktr.ee/kingcrown_off​

The Funeral Portrait Video Interview

The Funeral Portrait emerged from Atlanta in 2014, forging a world where theatricality, sharp visual style, and an uncompromising creative attitude collide with intensely hard‑hitting songs. Their sound, an evocative blend of emotional hardcore, punk rock, and musical theater, has drawn comparisons to My Chemical Romance, Ghost, and Motionless In White while remaining unmistakably their own. In 2024, the band released Greetings from Suffocate City, a darkly cinematic and meticulously crafted album that quickly became a defining milestone. A year later, they expanded that universe with a deluxe edition featuring several guest appearances, further enriching the album’s narrative and sonic depth.
Onstage, The Funeral Portrait transform performance into ritual. Their live shows, known as Devotion Ceremonies, immerse audiences in elaborate, visually captivating stage worlds inhabited by symbolic characters called The Icons. These ceremonies have become central to the band’s identity and the profound connection they share with their fanbase.
After The Funeral Portrait’s first‑ever Finnish Devotion Ceremony at Tuska Festival, we sat down with frontman Lee Jennings to discuss Greetings from Suffocate City, life on tour, the band’s relationship with their devoted followers, the evolution of their songwriting, and their plans for the future. Jennings spoke with disarming openness, offering heartfelt reflections while also leaving room for lighter moments, including conversations about food, that revealed the warmth and humor behind the band’s theatrical facade.

 

https://linktr.ee/tfp_insta

Bloodred Hourglass Video Interview

Following the success of “We Should Be Buried Like This,” Bloodred Hourglass returned last May with “After the Burial,” an EP combining two previously unreleased songs and two stunning live recordings captured during their performance with St. Michel Strings.
Fresh from their performance at Tuska, we sat down with drummer Jarkko Hyvönen to delve into the rhythmic backbone of this period. Our conversation explored the album’s creation from a drummer’s perspective, the story behind the EP, his collaboration with Erja Lyytinen, and how years of touring, recording, and personal growth have shaped his musical craft. Hyvönen also shared his evolving vision for music, the band’s future plans, and more, offering a candid look at the drive that drives Bloodred Hourglass.

https://linktr.ee/bloodredhourglass

Nenerchy Video Interview

Nenerchy has created a sonic identity that defies classification: her music is an electrifying collision of rap, rock, and drum ‘n’ bass that bears the unmistakable imprint of her punk beginnings, when counterculture ignited her at sixteen. And that fuse has never died.
Before her show at the Tuska Festival, she spoke to us about how she shaped her debut album, Prima Bailarina, without any genre restrictions, the unconventional sources that fuel her creativity, from movies to weird noises, and her striking stage look, which amplifies her presence even before the first note is played.

https://linktr.ee/nenerchy

 

Lunarsea Video Interview

Born from the remnants of Hollowearth in the early 2000s, Italy’s Lunarsea built their reputation on ambitious studio work long before stepping onto a stage. Their debut Hydrodynamic Wave (2006) became Burning Star Records’ best‑selling release, followed by Route Code Selector (2009), Hundred Light Years (2013), and the acclaimed Earthling‑Terrestre (2019). Their latest offering, ELEMENTI – Live in Tokyo (2025), showcases a band fully matured and live‑driven.
Ahead of their first ever Finnish show at Tuska, Lunarsea spoke with us about their musical evolution, the energy behind their live performances, and the mindset required before beginning work on a new album. The ideas are already flowing, now they are waiting for the right moment to ignite.

https://www.instagram.com/lunarsea.official/
https://www.facebook.com/LunarseaBand/
https://nacnaus2.wixsite.com/lunarsea

Whispered Announce Long-Awaited Fourth Album Honorbound, Out September 11th – Final Single “Battlecry” Out Now

Finnish melodic death metal band Whispered, renowned for blending Japanese musical influences and traditional themes with modern metal, will release their long-awaited fourth studio album, Honorbound, on September 11. Nearly a decade has passed since the band’s previous full-length, Metsutan (2016), making Honorbound a highly anticipated return.

The album campaign began in April with the release of the first single, “Ikikaere”, which climbed into YouTube’s Top 20 Trending Music Videos shortly after its release. The enthusiastic response confirmed that Whispered’s return had been eagerly awaited by fans both in Finland and abroad.

Honorbound is the result of years of dedicated work. During the lengthy writing and recording process, the band also became increasingly self-sufficient, taking full control of the album’s production.

“After the previous album, we had a strong feeling that we wanted to take everything into our own hands and learn how to do this entirely on our own terms. That was the beginning of a journey that definitely wasn’t supposed to last ten years, but sometimes things simply take as long as they need to.

Along the way, we also realized that chasing perfection is an excellent way to stretch deadlines into eternity and lose touch with reality one new mix at a time.

Still, we never gave up. Even when the process felt endless at times, we kept pushing the album forward with determination until it was finally finished. This record was created largely by two people, but its completion also strongly belongs to the new lineup. The energy that came from them reminded us why we do this in the first place: to get this album out into the world, return to the stage, and above all finally move on to making the next record.”

Released now, the album’s final single, “Battlecry”, captures everything that defines the Whispered sound: crushing riffs, epic melodies, and storytelling inspired by Japanese tradition.

“‘Battlecry’ was born in the midst of the album process from dire need to create something that drives forward with steady and heavy pulse while capturing many aspects what Whispered is all about. As the name might give away, the song is about going to battle with everything you got, even when the odds aren’t at all in your favour. Steel, honour and no prisoners. The battle hymn of the Shogunate!”

A lyric video featuring footage from the band’s European tour in May is also released now.

Watch the lyric video here.

Whispered will perform a selection of festival shows throughout the summer before embarking on a UK mini-tour in September. Additional live dates will be announced later this autumn.

Upcoming Live Dates are:

July 10, 2026 – Dark River Festival, Kotka, Finland
August 15, 2026 – SaariHelvetti, Tampere, Finland

September 9, 2026 – 229 Club, London, UK
September 10, 2026 – Bannerman’s, Edinburgh, UK
September 11, 2026 – Nightrain, Bradford, UK
September 12, 2026 – Gryphon, Bristol, UK
September 18, 2026 – Kuudes Linja, Helsinki, Finland

“Orders to all warriors: stream the new track relentlessly and march to the shows in full force to witness the return of the shogunate. Ikikaere! – Whispered

Lineup:
Jouni Valjakka – Vocals, Guitar
Mikko Mattila – Guitar
Olli Paajanen – Bass
Filip Gäddnäs – Drums

Whispered’s music represents True Finnish Samurai Metal – melodic death metal that blends influences from Japanese traditions with epic orchestration. The band was founded by Jouni Valjakka in 2004 out of a love for metal music and Japan, giving birth to Whispered.
Their debut album Thousand Swords (2010) introduced this distinctive fusion to the metal scene. A darker and more mature continuation followed with their second album Shogunate Macabre (2014), and their third full-length Metsutan – Songs of the Void (2016) elevated the band’s multi-layered vision to a new level.
Whispered’s music and visual identity have earned the band widespread international recognition for its cross-cultural approach to heavy music. The band has toured in Finland, across Europe, and in Japan, building a strong live reputation and a loyal fanbase. After several years on hiatus, their long-awaited next album will be released this year.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | X

“Even the most stoned listener will wake up from their slumber and start singing along to the easily adopted chorus” -Occult Master’s Heavy Metal Madness single out now

The Finnish Heavy Doom band Occult Master are set to release their self-titled debut album on August 14th 2026 via Inverse Records. The third single and music video ‘Heavy Metal Madness’ out now on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-heavy-metal-madness 

The band comments:

“Fast, dark and heavy, this song is a relentless, raw homage to the origins of technical heavy and trash metal. The track delves into the dark recesses of the mind, the delusions of madness, and the excruciating pain of life’s finiteness. Catchy riffs and technical interludes alternate with a maddening logic. This track will get your head bobbing and your fists pumping! Even the most stoned listener will wake up from their slumber and start singing along to the easily adopted chorus ! The icing on the cake, and a real treat for guitarists, is the modern and complex hero solo. “

BIOGRAPHY:

“Occult Master was founded in 2012 in Oulu, Finland, first starting as a heavy rock/doom band. After a line‑up change in 2020, the musical style turned faster, more rhythmic and more complex. Occult Master’s music is heavy, versatile and full of nuances, ranging from full‑throttle metal blasting to quiet, subtle and beautifully eerie musical landscapes. The band’s roots lie strongly in the classic heavy metal of the 1970s and 1980s. The songs are delivered in a hardy, straightforward and no‑nonsense style. In the dark‑toned music, the lyrics deal with different matters of life and the world in general, and at times even horror stories told with a devilish grin.

LISTEN to the first single ‘Island of Leper’: https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-island
LISTEN to the second single ‘Gnarly Geezer’: https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-gnarly-geezer

Occult Master are:

Ari Eskola – guitars and vocals

Toni Mäki – bass and backing vocals

Jussi Risto – drums

 

https://www.facebook.com/occultmasterband
https://occultmaster.bandcamp.com

Orpheus Omega Unveil New Music Video For “Marionette”

Australian melodic death metal stalwarts Orpheus Omega have officially released the music video for “Marionette,” a track from their critically acclaimed latest album, Emberglow, out now via Wormholedeath Records.

Blending crushing riffs, soaring melodies, and the band’s trademark emotional intensity, “Marionette” serves as a fitting final statement for the Emberglow era while simultaneously marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of Australia’s most enduring metal acts.

Speaking about the video, the band states:

“‘MARIONETTE’ was filmed at OO HQ whom we say goodbye to after 15 years of rehearsals and 5 albums of writing, signaling the end of the Emberglow album cycle and the move to the NEXT phase of Orpheus Omega.

It’s with this that we also give our BIGGEST thank you and appreciation to Luke for his time in the band as he steps away from Orpheus Omega. Luke’s enigmatic presence and personality have imprinted on everyone he met during many tours and won’t go forgotten anytime soon.

So please, send him ALL your love when watching this video, his last standing contribution within the band.“

With a career spanning four acclaimed albums, three EPs, and continuous tour cycles both domestically and abroad, Orpheus Omega has built a reputation as one of the hardest-working acts in the Australian metal scene. The band started with a sound rooted in the Gothenburg melodeath tradition and has since developed into a distinct voice, shaped by each member’s individual background and experience. That evolution has put them on the same stages as Insomnium, Trivium, At The Gates, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Lacuna Coil, and many others. Emberglow, released in 2024 through Wormholedeath Records, is their most ambitious record to date.

Orpheus Omega is:
Chris Themelco – Vocals/ Lead Guitar
Leon Monaco – Bass/ Backing Vocals
Matt Themelco – Drums
Luke Ashley – Guitar
Campbell Hill – Keyboard

orpheusofficial.com
www.facebook.com/orpheusofficial
www.instagram.com/orpheusomega
www.youtube.com/user/OrpheusMetalOz
orpheusomega.bandcamp.com/merch
Spotify: SpotifyOrpheusOmega

Stream / Purchase Emberglow:

Stream: https://orcd.co/emberglow

CD: https://tinyurl.com/EmberglowCD

Italian Symphonic Metal TALES AND LEGENDS Launch Crowdfunding Campaign For New Album

Italian symphonic power metal band Tales and Legends has launched a crowdfunding campaign dedicated to the creation of their second album.

Following the release of their debut album Struggle of the Gods, the band is now ready to open a new chapter: a darker, deeper, and more cinematic concept-driven journey, where music, orchestral elements, and storytelling come together to create a fully immersive experience.

The upcoming album expands the creative world of Tales and Legends through songs conceived as pieces of a larger narrative, inspired by myth, destiny, and inner conflict. More than just a collection of tracks, the project is designed as a universe unfolding through sound.

The campaign accompanies the band’s new chapter with Rockshots Records, which will support the international release of the album. Through this initiative, Tales and Legends want to give fans the opportunity to enter the project from its early stages and become part of the journey behind the new record.

The crowdfunding campaign will help the band bring the project to life at its full potential, supporting recording and production, mixing and mastering, artwork, video and visual concept, and merchandise.

Supporters will gain access to exclusive rewards depending on their contribution, including the digital album and booklet, a signed CD digipack, exclusive extra content such as artworks, full concept material, and behind-the-scenes content, as well as the chance to have their name included in the official supporter list.

To introduce the campaign and present the vision behind the project, Tales and Legends have also released an official presentation video, available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5TL5ptPjc&t=1s​

Founded by songwriter Andrea Atzori, Tales and Legends were created with the aim of blending epic orchestral elements, powerful riffs, and memorable melodies, drawing inspiration from bands such as Rhapsody of Fire, Avantasia, and Stratovarius.

With their new album, the band continues to refine its epic, narrative, and cinematic identity, taking another step forward in its artistic journey.

The crowdfunding campaign is now live and will run until August 25th.

Become part of the legend.

Crowdfunding campaign: https://talesandlegends.vercel.app/​

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BAND LINE-UP:​
Patrik J. Selleby – Vocals
Andrea Atzori – Keyboards
Carlo Figus – Guitars
Nicola Piras – Bass
Brantley Rogers – Drums

More info:​
​https://rockshots.eu​
​Tales and Legends online:​
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talesandlegends.metal​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesandlegends/​
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalesandLegends​
X / Twitter: https://x.com/tales_legends​
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-it/artist/6MstzoqIL79ktFbeWZM9ZK​
Bandcamp: https://talesandlegends.bandcamp.com​