Ameriški death/doom metalci Tzompantli so razodeli komad Chichimecatl kot prvi single z drugega studijskega celovečerca Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force, ki ga bodo 17. maja izdali pri založbi 20 Buck Spin. Album obsega te naslove:

Tetzahuitl
Tlayohualli
Tlaloc Icuic
Chichimecatl
Tetzaviztli
Otlica Mictlan
Icnocuicatl

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.«

Švicarski moderni metalci Korrupted so objavili videospot za nov single Choices.

Zasedba Tzompantli bo 17. maja izdala nov album The Drums Of Ancestral Force. Tukaj lahko prisluhnete prvemu singlu Tlayohualli.

Nemški heavy metalci Inner Axis sporočajo, da je pri založbi Fastball Music izšel njihov najnovejši album Midnight Forces. Tracklista:

I am the Storm
Strike of the Cobra
Midnight Hunter
This is the Way
Evil Dead
Spartan War-Cry
Steelbladed Avenger
Master & Commander
Burn with Me
Blade of Glory

Angleški power metalci Dragonforce so prejšnji petek pri Napalm Records izdali album Warp Speed Warriors. S tega albuma so objavili tudi svež videospot za skladbo Burning Heart.

Sobotni koncert zasedb Relentless Youth, Gründ, The Kripless v idrijskem Swenaku je odpovedan. Tako pravi organizator: »Due to unfortunate circumstances we are being forced to cancel the Relentless Youth release party!! We'd like to extend an apology to the bands and to all of you that were planning on coming this Saturday.«

Švedski simfonični metalci Amaranthe predstavljajo sveži video za skladbo The Catalyst. Isto ime nosi tudi njihov zadnji dolgometražec, ki je izšel konec prejšnjega meseca pri Nuclear Blast Records. Švedi se trenutno mudijo na evropski turneji skupaj z Dragonforce in Infected Rain, 7. marca pa jih lahko ujamete tudi na Dunaju.

Japonski doom/death metal veljaki Coffins so obelodanili komad Spontaneous Rot s prihajajočega albuma Sinister Oath, ki izide 29. marca pri Relapse Records. Tracklista:

B.T.C.D.
Spontaneous Rot
Forced Disorder
Sinister Oath
Chain
Everlasting Spiral
Things Infestation
Headless Monarch
Domains of Black Miasma

Power metalci Dragonforce predstavljajo nov single Astro Warrior Anthem s prihajajočega albuma Warp Speed Warriors. Album izide 15. marca, spodaj si pa lahko tudi ogledate video za zgoraj omenjeni single.

Black metal dvojec Inquisition se naslednje leto vrača z novim dolgometražcem. Album z naslovom Veneration Of Medieval Mysticism And Cosmological Violence naj bi izšel 26. januarja in bo zajemal naslednje komade:

Witchcraft Within A Gothic Tomb
Crown Of Light And Constellations
A Hidden Ceremony Of Blood And Flesh
Force Of Death Is The Force Of Life
Memories Within An Empty Castle In Ruins
Primordial Philosophy And Pure Spirit
Infinity Is The Aeon of Satan
Pathway Of Light Is A Pathway To Fire
Light Of My Dark Essence
Secrets From The Wizard Forest Of Forbidden Knowledge
Sorcery Through Crystal Eyes In Search Of The Devil
Veneration Of Medieval Mysticism And Cosmological Violence
Lord Of Absolute Darkness And Infinite Light

Ameriški melodični death metalci House of Atreus so objavili besedilni video za pesem Thy Wounded Sovereignty, s katerim napovedujejo prihajajoči EP z naslovom Orations. Izšel bo 2. februarja prihodnje leto pri založbi Iron Bonehead Productions, prinaša pa naslednje komade:

Orations / Reascension of Mastery
Thy Wounded Sovereignty
Under an Accursed Dynasty
Morphos of Degeneration
Cathedral of Ancestry
Riding the Storm (priredba Running Wild)

Iz tabora organizatorja našega največjega festivala MetalDays prihaja sporočilo, da so spremenjeni pogoji za nastop novih, mladih in še neuveljavljene glasbenih skupin na New Forces Stage 2024. Za nastop se je treba najprej prijaviti, nato sledi izbor bandov, na podlagi katerega so ti povabljeni na t. i. »battle« nastop v živo, kjer si lahko priigrajo nastop na festivalu MetalDays. Več informacij najdete na Facebooku in ali spletni strani organizatorja.

Inner Axis so objavili videospot za svoj nov single Burn With Me, ki se nahaja na njihovem prihajajočem albumu Midnight Forces.

V torek je ameriški thrash metal/crossover band Enforced pod okriljem založbe Century Media Records izdal single Casket, ki ga predstavlja z vizualizerjem.