Grški melodični death metalci Death League so z besedilnim videospotom za komad Closer to the End napovedali prvenec Inferno, ki bo izšel 16. avgusta pri Theogonia Records. Dolgometražec prinaša vsega skupaj deset komadov:

Infernal Dust
Hysteric Epidemic
Approaching the Madness
Closer to the End
Fall from Grace
Annihilated Race
Next in Line
Death League
Enchant the Evil Spirit
Fail in Secrecy

Nastala je nova heavy metal superskupina Category 7, ki jo sestavljajo vokalist John Bush (Armored Saint, Anthrax), kitarista Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob, Sonic Universe, Noturnall) in Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Kerry King, Vio-Lence), baskitarist Jack Gibson (Exodus) ter bobnar Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Overkill). Zasedba ustvarja mešanico NWOBHM-ja, thrasha, punk-metala in tradicionalnega metala, njen prvi single pa sliši na ime Exhausted, ki ga lahko preverite spodaj.

Doom/ambient/neoclassical projekt Aythis, za katerim stoji Carline Van Roos (Lethian Dreams, Remembrance, ex-In Somnis), je v začetku meseca izdal kar dva dolgometražca, in sicer Celestial Exile ter Lost Lighthouse.

Spodnja pesem The Endless je del albuma Celestial Exile.

Romunska folk metal zasedba Bucovina se septembra in oktobra odpravlja na headlinersko turnejo po Evropi. Band bodo na turneji spremljali Finsterfrost (26. 9.–4. 10.), Sojourner (5. 10.–13. 10.), Firtan, and Countless Skies. Kje boste lahko karavano ujeli, pa preverite na sliki.

Newyorški avantgardni ugankarji Krallice bodo kmalu izdali nov album. Petnajsti po vrsti bo nosil ime Inorganic Rites in bo izšel 5. julija, spodaj pa lahko prisluhnete singlu Flatlines Encircled Residue.

Predstavljamo vam polinezijsko metal zasedbo Shepherds Reign iz South Aucklanda (Nova Zelandija), ki pojejo v samoanščini. So petčlanska polinezijska metal skupina, ki združuje samoanski jezik in kulturo z metalom, obstajajo pa že od leta 2013. Spodaj lahko prisluhnete najnovejšemu videu za skladbo Ala Mai (Awaken).

Death metalci 200 Stab Wounds predstavljajo še en single s prihajajočega albuma Manual Manic Procedures. Gre za komad Ride the Flatline, album pa naj bi izšel 28. junija pri Metal Blade Records.

Brutal Assault je razkril vse nastopajoče, ki se bodo na letošnji različici festivala razvrstili na glavnih odrih. Prišlo pa je tudi do nekaj t. i. zamenjav. Namesto My Dying Bride bodo nastopili Candlemass, namesto Pig Destroyer pa Cephalic Carnage, ki bodo na BA odigrali kar 2 ekskluzivna koncerta. Nastop so odpovedali tudi After The Burial, Darkest Hour, Devil Master, Spiritworld in Ten56., namesto njih pa prihajajo na Češko Acid Row, Aeon Winds, Deadroots, Distant, Doomas, Exorcizphobia, Ions, Mallephyr, Ocenas Ate Alaska, Persefone, Stellvris in Take Ofense. K celotnemu lineupu dodajajo še šest underground imen, in sicer 1914, Cloak, Hellripper, Chthe'ilist, Sfera in Worm. Na sliki v novici si lahko preberete tudi dnevni razpored zasedb.

Festival se bo letos odvil med 7. in 10. avgustom, na voljo pa so tudi tako imenovane dnevne vstopnice Brutal Inspection, ki so omejene na 300/dan.

Nemške legende thrash metala Exumer se skupaj z veljaki Hirax avgusta odpravljajo na evropsko turnejo. Žal se to pot banda ne bosta ustavila pri nas, kje vse ju boste lahko ujeli, pa najdete na sliki.

Festival Eindhoven Metal Meeting je razkril še sobotnega headlinerja – to so Katatonia. Na ogrevalnem koncertu v četrtek bodo nastopili Deadhead in The Omega Swarm, napovedali pa naj bi še dve zasedbi. Na dogodku, ki se bo odvil 13. in 14. decembra, bodo torej nastopile te zasedbe:

DARK FUNERAL (petkov headliner) | KATATONIA (sobotni headliner) | ASPHYX | THE KOVENANT | AGENT STEEL | M.O.D. | ANAAL NATHRAKH | IMPALED NAZARENE | CARPATHIAN FOREST | REVEL IN FLESH | HOUR OF PENANCE | EMPYRIUM | SCHAMMASCH | CHAPEL OF DISEASE | AKHLYS | ALFAHANNE | SVARTTJERN | SOULBURN | SAVAGE GRACE | THY ANTICHRIST | MALPHAS | FRACTURED INSANITY | VIOLENTHOR | THREE EYES OF THE VOID

Znan je razpored nastopajočih po dnevih za letošnjo edicijo avstrijskega Area 53 Festivala. Ta zgleda tako:

četrtek, 11. julij:
AMORPHIS, Katatonia, Orden Ogan, Infected Rain, Grailknights, Mission In Black, Vertilizar, Psych, Shimmer.

petek, 12. julij:
AVANTASIA, KK's Priest, Decapitated, Angelus Apatrida, Nachtblut, Robse, Skull Crusher, Sonic Riot, Dystersol.

sobota, 13. julij:
BEHEMOTH, Alestorm, 1349, Blaze Bayley (30 let Iron Maiden), Nakkeknaeker, Vinegar Hill, Silenzer, Watch Them Fail, Dearish, Frühschoppen (z Jazz Gitti).

Hrvaški Manntra so tretji najavljeni headliner hrvaškega festivala Pannonian Rock Festival 2024. Poleg Hrvatov so bili najavljeni še:

Funeral (Norveška)
W.E.B. (Grčija)
Drama Noir (Grčija)
Murdery (Španija)

Tridnevni festival se bo odvijal od 15. do 17. avgusta. Vstopnice so na voljo, zanje boste do 10. maja ali do razprodaje 150 »early bird« vstopnic odšteli 74 EUR.

Ameriški death metalci 200 Stab Wounds predstavljajo videospot za komad Hands of Eternity. Z njim napovedujejo drugi studijski album Manual Manic Procedures, ki ga bodo izdali 28. junija pri založbi Metal Blade. Album prinaša komade:

Hands of Eternity
Gross Abuse
Manual Manic Procedures
Release the Stench
Led to the Chamber / Liquified
Flesh from Within
Defiled Gestation
Ride the Flatline
Parricide

Iz tabora hrvaških doom metalcev Old Night sporočajo, da jih je zapustil vokalist in kitarist Matej Hanžek. Vrzel v zasedbi bo na vokalu tako zapolnil njegov brat Ivan, na kitari pa se je zasedbi pridružil Rafael Cvitković (Nekroza). Spodaj lahko preberete celotno izjavo banda:

»This is a post I write with a heavy heart, yet full of hope and with a bright look on the future. After eight years with us as our lead singer and frontman, earlier this year Matej decided to step down from his duties within Old Night. I know you are hoping for some gossip or a sassy story, but there was no drama involved. He just wants to focus on other things in life and at this point, music is not a priority for him. Having said that, I wish to thank him on our behalf for everything he has done for us, all the great times we shared on stage and backstage, but also for all the long hours he has put in working on our first three records. It was a privilege and you'll always be a part of our family. Obviously, this news has taken us aback and we had to figure out how best to proceed. We took some time to see what our options were, as this is an important role we needed to fill. After much deliberation we figured out we need not look outside our band for a perfect candidate as we have one in our midst. Ivan has been singing all the backing vocals from day one and from now on he will be handling all the lead vocals. No need to worry, he’ll remain our lead guitarist as well.

The only piece of the puzzle left to figure out was who’ll play the rhythm guitars? Without further ado, we welcome Rafael Cvitković, from the Croatian death metal machine Nekroza, as our new guitarist. If you attended our concerts, you might have already seen him filling in on sound checks or working on our merch booth. Nekroza just released their debut album on InsArt Records – you can check them out and show them your support.

With our line-up complete, we will continue working on our new record and we hope we’ll have some news in that regard soon. In a couple of weeks, we’ll have our first concert with the new line-up and we can’t wait to present you the New Old Night.«

Drugi headliner na festivalu Metaljot Raspaljot 2024 bodo nizozemski pionirji death metala Pestilence! Kot šesta potrditev se pridružujejo doslej najavljenim bandom Bombarder, Rotting Christ, Skytower, Kaoz in 1914.

Festival bo potekal 5. julija na občinskem dvorišču v Laškem, v predprodaji pa je trenutno na voljo 200 vstopnic po ugodnjši ceni 32 EUR. V redni prodaji bodo nato stale 35 EUR oziroma 37 EUR na dan dogodka.