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.«

Španski brutalneži Christ Denied bodo po enajstih letih prekinili studijski molk in ponudili album številka tri. Ta bo nosil naslov Christopsy, izšel bo 21. maja pri Xtreem Music, vseboval pa bo deset komadov:

Scream Bloody Blasphemy
Fake Deity
A Blinding Light?
Take, Eat; This Is My Body
Why Call Him God?
Voracious Disciples
Starving Acolytes
Oozing Blood Nails
Liar's Meat Aftertaste
Mutant Christ (Cryptopsy cover)

Psihedelični temačneži Lares bodo 12. aprila pri Argonauta Records izdali drugi celovečerec z naslovom Et In Arcadia Ego. Kaj pravi zasedba o prihajajoči izdaji, pa lahko preberete spodaj:

»The album is an accidental concept born from the first session we managed to play together after a long and frustrating break necessitated by lockdowns, band members in high risk categories, and mental illness. Without looking for it we found death, isolation, boredom, uncertainty, rage, and an energy that we decided instantly to try to capture and preserve as it was. No additives, no major editing. In the uncertainty of the times, we began to collect recording equipment, slowly transforming our rehearsal space into a recording studio. We developed a ritual of playing and replaying, without click, the whole 27 minutes, until we got better than close to the original, to the perfect simulacra. There is a bonus track included in the album called '10 Hygiea' that is part of the soundtrack of 'Music Appreciation', a short horror movie we collaborated with.«

Ukrajinski moderni metalci Jinjer sporočajo, da bodo 17. maja pri Napalm Records izdali prvi live album s preprostim naslovom Live in Los Angeles. Pred izidom albuma band oboževalcem ponuja live video z dotične izdaje za komad Call Me a Symbol. Tracklista pa je taka:

Intro
Sit Stay Roll Over
Teacher, Teacher!
Copycat
Home Back
I Speak Astronomy
As I Boil Ice
Judgement (& Punishment)
Dead Hands Feel No Pain
Vortex
Who is Gonna be the One
Sleep of the Righteous
Call Me a Symbol
Perennial
Pisces
On the Top

 

Finski čelisti Apocalyptica se vračajo h koreninam, in to na čisti začetek v leto 1996 k izdaji debitanskega celovečerca Apocalyptica Plays Metallica By Four Cellos. 7. junija bo namreč izšel njegov naslednik – Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2. Gre za prelomno izdajo, in to iz dveh razlogov. Omenjeni plošček je nastajal praktično 20 let, pri prvem singlu The Four Horsemen pa je sodeloval Robert Trujillo (Metallica). Po malo manj kot 20 letih pa je zasedbo zapustil bobnar Mikko Sirén, ki je svoj zadnji pečat pustil na omenjenem prihajajočem albumu. Apocalyptica se tako res vrača h koreninam kot trio s poklonom Metallici. Jeseni bodo plošček predstavljali po Evropi in nam najbliže bosta koncerta na Dunaju (10. oktober) in v Budimpešti (25. november).

Ride the Lightning
St. Anger
The Unforgiven II
Blackened
The Call of Ktulu (in memory of Cliff Burton)
The Four Horsemen (ft. Rob Trujillo)
Holier Than Thou
To Live Is to Die
One
One (Instrumental)

Blaze Bayley predstavlja nov single Rage s prihajajočega albuma Circle of Stone. Tudi tokrat je Blaze izdajo singla podkrepil z videospotom, ki si ga lahko ogledate spodaj, album pa bo izšel 23. februarja. Znana pa je tudi že tracklista:

Mind Reader
Tears in Rain
Rage
The Year Beyond This Year
Ghost in the Bottle
The Broken Man
The Call of the Ancestors
Circle of Stone (feat. Niklas Stålvind)
Absence
A Day of Reckoning
The Path of the Righteous Man
Until We Meet Again

Northlane bodo 12. aprila izdali nov EP Mirror´s Edge. Ob najavi so objavili tudi nov single Miasma, pri katerem je sodeloval vokalist zasedbe Parkway Drive, Winston McCall.

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«

Grški power metalci Firewind bodo danes ob 16. uri premierno predstavili videospot za komad Fallen Angel, ki je del prihajajočega albuma z naslovom Stand United. Tracklista:

Salvation Day
Stand United
Destiny Is Calling
The Power Lies Within
Come Undone
Fallen Angel
Chains
Land of Chaos
Talking in Your Sleep
Days of Grace

Italijanski power metalci Alterium so v obliki videospota razkrili naslovni komad prihajajočega debitantskega albuma Of War and Flames. Plošček bo izšel 8. marca pri AFM Records, tracklista pa je takšna:

Drag Me to Hell
Siren's Call
Of War and Flames
Firebringer
Crossroads Inn
Shadowsong
Crystalline
Heroine of the Sea
Chasing the Sun
Bismarck (Sabaton cover)

Nemški death/thrash metal band Boundless Chaos je razkril komad Guillotine, za katerega je vokal posnel Malte Gericke (Sijjin, Vale of Siddim, ex-Necros Christos). Gre za svež material s prihajajočega prvenca Sinister Upheaval, ki bo izšel 19. januarja pri založbi Dying Victims Productions in obsega naslednje naslove:

Down
High Tension
Arson from Beyond
Kromer's Whistle
Guillotine
Tyrant’s Call
Blasphemeous Rupture
Rip out the Roots
Demons Unchained

Ameriški sci-fi black metalci Imperialist kot drugi single s prihajajočega EP-ja Quantum predstavljajo komad Echoed Demise. Omenjeni mini album bo izšel 15. decembra pri založbi Transcending Obscurity Records, obsega pa naslednje naslove:

Gateway
Echoed Demise
Quantum Annexation
Call of Vulcain
Quiescent Terror

Nizozemski progresivni thrasherji Cryptosis ponujajo v posluh skladbo Master Of Life s prihajajočega polvečerca The Silent Call, ki bo izšel 1. decembra pri založbi Century Media.

Band lahko v živo ujamete 24. marca naslednje leto v Orto Baru skupaj s Cynic in Obscuro.

Nemški power metal veljaki Freedom Call se trenutno nahajajo v Soundart Recording Studio, kjer poteka snemanje njihovega enajstega studijskega albuma. Več podrobnosti sledi kmalu, spodaj pa lahko preberete izjavo banda iz studia:

»Hello to everyone from Freedom Call and big cheers from the Soundart Recording Studio. The recordings for their new studio album have started. Fantastic work of Ramy Ali - drums - (artist page) on the drums & Alexander Lysiakov on the sound machine. More infos will be revealed soon!«

Nizozemski progresivni thrasherji Cryptosis so posneli videospot za naslovni komad prihajajočega EP-ja The Silent Call.