Kot smo januarja poročali, je v 78. letu starosti umrl Tony Clarkin, kitarist, ustanovitelj britanskih veteranov Magnum. Že takrat se je šušljalo, da to pomeni tudi konec za zasedbo, ki je to zdaj tudi uradno potrdila. Izjava vokalista Boba Catleyja:

»Hello, everybody. Bob here. All right. I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but I really can't carry on with Tony not here anymore. Please forgive me, and I hope you can understand how I feel. I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
Since we lost Tone, we lost our guiding light, the magnum force behind the band, our songwriter, our producer, our guitar player. He was everything to the band. He was everything to me. For the last 50 years, we never went anywhere without each other. On tour, in the studio, I was at his side constantly, working on stuff with him. I had a wonderful life with Tony. But now it's all too much for me, people. I can't carry on without Tony.
I may pop up in some other shape or form in the near future – you never know – but I can't keep going on like this. It's far too sad; it's all too sad.
So, I hope you understand. You've been fantastic – the best audience ever. You kept this band going year after year, album after album, and we thank you for that.
So, be good. Keep Tony's music in your heart always. I know I will. I will always carry MAGNUM inside me. And I will always have Tony Clarkin beside me wherever I go.
I love you. You've been brilliant. But it's time for me to bow out now. It's my last curtain call, okay? I'll see you sometime. Be good. Cheers. Bye-bye.«

Angleški ekstremneži Cradle Of Filth se potikajo v studiu, kjer pripravljajo material za 14. dolgometražec. Novico je v svojem profilu Instagram razkrila vokalistka in klaviaturistka Zoë M. Federoff:

»I am beyond humbled to have been allowed to contribute vocals and/or keys to many of the songs on this album. Dani and the guys showed a lot of faith in me for my first album with the gang, and I went in extremely nervous and hellbent on making them all proud. Thank God Dani Filth and producer Scott Atkins are so good at calming my nerves! That was the most fun and relaxing studio session I've had in ages!

Fourteen will be something very special, a distinctly new chapter, and it quite satisfies both the musician and the long-time Cradle fan inside me. A piece of each of our souls lives audibly in it. Prepare yourselves, Filthy family!«

North Sea Echoes, nova zasedba Raya Aldera in Jima Matheosa (oba Fates Warning), je objavila videospot za pesem Throwing Stones s svežega aktualnega ploščka Really Good Terrible Things.

North Sea Echoes, nova zasedba Raya Aldera in Jima Matheosa (oba Fates Warning), je danes izdala prvenec Really Good Terrible Things. Izid albuma je band pospremil z novim videospotom za komad Empty.

Norveški hardcore stonerji Bokassa bodo ta petek izdali album All Out of Dreams. Tracklista:

The Ending Starts Today
Garden of Heathen (feat. Lou Koller)
Straight Edgelord
All Out of Dreams
Bradford Death Squadron (feat. Aaron Beam)
Let's Storm the Capitol
Everyone Fails in the End
Gung Ho
No More Good Days
Crush (All Heretics)

Legendarni heavy metalci Tygers of Pan Tang bodo 26. aprila izdali live album z naslovom Live Blood. Tega že lahko prednaročite, medtem ko je tracklista takšna:

Stran A
Intro
Euthanasia
Keeping Me Alive
Love Don’t Stay
Gangland

Stran B
Edge of the World
Destiny
Back for Good
Only the Brave

Stran C
Paris by Air
Do It Good
Insanity (vinyl bonus track)
Fire on the Horizon
A New Heartbeat

Stran D
Slave to Freedom (vinyl bonus track)
Suzie Smiled
Hellbound
Love Potion No.9
Blood Red Sky (vinyl bonus track)

Nemški heavy metalci The Night Eternal sporočajo, da je band iz osebnih razlogov zapustil Jones Nühlen.

»Unfortunately we have to inform you that Jones decided to part ways with The Night Eternal due to personal reasons. We‘re still good friends, so there‘s no bad blood and we respect his decision. Being a founding member, Jones was notorious for his catchy bass lines through all of our releases so far and we want to thank him sincerely for the great times we had.
There‘s a last chance to catch The Night Eternal with its original line-up on stage at Endzeit Festival on January 27th, so give Jones the honor and get your tickets!
For THE SATANIC PANIC TOUR starting on February 1st, our good friend Jannik will take over the bass duties.«

Nemška zasedba Paradox se vrača z napovedjo novega albuma Mysterium. Album naj bi izšel še letos pri založbi AFM Records, točen datum izida pa še ni znan. Spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo Charlyja Steinhauerja:

»Friends and fans,
I had a dream. I wanted to start together with AXEL BLAHA, with whom I founded PARADOX in 1981, and end together again at some point. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible because he has said goodbye to this world.
In all these years, AXEL was the only musician who worked with me the way you have to, to achieve a goal. We never danced around at multiple weddings and were always loyal to one band. PARADOX! This was the only way the two classics “PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION” and “HERESY” were possible.
I miss him very much and it is very difficult for me to move on without him, but anyone who knows me knows that giving up is not an option for me.
Not even after 43 years and that's why I can tell you, that I have composed a new PARADOX album, which will hopefully be released worldwide this year via AFM RECORDS. The album will be called “MYSTERIUM” and will contain all the trademarks a Paradox fan wants.
The special thing about “MYSTERIUM” is that I composed all the songs and played all the instruments myself, because I will never again work with project-hungry musician whores who play a few notes on an album but otherwise have nothing to do with PARADOX, or none maintain contact with his colleagues. Unfortunately, this runs like a common thread through the entire career and is the main reason why PARADOX was never able to really get off the ground. To do this you need musicians who work together and pursue a common goal.
It should also be a warning to all young musicians and new bands who want to achieve something with their band. You can find out more about this in the numerous interviews for the new album. You should definitely read this!
I will also be responsible for the mix and the entire production.
The lyrics are written by ACHIM “DAXX” HOEMERLEIN (ex-Vendetta), who also wrote the lyrics for “TALES OF THE WEIRD” and “PANGEA”.
TRAVIS SMITH (Opeth/Nevermore etc) is currently working on the artwork.
“MYSTERIUM” is a very heavy album and contains 10 songs with a playing time of 51 minutes. Dedicated to AXEL BLAHA, my best friend and co-founder of PARADOX!
Cheerz!
Charly«

Temačni metalci Todomal iz Španije bodo ta petek, torej 24. novembra, izdali drugi celovečerec z naslovom The Greater Good. Pred samim izidom plošče ji lahko že v celoti prisluhnete na tej povezavi. 

Ljubljanski stoner progresivci Ambra so objavili še drugi live posnetek, tokrat za pesem Void s prihajajočega albuma, ki je trenutno še v izdelavi.

Sicer pa imate danes možnost, da zasedbo ujamete v živo, ko bo nastopila v ljubljanskem klubu Channel Zero kot predskupina heavy stonerjev Goodsleep.

Ob 20. obletnici Yearning for the Grotesque, tretjega dolgometzražca legendarnih španskih death metalcev Avulsed, bo band s pomočjo Xtreem Music tega ponovno izdal, in sicer:

na kaseti,
zgoščenki,
»splatter« in črnem vinilu,
in digitalno.

Novi plošček prinaša tri bonus pesmi, live posnetke iz madridskega kluba Copernico Nova iz leta 2005:

Wormeaten
Devourer of the Dead
Pale Red Blood
Sick Sick Sex
Daddy Stew
I Feel Good... Eating Human Flesh
Foetivorous Marriage
Morbid Chef
Cadaver Decapitado
Decrepit Sigh
Amidst the Macabre (live)
Stabwound Orgasm (live)
Exorcismo Vaginal (live)

Depresivni black metal band My Dearest Wound, solo projekt iz Santiaga v Čilu, ki ga je ustvaril Sergio González Catalán (Rise to the Sky, Winds of Tragedy) in glasbeno govori o žalosti, osamljenosti in depresiji, s skladbo When Did I Die? napoveduje svoj dolgometražni prvenec The Burial. Album bo izšel 15. septembra pri Tragedy Productions in bo prinesel sedem pesmi:

When Did I Die?
End It All
Annihilator
A Thousand Goodbyes
We Don’t Believe in Happiness
Dreams
Life Was Pain

Heavy metal/hard rock solo projekt High Spirits iz ZDA napoveduje izid petega studijskega albuma z naslovom Safe On The Other Side. Ta naj bi izšel 17. novembra pri založbi High Roller Records in bo obsegal naslednje komade:

In The Moonlight
Til The End Of Time
Lonely Nights
One Day Closer
Anything You Need
(There Will Be) Magic Tonight
Loving You
Please Don’t Leave Me Behind
Memories
Good Night

Kalifornijski metalcorovci Atreyu ne počivajo. Potem ko so v začetku leta izdali EP The Hope Of A Spark, zdaj napovedujejo še en EP. The Moment You Find Your Flame naj bi izšel 18. avgusta pri založbi Spinefarm, konec leta pa še najnovejši dolgometražec The Beautiful Dark Of Life. Seznam komadov prihajajočega EP-ja je tak:

Good Enough
Immortal
Gone
I Don't Wanna Die

Žal je odpovedan še en letošnji festival. Tokrat je to doletelo festival Fuck the Commerce 2023, ki bi se moral odvijati 4. in 5. avgusta v Nemčiji. Spodaj lahko preberete uradno izjavo organizatorjev:

»A statement? No, we'll spare you that. We have not reached the necessary pre-sale target and therefore it is not possible to hold the FTC Festival. The time is therefore right to say goodbye. A big thank you goes to Falko, Jörg, Bogo, Jensen, Stephan, the many bands, fellow campaigners, supporters, employees and of course you, our guests, without which the many unforgettable moments would not have been possible.«