Metallian Heavy

Listenable Records has signed MONUMENT OF MISANTHROPY to a multi-album deal. The group was founded as a solo project by singer Georg Wilfinger (ex-MIASMA) in 2010.

France-based BIND TORTURE KILL, or BTK, has released its third full-length album, Sauvagerie. The band is compared to NAPALM DEATH.

Finland-based TORMENTOR TYRANT has an album called Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty through Everlasting Spew Records on 24 January 2025. This is the trio’s first full-length following a MLP.

Avantgarde Music is issuing US black metal trio SKALDR’s album Saṃsṛ and Finland-based VOID OF HOPE’s (featuring members of MOONLIGHT SORCERY and ONDFØDT) debut, Proof Of Existence.

Sweden-based death metal band IMPURITY has an album, called The Eternal Sleep, through Hammerheart Records in March 2025. It was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at Sunlight Studio and mastered by Dan Swano.

Australia-based death metal band DREAMING DEATH, featuring members of BEYOND MORTAL DREAMS and OATH OF DAMNATION, has a debut EP, called Sinister Minister, through Lavadome Productions. The band is Pahl Hodgson (guitar, bass and vocals), Ross Duncan (guitar and bass) and drummer Matt “Skitz” Sanders.

The new line-up of AVULSED has announced a new full-length album, called Phoenix Cryptobiosis, through Xtreem Music for March 4th, 2025.

Christian imprint Rottweiler Records has six songs on the occasion of Christmas. These are MANGLED CARPENTER‘s take on the traditional carol I Saw Three Ships, PULPIT VOMIT obliterate Jingle, Jingle, Jingle, mallcore act EXONERATION’S God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Mary Did You Know, THE FINAL WITNESS’ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Freedom From Satan), IGNITE THE GODS’ Mary Did You Know and I AM THE PENDRAGON’s Holy Mystery – Revised Edition.

UK-based MUTAGENIC HOST has its debut album, The Diseased Machine, co-released by Gurgling Gore, Dry Cough Records and Memento Mori in January.

CANNIBAL ACCIDENT will release an album, entitled Disgust, through Inverse Records, on 28.02.2025.

Landkrieg is the new full-length by Germany-based death metal band SCALPTURE. It is available through Testimony Records in March 2025.

CRYPTOSIS returns with its sophomore album, entitled Celestial Death, through Century Media Records in March. There is a video for the song Faceless Matter. The band is touring with ONSLAUGHT in Europe next May and June.

GRAVE will have its premiere gig with the original and reunited line-up in Stockholm at Kulturhuset on April 5th 2025. CRYPTORIUM and VOMITORY will open.

USA-based death thrash band FINAL SIEGE has signed with WormHoleDeath Records and released an album called Nuclear Doom State December 27, 2024.

You’ve Got Red On You is a split release from NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS and BLOODFEAST RITUAL in February 2025.

USA-based thrash metal band MINDWARS has signed a new contract with High Roller Records. The label will release the band’s V demo in January 2025. MINDWARS was founded after Mike Alvord and Roby Vitari (formerly of HEADCRASHER) reconnected through social media at the end of 2013. The two had met when HOLY TERROR was touring with EXODUS and NUCLEAR ASSAULT in 1989. MINDWARS is also headed to Japan.

Italy-based MIND CONTROL has a digital release called Ghosts Of Past And Present. It contains a Christmas song, Carol Of The Bell, and two self-cover versions with the newer line-up.

Italy-based death metal act DARK REFLECTION issues a debut EP, called Under The Sign Of Vlad Țepeș, through Pest Records this month. The EP delves into the history of Vlad The Impaler.

神风=Vento Divino is the title for the new album by Turin, Italy-based FEARYTALES. The band mixed metal with non-metal influences. The record is out through Underground Symphony.

CONVULSE has uploaded a song called King Of A Kind. There is a lyric video for the song. CONVULSE will embark on its 35 Years Of The Decay anniversary tour in Europe for three weeks in May 2025. The tour will focus on the World Without God album. World Without God will be performed in its entirety in Mexico this summer.

SADUS has dumped drummer Jon Allen after a video appeared online that alleged the musician physically abusing his partner, Brandy Mae Collins who was hospitalised reportedly for abuse and a kidney transplant. She alleges Allen has an alcohol problem. Collins’ friend Devin Reiche, singer/bassist of the American ANUBIS, had shared the video. SADUS was touring with OBITUARY. HIRAX has replaced the band at Maryland Deathfest.

The Spain-based thrash metal band VINODIUM has an album called En Qué Mundo Vivimos? (‘What Kind OF A World Do We Live In?’) through Art Gates Records.

Described as being for fans of SEPULTURA (Cavalera Bros era 84-96), AT THE GATES, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT and FUCK THE FACTS, M.T.M.D (Maximum Threshold, Minimum Decay) is the name of a demo by Montreal, Canada-based CHÜZO. It was released on November 15, 2024.

Poland-based black metal band HÅLLBAR has a debut full length demo, entitled Nemesis on January 31, 2025. A lyric video for the song Nemesis is also available.

GENOCIDE KOMMANDO has a new full-length called Third World War, through Osmose Productions. The label has also released CMPT’s Na Utrini album.

Australia-based CHRIST DISMEMBERED has a demo called Ov Vampiricy on February 25th, 2025. The band is compared to BEHEXEN.

UK-based doom/sludge act with keyboards TIGGUO COBAUC’s Fountains Of Anguish album is released in North and South America through Exitus Stratagem Records as of 20.12.2024. It was issued through Trepanation Recordings (UK) and Fetzner Death Records on April 26th, 2024 originally. The band has added drummer Antoine Mouquod.

ARCH ENEMY, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, BAEST and THROWN INTO EXILE are touring Canada and the USA this spring. ARCH ENEMY is supporting its Blood Dynasty album. The band will also appear at Milwaukee Metal Festival 2025.

HAZZERD’s new album, The 3rd Dimension, is out through M-Theory Audio on 17.01.2025. It features new guitarist Nick Schwartz (also of TYMO).

Fallen Angel has announced the release of a new SLAYER 6CD box set, Blood Spills – Live On Air. It features 6 recordings meant for live radio broadcast and available on 21.02.2024.

DARK ANGEL will debut new music in its hometown of Los Angeles at the Whisky A Go Go on January 29, 2025.

USA-based metalcore act DEATH RATTLE has a video for a song called Immersed In Black. It comes in advance of an album through M-Theory Audio in the spring. The band is touring the USA with ASHES OF THE PRIEST (a LAMB OF GOD tribute band), heading to Japan to open for LEFT TO DIE (A DEATH tribute band) and Europe to open for GORGOROTH, AETERNUS and ARCHAIC.

VASTUM will play thirteen shows on its Violations On The Cross US Tour 2025 in March and April. Support comes from GOETIA on most of the concerts. The band will also appear at Disemboweled God Fest 2025 alongside DETERIOROT, IMPALED and others.

Romania-based death metal band PUTRED has a full-length called Megalit Al Putrefacției through Memento Mori in January 2025.

ISTAPP will release a new full-length called Sól Tér Sortna through Trollzorn on March 06, 2025. There is a lyric video for the song Under Jökelisen.

Germany-based black metal band TEUFELNACHT has an album called Finstere Teufelrock Rituale through Crawling Chaos/Bleeding Heart Nihilist. Per its label, the band insisted on a lack of publicity in advance.

Germany-based speed metal band AXETASY has a debut full-length called Withering Tides. It is out through Dying Victims Productions in January 2025.

Poland-based PANDEMIC has an album called Phantoms through Dying Victims Productions.

ROTTING CHRIST has announced a live album called 35 Years Of Evil Existence for early 2025. The album was recorded and filmed at the historical hill of Lycabettus in Athens, Greece in the summer of 2024.

Darkness Shall Rise Productions will release Slime Abyss, the new album by black metal duo TUBAL CAIN on 27.02.2025.

Greece-based EUPHROSYNE will release an album called Moru through Black Lion Records on 21.03.2025. Morus is a concept album inspired by the true story of the death of guitarist Alex Despotidis’s mother due to cancer in 2017.

Following its Summertime Sorrow full-length of 2024, atmospheric band A SOMBER FUNERAL has a stand-alone single called Celestial Child. “This song is dedicated to a mother (name unknown) who lost her child two weeks before birth. I met her during my vacation in the summer of 2013.”

SHADOWS FALL has signed with MNRK Heavy and uploaded a song and video called In The Grey. It is the band’s first new music in over a decade.

Groove/thrash band BLESSED CHILD has a demo called Crossing The Pit. There is a video for the song Roll With The Changes.

SACROSANCT has signed a worldwide record deal with ROAR, which will release the band’s forthcoming album, entitled Kidron, on March 7, 2025.

Germany-based thrash metal act FABULOUS DESASTER has re-released its 2016 debut full-length Hang ‘Em High through MDD Records. There are several self-cover versions added to this version.

Finland-based RE-ARMED has a song called Sky Falls Down featuring a guest appearance by female singer Mirva Saviniemi.

Everything is “post” now because actually playing metal is difficult and not trendy. Solo act CORRODING SOUL’s self titled demo of “atmospheric post black metal” is out on January 24th.

France-based “philosophic post-black metallers” DECLINE OF THE I has an album, entitled Wilhelm, through Agonia Records on 14.02.2025. The band has a music video for the song L’ Alliance Des Rats, featuring guest vocals from T.C. (REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER) and Vestal (MERRIMACK). The band’s main man A.K. is also in MERRIMACK.

Lithuania/USA-based white metal duo JONAVA has an EP called Heaven Empyreal through The Charon Collective.

EX DEO, featuring KATAKLYSM singer Maurizio Iacono, will issue the Year Of The Four Emperors EP through Reigning Phoenix Music in January. The band will embark on a tour of Europe that month in support of DARK FUNERAL and FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE before heading to North America in the spring in support of SEPTICFLESH and VLTIMAS. Iacono manages a couple of these bands.

Century Media will present its Label Night on the T-Stage of Summer Breeze festival this summer in Germany on the 13th of August. The following acts will appear: WARDRUNA, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, SÓLSTAFIR, AGNOSTIC FRONT, BORKNAGAR, COLDRAIN, SUFFOCATION, HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY, WARMEN, KUPFERGOLD, CRYSTAL LAKE, HELLRIPPER and BAEST. Other bands appearing at the festival are GOJIRA, MACHINE HEAD, BLIND GUARDIAN, LIK, UNLEASHED, RIVERS OF NIHIL, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, OBITUARY, AGNOSTIC FRONT, PRIMORDIAL and ELVENKING.

LAMB OF GOD’s Headbangers Boat 2025 is sailing from Miami, Florida, USA on October 31st. The lineup includes POWER TRIP, CROWBAR, FEAR FACTORY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THE EXPLOITED, NEKROGOBLIKON, GIDEON, WALLS OF JERICHO and CATEGORY 7.

Slowly We Rot fanzine #24 is available now. Interviews include WEDDING PARTY, BENEDICTION, BLASPHEMOUS GOAT VOMIT, BLEMISH, SEVERE TORTURE and many more. https://slowlywerot.limitedrun.com/

Former EXCITER guitarist John Ricci’s POWERRAGE has signed to High Roller Records. A debut album is due out sometime in 2025.


Metallian Hard

SALLY, former guitarist for LIPSTICK, has a solo album called Burn It through Marquee/Avalon in February 2025. Several guests on the shredding album provide vocals, keyboards, etc. SALLY will be performing live on her birthday in March in Tokyo. Solo artist Ibuki is on vocals, Azu of LAZYGUNSBRISKY on bass and Mari will be on drums for the concert. Openers are MELLOWS, HADES and LITTLE LILITH.

Listenable Records has signed Germany-based TYRAN to a multi-album deal. Listenable will rerelease TYRAN’s debut full-length Tyran’s Oath on January 31, 2025. The album was issued through Iron Shield Records in April originally.

SACRED STEEL will release its tenth album, Ritual Supremacy, in April 2025. The band will follow it up with a performance at the 25th anniversary of the Keep It True Festival and other shows. The album is the first to feature new members Toni Ieva (bass) and Jörn Langenfeld (guitar) who joined the band in 2023.

JORN has two 25th anniversary concerts at SURR Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden for September 20. Guests are COMMUNIC and The CRUEL INTENTIONS.

RAVEN is commemorating its 50th Anniversary throughout the year and has an EP called Can’t Take Away The Fire in February. The limited edition of 1,000 CDs comes numbered and signed by the band. There is a band patch included.

Finland-based MIDJUNGARDS has a visualizer for Ermesinda, which is taken from the upcoming release, Ravens And Eagles, due in 2025.

BRAINSTORM has an album, called Plague Of Rats, through its new label RPM in February. Garuda (Eater Of Snakes) is the name of a video. The song refers to the tale of Garuda, the mythological half-human, half-eagle creature known for killing snakes and serving as the messenger of the Hindu gods.

MOB RULES is recording a new album with producer Markus Teske. It is due through the band's new record company ROAR this summer.

Brazil-based hard rock and heavy rock singer and guitarist ISA NIELSEN has a demo called Break The Chains since December 2024. It is being promoted by DMG.

UK-based SORCERESS OF SIN released an album, entitled Ennea, through Wormholedeath Records on 20.12.2024. It deals with Greek mythology.

SAXON, GRAND SLAM and GIRLSCHOOL are conducting the Hell, Fire And Steel European tour.

A new show called Öland Rock at the island with the same name in Sweden has booked SAXON, HAMMERFALL and TUNGSTEN among others for this July.

Chicago-based AFTERMATH is in the studio recording a new album. It is the follow-up to 2023's No Time To Waste.

Metallic Blue Records and Avalon Records will release LETHAL X's, 90 Tons Of Thunder, album on January 17 2025. LETHAL X features singer Jeff Martin and drummer Harry Gschosser of RACER X, as well as bassist Mike Szuter and guitarist Milan Polak. Paul Gilbert of RACER X makes a guest appearance.

Italy-based heavy metal band HELLGUARD has a lyric video for the song The Fall Of Lucifer.

AIRFORCE, featuring drummer Doug Sampson (ex-IRON MAIDEN), returns with a new album called Acts Of Madness. It is out through ROAR in February. The album was recorded in 2020 initially, but delayed due to the pandemic and the recordings were lost before much of the material was recovered from demos. The group is booked for the Harder Than Rock Festival 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia in March.

Venezuela-based K&F band ANFÍTRITE has a demo called Clitemnestra. It deals with Greek mythology.

No More Tragedy is a new live DVD and CD by LOVEBITES. It will be released on March 5, 2025 and features the concert at Tokyo Garden Theater held on September 1, 2024. The title stems from how the show proceeded during a typhoon, which meant many fans could not make it to the concert. The concert was the Japanese stop of the Thin Line Between Love And Hate tour.

Spain-based WICKED LEATHER has uploaded two songs and a video for Night Hunter and Echoes Of The Storm through Jawbreaker Records.

Frontiers Music has signed MASTERPLAN. The band is touring currently and also planning a headlining tour across Europe in 2025. There will be a new release in 2025.

Progressive band THE THIRD GRADE has an EP called Quadrivium: Resonances through Art Gates Records on 31.01.2025.

Heljarmadr, the lead singer of DARK FUNERAL, has a self-titled solo demo. The music is a mix of harsh metal and ambient. Sarah Jezebel Deva (known from CRADLE OF FILTH) is on female vocals. There is saxophone, keyboards and other instruments.

HELVETETS PORT, AMBUSH, CHRIS HOLMES, AIR RAID, PENTAGRAM, COVEN JAPAN, HANDS OF GORO, ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK, SABBAT, MINDLESS SINNER, etc. are booked for Muskelrock festival in Sweden this May 29 to 31.

Montreal-based band MAD PARISH has uploaded a song called Loched, in advance of a concept demo called The Dust Of Forever, which is scheduled for release in January 2025. A limited edition comic book is also available. This band has a keyboardist.

Greece-based SUNLIGHT is back with an album called Son Of The Sun through Total Metal Records.

THE OLD DEAD TREE has a new album, entitled Second Thoughts, through Season Of Mist.

MOONLIGHT HAZE has re-signed with Scarlet Records and will release a new record, called Beyond, through Scarlet Records in the spring. Singer Chiara Tricarico is a live member of AVANTASIA and the record is produced by Sascha Paeth (AVANTASIA, etc.). Chiara also contributed to MANOWAR's Highlights From The Revenge Of Odysseus.

Heavy rock duo HELLFIRE 76 has issued its first full-length, Rags To Rage. The band is described as having a "heavy Southern stoner devil metal sound."

French guitarist BAPTISTE BRUN has a solo demo, Elevatio, on January 10th, 2025. " The album promises to showcase Baptiste’s evolving sound and musical depth."

Featuring members of HELION PRIME, BEHOLDER, VIS MYSTICA, MOKILI WA, NORDIC FROST, OUTLOUD, DOUBLE VISION, etc., LUNAR has an album, entitled Tempora Mutantur, through Saibot Reigns Records in January 2025. The band's live debut is at Hyperspace Metal Festival 2025 in Vancouver, Canada on April 11th.

Leopard Skin is the name of the next LA GUNS album. It is slated for the spring of 2025. The band's The Lucky MF’r Tour of the USA is underway now.

NIGHTSTALKER has a new album, called Return From The Point Of No Return, through Heavy Psych Sounds on 14.03.2025. A video for the song Uncut is available now.

Vancouver, Canada-based THIRTEEN GOATS is touring Vancouver Island as part of the Tour Of The Black Flame supporting OPAL IN SKY alongside NAMELESS KING in March 2025. THIRTEEN GOATS issued an album called Capricorn Rising through Exitus Stratagem Records in 2024.

A criminal said immigrants eat pets and Americans voted for him. You know everything you need to know about right-wingers and Americans now.


Metallian Demos

REBEL SOULS - LEVIATHAN
It sounds odd to say that this four-song release sees Rebel Souls shift into a lower gear, because it is extreme death metal all the same, but that is how it feels compared to its full-length predecessor. The song Leviathan's lyrics, like the release's cover artwork, do not seem to hint at anything underwater (by the way, those Aquaman movies sucked. Stick with the comic books if you must). However, the whole thing is full of the type of death metal any fan of Krisiun, Vader or Deicide would proudly blast loudly. The vocals are deadly and often doubled up. The lead guitar is sublime and the drummer has a better sound than 80% of the twiggy drummers nowadays. Democracy, by the way, is in trouble because people vote for fascist right-wingers including in places like Germany and Spain. The Philanthropist has a few delicious licks and if the lyrics reference how our system is so broken that we have to rely on the charity of the super-rich leeches, then it gets it right. The song is better and heavier than Death's The Philosopher, but fear not; if a 'philosopher' is a must then the title track has one for you. Warmonger again has a few things to say and creates a sublime atmosphere when its warm drum sound and the soloing interact. Best for last? Cognitive Warfare may be the best track of the four. Again, the band does not skimp and multiple channels are used for the recording in general and the drums in particular. Uncharacteristically for metal, the song and the demo fade out. Leviathan is a great listen. The band may have slowed down a bit, but this will still cause miscarriages. - Ali "The Metallian"