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.«

Švedsko-kanadski death metalci Darkened bodo 14. junija pri Edged Circle Productions na zgoščenki, vinilu, kaseti in digitalno izdali tretji album Defilers of the Light. Ta prinaša enajst komadov:

Waves of Desolation
Defilers of the Light
Those Who Dwell Below
In Praise of Shadows
Just Close Your Eyes
Echoes of Solitude
On We Slaughter
Dead Inside
Masses of Vain Observance
As Apocalypse Dawns
Final Sanctuary

Nemški death/doom metalci Calliophis predstavljajo video za komad Trepak, ki ga boste našli na izdaji Dawn Of A Lifeless Age. Gre za split EP, ki so ga Nemci izdali skupaj z doom metal zasedbo Urza in bo izšel 3. maja. Na albumu bodo tako ti komadi:

Urza – Maunder Minimum
Urza – Through Ages Of Colossal Embitterment
Calliophis – Trepak
Calliophis – Endure Your Depression

Brazilski black metal veterani Amen Corner predstavljajo pesem The War of the Antichrist s sedmega studijskega celovečerca Written by the Devil, ki ga bosta 7. junija izdali založbi Hammerheart Records in Metal Army. Seznam pesmi je tak:

Intro
The War of the Antichrist
The Protectors
Fall and Ascension
Signal from Beyond
Inferno
Written by the Devil
The Splendor of Your Presence
Lúcifer, a Suprema Luz da Manhã

Metalcorovci SetYøurSails, ki bodo jutri izdali nov album Bad Blood, predstavljajo nov single z naslovom Bad Company. Album bo poleg omenjenega singla zajemal te komade:

Bad Blood
Best of Me
T.F.M.F.
Halo
Lately
Dangerous
Bad Company
In My Head
Heart Attack
Eternally

Sporočajo, da je umrl Horst Odermatt. Horst je bil na sceni dejaven že od zgodnjih devetdesetih, ko je deloval kot urednik revije Heavy oder was? Bolj znan pa je bil privržencem trših zvokov kot vodja ter ustanovitelj festivala Bang Your Head, od leta 2006 pa tudi festivala Rock Of Ages. Star je bil 60 let. Naj počiva v miru.

Ameriška enočlanska zasedba Xasthur bo 5. julija pri založbi Prophecy Productions izdala album Disharmonic Variations. Album bo zajemal trinajst komadov, tukaj pa lahko prisluhnete singlu Messenger of Your Reflection.

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.«

Italijanska avantgardna metal zasedba Syk predstavlja najnovejši video za komad The Cross. Gre za drugi single s prihajajočega albuma eartHFlesh, ki izide 10. maja pri Season Of Mist. Tracklista:

I Am the Beast
Where I Am Going There Is No Light
I'll Haunt You in Your Dreams
eartHFlesh
The Sermon
the Cross
For to Themselves I Left Them
The Passing

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!«

Nemški heavy metal/hard rockerji Kissin' Dynamite bodo 5. julija pri Napalm Records izdali album Back With A Bang, s katerega si lahko spodaj ogledate video za skladbo Raise Your Glass.

Lombardijski black/death metal band Hadit, ki se mu je lani pridružil Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Turris Eburnea, Vertebra Atlantis, The Clearing Path), predstavlja svež komad Screaming from the Throat of a Reversed Light Being z drugega albuma Metaphysical Engines Approaching the Event Horizon. Ta bo izšel 15. marca pri založbi I, Voidhanger Records, prinaša pa te komade:

Becoming the Light Eternally Driving on the Photon Sphere
Interstellar Medium's Rhapsody
Three Ways of Death After Gravitational Collapse
Screaming from the Throat of a Reversed Light Being
Find Your Death, Cosmic Wreckage
Blood and Gods Know Where Weakness Is
The Eternals' Dream Out of Time and Frames
Del tramonto sul nulla, dove fuoco diventa Cielo

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.«

Nemški heavy metalci Vulture so s komadom Unhallowed & Forgotten napovedali Sentinels, četrti dolgometražni album, ki bo izšel 12. aprila pri Metal Blade Records. Tracklista:

Screams from the Abattoir
Unhallowed & Forgotten
Transylvania
Realm of the Impaler
Draw Your Blades
Where There's a Whip (There Is a Way)
Der Tod Trägt Schwarzes Leder
Death Row
Gargoyles
Oathbreaker
Sentinels (Heavier Than Time)

Grška black metal zasedba Dødsferd sporoča, da bo maja izdala nov celovečerec Wrath. Natančneje naj bi album izšel 10. maja pri Hypnotic Dirge Records in bo zajemal te skladbe:

Restoration of Justice
Decay of Sanity
Raging Lust of Creation
Spiritual Lethargy
Heaven Drops with Human Filth
Failure Ablaze in Your Existence
Back to My Homeland… A Beast in Calm (vinyl only)