Metallian Heavy

Hailing from North Bay, Canada, FALAMH has a new demo, which is called Aeons Effigy. It follows the 2020 release The Unbound Beyond: I. The band was founded from the ashes of another act in 2019.

Ireland-based black metal group SENZAR has a full-length demo called Pyre Of Throes.

EMASCULATED VITUPERATION has released its debut album Rape Trauma Syndrome through Brutal Mind/Fat Tub Of Lard Records. It features guest vocal appearances from Brandon Smith of AGONAL BREATHING and Xu Zhaiyu and Dongda of THE DARK PRISON MASSACRE.

THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT is releasing V4 – Vernedering, a boxset containing V1 – Versvs, V2 – Vergelding and V3 – Vernedering. THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT comments: “Behold the trilogy which was never intended as a trilogy. This unashamed cash grab is just another insult for the true metal fan. Trade is a proper and decent relationship, with dignity and respect on both sides. But V4-Verbittering is the ultimate proof that these self-proclaimed emperors definitely have no clothes.”

Lethal Scissor Records has signed Italy-based grindcore band FADEAD. Featuring Ycio (VOMIT THE SOUL and PRECOGNITIVE HOLOCAUST ANNOTATIONS), V. (SPELLS OF MISERY, BOLVANGAR and VERTEBRA ATLANTIS) and R, FADEAD is a new project. FADEAD will release an EP called Terra Ferita soon.

MISERY INDEX has a new album, called Complete Control, which will be released through Century Media Records in May. The band is subsequently touring with ORIGIN and WOLF KING in North America.

UK-based SIDIOUS has a new album, called Blackest Insurrection, out through Clobber Records on March 11th.

The Italy-based black/death metallers DEATHCRUSH have signed to Time To Kill Records for the release of an album called Under Serpents Reign.

Sweden and Russia-based DEVOURER has a new release called Raptus. It is being issued through Iron, Blood And Death Corporation.

France-based death-doom metal group EPITAPHE has its upcoming second album II out through Aesthetic Death (CD) and Gurgling Gore (tape) on 11.04.2022.

Canada-based death metal band NECRONOMICON will be embarking on a North American tour this spring. The band will be co-headlining along with THE CONVALESCENCE and touring in support of the 2019 album Unus.

USA-based STRICKEN has a debut album called From A Well Of Emptiness, A Stygian Serpent Born through Horror Pain Gore Death. The band is compared to CANDLEMASS, CELTIC FROST and BONGZILLA and formed in 2017.

MORBID ANGEL has pulled out of Maryland Deathfest owing to COVID-19 and was replaced by DEICIDE, which will perform its 1992 album Legion in its entirety.

NILE guitarist and vocalist Brian Kingsland is sitting out the band’s U.S.A. tour with INCANTATION, SANGUISUGABOGG and I AM in order to spend time with his newborn son. Scott Eames (THY ANTICHRIST) filled in for him.

Dawnbreed Records shall release the self-titled debut EP of US blackened death metal act BURIAL CURSE for April 8th. Originally released by Famine Records as 100 cassettes, Dawnbreed is re-pressing this on tape, CD and 12”. The original recordings were lost, but Alex from Obscured By Evil Productions has re-worked the recording for this release.

Black metal band DEVILTOOK has an album called Heretic Manifesto through Base Record Production. The band was founded in 2017.

Megaforce Records founder Jon “Jonny Z” Zazula died due to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteopenia on Tuesday, February 1st. The man and his label had signed bands like ANTHRAX and METALLICA. He was 69.

DESTRUCTION, NERVOSA, SUNLORD and VX36ill tour Canada and the USA this April and May. DESTRUCTION, which is releasing an album called Diabolical as it commemorates its fortieth anniversary, will also play at the Maryland Deathfest.

Horror Pain Gore Death is issuing USA-based GORGED AFTERBIRTH’s Got Gore? album.

CROWN OF MADNESS has a demo called The Void and a single entitled The Manipulated. The members of the Canada-based band, whose sound is compared to GORGUTS, met through World Of Warcraft.

Season Of Mist has signed Norway-based black metal band BIZARREKULT. New music will be released through Season Of Mist’s Underground Activists in early 2023.

USA-based COME MIERDA’s Demo 2021 is being distributed by Horror Pain Gore Death.

Two years after the release of the Palindrome album, Romania-based KATHAROS XIII will release its fourth album this spring, a new collaboration with Loud Rage Music. The first single is called Neurastenia and is available now.

OBITUARY will embark on the RedNeck Run III U.S.A. tour with GRUESOME and 200 STABS WOUNDS this March and April.

Former EXODUS guitarist Rick Hunolt has a new band called DIE HUMANE. Also in the “avant garde alt-metal” band is LIFE OF AGONY drummer Sal Abruscato.

Sweden-based black metal act WATAIN has issued a single called The Howling. It is from the upcoming album The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain, which will be released on through Nuclear Blast on 29.04.2022. ABBATH and WATAIN will tour Europe this autumn.

EXHORDER and guitarist Marzi Montazeri have parted ways. The man left the band because, according to the band, they were experiencing musical differences.

VIO-LENCE has announced Let The World Burn as the title for its upcoming EP on Metal Blade Records. Former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson and former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers are part of the current line-up. The EP will contain five songs and be out in March.

Guitarist Dave Linsk will not join OVERKILL’s U.S.A tour due to “personal reasons” this month and will be temporarily replaced by former MACHINE HEAD and VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel again.

AMON AMARTH and MACHINE HEAD have a Vikings And Lionhearts co-headlining European tour in September and October. AMON AMARTH has issued a single called Put Your Back Into The Oar.

After two years of forced hiatus, Metalitalia.com, Vertigo and Cerberus Booking have announced details for Metalitalia.com Festival 2022. Taking place in September, the line-up includes SODOM, WATAIN, ABBATH, ASPHYX and BØLZER.

Two years following the release of No Sun Dared Pass Our Windows, the Italy-based black metal band HERUKA will work with Rude Awakening Records and release its third full-length Memorie this year. The record will be sung in Italian entirely once again.

Finland-based black metallers MORMANT DE SNAGOV have an album called Exquisite Aspects Of Wrath through Pest Records.

OUTRAGE is commemorating its 35th anniversary by releasing a CD/DVD compilation and a movie called Hagane Neiro No Sora No Kanata E, which features a biographical script. The CD/DVD includes older and new songs.

India-based R.A.I.D has an album called Defiance through Rottweiler Records on 25.03.2022. Rueban And the Imperium Division was founded in June 2016.

BRUJERIA is touring the USA using the Raza Odiada West America Tour 2022 this April and May. GOATWHORE and UNIDAD TRAUMA are opening.

TRIVIUM singer and guitarist Matthew Heafy’s IBARAKI project will issue its debut album, Rashomon through Nuclear Blast on May 6th. This is another act borrowing from Japanese culture.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM, featuring former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz, has signed with Alma Mater Records, which is owned by MOONSPELL‘s Fernando Ribeiro. The group’s first full-length, Antichrist Reborn, is out 15.04.2022.

Italy-based crossover act PLAKKAGGIO will issue a new album, entitled Verso La Vetta, through Time To Kill Records and Hellnation Music this month. PLAKKAGGIO HC was founded in 2004 and shortened its monicker in 2014.

VENOM INC., featuring VENOM guitarist Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and VENOM bassist and singer Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, will commemorate the 40th anniversary of VENOM’s Black Metal album by playing it in its entirety at the Keep It True festival in Germany on October 2nd.

Come one. Come all. Music-Records is offering contracts to any and all rock or metal bands, which would use its Track Down Music recording studio. With this offer, the band that records there will be signed onto the label and have its music distributed physically and digitally and also promoted by the label.

Avantgarde Music is issuing NON EST DEUS’ Impious (black metal from Germany), which is a side-project from KANONENFIEBER‘s Noise, KHAZAD-DÛM’s Hymns From The Deep (funeral doom from England), TOME OF THE UNREPLENISHED’s Earthbound (black metal/dance music from Cyprus) and OCEANSNOW’s Vivienne.

France-based gore grind group GRONIBARD will release a new full-length, entitled Regarde Les Hommes Sucer, through Season Of Mist in May. The label described the group as “the laziest band on earth.”


Metallian Hard

Canada-based power metal quartet LYCANTHRO has a music video for the lead single for its 2021 album Mark Of The Wolf. It was announced for 2020 initially.

SATAN will issue a new album, called Earth Infernal, through Metal Blade Records on April 1. A video for the song Burning Portrait is available now.

Swedish hard rock group EVERGREY will release a new album, entitled A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), through Napalm Records on 20.05.2022. The band is scheduled to tour Europe in September.

Spain-based power metallers THERAGON have a single entitled Blessed By The Storm through Art Gates Records. Blessed By The Storm is a seven-minute song narrating the story of Kaladin of the first book of The Stormlight Archive: The Way Of Kings.

BLACK SWAN, a project featuring singer Robin McAuley (MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP), guitarist Reb Beach (WINGER, DOKKEN and WHITESNAKE), bassist Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER and ex-DOKKEN) and drummer Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY and MR. BIG), has a second album. It is called Generation Mind and available through Frontiers on April 8. It follows the debut, Shake The World. All instruments except the drums were recorded by Pilson at Pilsound Studio in Los Angeles. The drums were recorded at On Deck Sound Studio.

SANDNESS will be releasing a studio album entitled Play Your Part through Rockshots Records in May. A song called High Tide has been released and features piano a la ELTON JOHN.

ACCEPT has signed to Napalm Records world-wide.

Former band drummer Mikkey Dee will play at a Tribute To MOTÖRHEAD concert at Mellby Horsepower in Laholm, Sweden on 23.07.2022. The show is to feature several surprise guests playing MOTÖRHEAD songs.

Brazil-based SILVER LYNX is a new hard rock act that has issued its debut demo. The band is inspired by the glam metal sound.

Young UK-based progressive rock and epic metal band KNIM has a debut single called A Prisoner On The Seas. The band is a trio.

Sneakout Records and Burning Minds Music Group are have announced T.M.T.T.80, which is the new album by Italy-based hair metallers RECKLESS. Take Me To the 80s will be issued on 29.04.2022.

UK-based hard rock band THUNDER has maintained its line-up and will release a new album, called Dopamine on April 29th. The single and video is called The Western Sky. THUNDER will also embark on a U.K. arena tour in May, which will go through London's Wembley.

MANTICORA is touring Europe this spring.

LEPROUS and THE OCEAN COLLECTIVE are touring North America.

ORANGE GOBLIN is playing Desertfest New York in May. The band will play several USA shows around the festival.

DANZIG, CRADLE OF FILTH and CROBOT will tour the USA this spring.

GEOFF TATE will perform the entire QUEENSRŸCHE 1994 album Promised Land at Limelight Belfast 2 in Belfast, Ireland on 28.08.2022.

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist and current solo artist CHRIS HOLMES has been diagnosed with cancer of throat and neck. He has canceled his show at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. The man has a Canadian tour planned for this spring and Europe in the autumn. His manager and wife has set up a fundraiser for him. Owing to the pandemic, W.A.S.P. has postponed its European 40th-anniversary tour, which was scheduled for spring of this year to the spring of 2023.

Frontiers Music will release a new NAZARETH album called Surviving The Law on April 15th. A single and video called Strange Days is available now.

Frontiers Music has yet another project. Different Worlds is the debut album by SKILLS and shall be released on May 13th. The band is singer vocalist Renan Zonta (ELECTRIC MOB), guitarist Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG) and drummer David Huff (GIANT).

Y&T, and its singer/guitarist Dave Meniketti, postponed two concerts in two weeks as the man had to be hospitalized for a medical procedure on February 11. He subsequently announced he is afflicted with prostate cancer.

TESLA has announced it will tour in the USA this spring and summer including appearances at Florida Strawberry Festival and M3 Rock Festival.

LOUDNESS’ European and North American tours have been postponed again. The band was due to tour in 2020. The group is aiming for tours of the two continents in 2023.

We believe you: KISS has announced that its October Kiss Kruise XI will be its "last performance onboard."

THERION will undertake the Leviathan II tour of Europe this autumn. The band is writing for a new album.

AEROSMITH will release Aerosmith - 1971: The Road Starts Hear in April. Originally issued for Record Store Day in 2021, this is a rehearsal recording of the band that is being issued by Universal.

KEEL singer Ron Keel has founded a record label called RFK Media. The first release from this company is Keeled, which is a five-track EP by RON KEEL BAND of 1980s’ KEEL songs. The label has signed a band called THE FIFTH.

Montreal, Canada-based ARAPACIS is working on a full-length for Blackhouse (physical) and Bullseye Records Of Canada (digital) to be called Suburban Mist. A single, called Urban Mist, is already out.

FATE GEAR is issuing its August 9th performance from AM Hall on DVD-R. It is called Live At AMHALL Osaka. The band is issuing a demo called Killers In The Sky and touring Europe using the Battle Against Justice Tour 2022 monicker this spring. Former GALMET drummer Idyako will take over the stool.

VIXEN bassist Share Ross is taking a break from band duties. Her replacement is Julia Lage, wife of Richie Kotzen and formerly of the Brazil-based rock band BARRA DE SAIA.

Japan-based GALACTICA PHANTOM is re-issuing its 2007 album From The New Galaxy through Disk Union on 30.02.2022.

Rockshots Records has signed Norwegian solo artist ANNIKEN for the release of her debut album Climb Out Of Hell, which will be out in May. She is also the singer and bassist for DARKEST SINS.

Spain-based MILFORD MOCS & GUNTHER CUCS has a demo called El Mantodeu on the 4th of March 2022. The band has recruited Marcel Duaigües (lead guitar) and Chus Nogales (drums) both from the now defunct band IN EXTREMIS. The demo was recorded with Joan Carles Marí (WHITE STONES and FACE THE MAYBE).

LIONSOUL has a single called Wailing In Red ahead of its A Pledge To Darkness album, which is out through Rockshots Records on April 29th. The band is described as heavy metal, but incorporated thrashy, industrial and pop synth sounds.

ANVIL has picked Impact Is Imminent as the title for its next album, which is out through AFM Records in May. The album’s title was also used by EXODUS in 1990.

Triggered anti-vaxxer. noun / ˈtrɪɡ.əd ˌæn.tiˈvæks.ər /


Metallian Demos

A GOOD ROGERING - SYSTEMATIC PARALYSIS
This (currently quintet) Austin, USA-based band's debut dates back to 2010. Twelve years later, a few other releases that included an "acoustic-driven" release and few line-up changes that included founding member and bassist Aric “Chef” Wright leaving the band is back with this eight song release called Systematic Paralysis. The stated influences vary from Megadeth to Black Label Society and to Faith No More. The opener and single Face Value starts with a big guitar segment and then quickly settles into a mostly Alice In Chains-esque low key and monotonous song. Its more aggressive seconds don't change the impression of the song too much. A quick jump into the title track follows. It also starts with a big riff but then moves to something funk-ish, it switches back and forth but again the overriding impression is of a low key song. The lyrics' theme is not difficult to guess but it could be taken in more than one way in the way governments are now perceived and operate. A Victory Lost is next and remains a ‘90s’ throwback. Another Handout doesn't offer much different musically but it is more consistent in its delivery and the guitars come off more hard rock like. Hands Of The Conqueror is perhaps what counts as acoustic driven. Without Words is an acoustic minute. Clones For Death has Skunk Manhattan sounding like Dave Mustaine. Hints of Megadeth feel like sprinkles that don't make the song too Megadeth sounding. The seven and a half minutes song ends with some catchy guitar and bass work and then culminates with a surprisingly speedy and heavy ending. All There Ever Is is a ballad that manages to convey despair well. Videos for the first two songs are available via the band's site at www.agoodrogering.com – Anna Tergel