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.«

Danski doom/gothic metalci Blazing Eternity so izdali single A Certain End Of Everything, ki je hkrati naslovni komad njihovega prihajajočega albuma, ki bo izšel 19. aprila pri Mighty Music.

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!«

Včeraj smo poročali, da bodo nizozemski death metalci Severe Torture izdali nov celovečerec Torn From the Jaws of Death, ki bo izšel 7. junija pri Season of Mist. S prihajajočega albuma so zdaj objavili še video za naslovni komad The Death of Everything.

Nizozemski death metalci Severe Torture bodo izdali Torn from the Jaws of Death, svoj šesti studijski celovečerec. Ta bo izšel 7. junija pri Season Of Mist. Prednaročila so že možna, seznam pesmi pa je tak:

The Death of Everything
Marked by Blood and Darkness
Hogtied in Rope
Torn from the Jaws of Death
Christ Immersion
Putrid Remains
The Pinnacle of Suffering
Through Pain and Emptiness
Those Who Wished Me Dead
Tear All the Flesh off the Earth

Alexey Polyansky se je po desetih letih vrnil k domačim progresivcem Seventh Station. Tako pravi band: »Please give a warm welcome-back shout-out to Alexey for coming back to the band after 10 years of absence. Alexey is a very gifted musician and he will fill up the missing gap in the band in the bass guitar role. Alexey was also the co-founder of Seventh Station and we are so happy to see him come home.«

Avtor fotografije je Valeriy Lapshov.

Thomas Eriksen, ki stoji za imenom Mork, je pred kratkim razkril, da se v njem skriva tudi Udåd. Na to ime sliši njegov najnovejši black metal projekt, ki bo z istoimenskim albumom razkril drugo plat Eriksena. Izid je napovedan za 15. marec pri Peaceville Records. Kako zveni Udåd, pa lahko preverite prvi singel Avgudsdyrker, ki ga najdete spodaj.

»It is satisfying to unveil the first track from the first Udåd creation. It was both painful and rewarding to get this out of my being and onto tape. Pure atmospheric darkness straight into your soul. "Avgudsdyrker" was chosen as the first single as it represents the different elements of the album well. Take some minutes out of your everyday life, light a candle, cover the windows, turn off the lights and just take it in.«

Crossover thrash metal zasedba Belushi Speed Ball bo 10. maja izdala nov album Stellkira. Prvi single My Favourite Color Is Pizza je že na voljo za poslušanje, objavili pa so tudi naslove drugih komadov, ki bodo del ploščka:

My Favorite Color Is Pizza
This is the Peak
Eels and Escalators
Get to the Point
Glass Bones and Paper Skin IV
The Adventures of Rick and Mortarion
Garth, Let My Family Go
Griffith Did Literally Everything Wrong
The Hash Slinging Slasher
The Accountant's Due (Stab the Katana)
Tater Tot Eyes

Enočlanska black metal zasedba Selbst bo 19. aprila izdala album Despondency Chord Progressions, s katerega predstavlja videospot za komad Chant of Self Confrontation. Tracklista:

La encarnación de todos los miedos
When True Loneliness Is Experienced
Third World Wretchedness
Chant of Self Confrontation
The One Who Blackens Everything
Between Seclusion and Obsession
The Stench of a Dead Spirit

Iz tabora finskih metal čelistov Apocalyptica je odjeknila vest, da se je band razšel z dolgoletnim bobnarjem Mikkom Sirénom. Spodaj lahko preberete celotno izjavo banda:

»Some of you may have already seen us playing without our drummer Mikko Siren in Brasil and Mexico earlier this year...or have heard rumors to this effect. We are very sorry to have to inform you that we have amicably parted ways with Mikko after 20 years. Recording our forthcoming album was our last collective achievement. Also, we want to reassure all of you that we – Eicca, Perttu and Paavo – will continue as APOCALYPTICA. We wish Mikko happiness and success in everything he aims for in all his future endeavors!!«

Pred dnevi pa smo tudi poročali, da se Apocalyptica septembra odpravljajo na turnejo po Evropi.

Avtorica fotografije je Saša Krajnc.

Avstrijski black metal šamani Anomalie sporočajo, da so zaključili snemanje novega celovečerca. Kdaj bo album ugledal luč sveta, še ni znano. Izjava banda:

»A few minutes ago we tracked the very last vocal takes for the new Anomalie album which is now ready to get mixed by V. Santura during the upcoming months.
We gave our absolute all and can't wait to share some music with the world later this year!«

Francoski progresivni metalci Kozoria sporočajo, da so sklenili sodelovanje z založbo Black Lion Records. Izjava zasedbe:

»Kozoria is excited to announce a brand-new partnership with Black Lion Records for its debut album! We are eager to share our fresh prog music across the world! See you very soon…«

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)

Italijanski black/death metalci Keres so posneli besedilni videospot za komad Exist for War s prihajajočega dolgometražnega prvenca Homo Homini Lupus. Ta bo izšel 23. februarja in prinesel osem komadov:

Exist for War
Immaculate Incarnation of Darkness
Oblivion
Pale Horse of Extinction
Until Everything's Burned
Leviathan
Eradicate the Infected Seed
Void and Silence

Grški simfonični metalci Horrorgraphy in Snowy Shaw so posneli besedilni video za komad Prison z aktualnega ploščka A Knight's Tale.