Metallian Heavy

Toronto, Canada-based death metal group COPROLITH has its debut full-length Putrescence available through Me Saco Un Ojo Records in July of 2026.

Hailing from Groningen, The Netherlands, and born from the ashes of ENTRAPMENT, SAVAGE has an EP called Septic Tomb through Dawnbreed Records and Necrolatry Records on July 6th 2026. The vinyl edition of Septic Tomb, to be released by MilkCow Records, will include bonus demo tracks.

Indonesia-based death metal duo VERTIGINOUS has an album called Incessant Affliction through Comatose Music on August 7th 2026.

Ireland-based death metal band LEADBELCHER has signed with Apocalyptic Witchcraft for the release of a debut album, called Heaven’s Bloated Corpse… The band features current and former members from SERMON OF FLAMES, MORTICHNIA and COSCRADH.

Brazil-based death metal band NERVOCHAOS has signed with Black Lion Records. A new album is slated for the autumn of 2026.

Eleven years after the Damnation Doctrine demo, USA-based death metal band NECROCOSM has a new demo. It is called To The Depths.

USA-based GRIM LEGION is back with an album called Harbingers Of Death through Horror Pain Gore Death on July 10th, 2026. It is the band’s first release since 2018’s Vile And Exhumed EP.

Death metal band DRAGSHOLM is back with a full-length called The Bloodlines Of Bram, which explores the story of Dracula, war and other occult themes. It follows the 2024 Sorrow Hexen EP.

After 33 long years of activity, Germany-based death metal band SOUL DEMISE has thrown in the towel. The band issued albums on Season Of Mist, Remission Records (run by its manager) and Apostasy Records a.o. The band states that a farewell show may yet be forthcoming, but the reason for the disbandment is “internal band matters” and “health issues.”

Romania-based OMNITROCY has a debut album called States Of Conscious Matter through Loud Rage Music this summer.

Brazil-based death metal band EREBOROS releases a demo called From Oblivion To The Grave on October 30th 2026.

Poland-based black/death metal band DOOMBRINGER has a new record, entitled Ad Compita!, through Nuclear War Now! Productions on August 30th, 2026.

Italy-based death/doom newcomer band ETERNAL MOURN has signed with Terror From Hell Records and will release a debut EP, “Winds Of Sorrow, on July 20th, 2026. The band was born from a collaboration between drummer Debla and guitarist/vocalist Gabriel (BLACK OATH, THE RITE and EXTIRPATION), and later completed by guitarist Eros (EXTIRPATION and FUNEST) and bassist/vocalist Santo (ARAPHEL and DEMONOMANCY).

Spain-based death/doom metal act IN LOVING MEMORY has lost its guitarist Jorge Araiz to cancer. The band’s keyboardist died in 2025.

RAINING LOCUSTS has issued a single called Maligned Into Deformity through The Charon Collective. The Christian duo is Canadian musician Royden Turple (SCARLET OATH and THE BECKONING) and Texas-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Derek Corzine (Corzine Studio, TESTIMONY OF APOCALYPSE, BURIAL EXTRACTION, etc.).

USA-based WARFORGED has an album called The Grove | Almanac. The Artisan Era will issue it on 14.08.2026.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is issuing SQUELCHING’s self-titled release. The act is a solo death metal project built around “fixation.” The band is compared to SKINLESS, SNUFFED ON SIGHT and THE ACACIA STRAIN.

LITOST has an album called Logos through ArtGates Records on 23.10.2026. This release marks the culmination of a conceptual trilogy. “This album continues to work with the concept of Aristotle’s rhetoric…”

USA-based death metal band GUTFUCKED has announced the death of its drummer and founding member Nate Flores on 17.06.2026.

Mors Certa, Hora Incerta is the debut full-length album by Katowice, Poland-based band STARLESS VOID. It is released through Case Studio.

The Netherlands version of MARTYRIUM has an album called Malevolent through Apostasy Records on 21.08.2026.

Finland-based melo-death band DYING REVERIE has a full-length demo called Embrace Of The Black Water as of 05.06.2026.

Finland-based melo-death band SIGYN has a lyric video for the song The Crawlers, which is taken from the band’s From Nation To Chaos album. It will be released through Noble Demon on July 10th 2026.

Sweden-based WORMWOOD has a single, simply called Å, through Black Lodge on August 7th 2026.

Sweden-based NEKRODAWN, featuring ex-members of CENTINEX, THE CROWN and GRAVE, has a full-length album. Covenant Of Carnage is available through War Anthem Records on August 21st, 2026. It was produced, mixed and mastered by singer and guitarist Jonas Kjellgren who is formerly of CENTINEX.

TAAKE has an album called En Skog Av Nidstang through Dark Essence Records on 31.07.2026.

Austria-based black metal band ILL TIDINGS has an album called Seeds Of True Rebirth through Vendetta Records.

Poland-based black metal band TERRESTRIAL HOSPICE has an album called Omnicide – Chapter I through Edged Circle Productions in September of 2026.

Greece-based black metal band HERETIC CULT REDEEMER has an album, entitled In Oculum Chaos, through Serpent Sun Records on July 24th, 2026.

Finland-based ARCHGOAT‘s 2026 studio album is called Nightbringer, Lightbringer. It shall be released through Debemur Morti Productions in September.

Finland-based black metal act ALKUHARMONIAN KANTAJA issued a second full-length, entitled Melas Khole, through I, Voidhanger Records on June 26th 2026.

Time To Kill Records has signed black metal band BLOODMOTHER. The band will release a debut full-length album, called Militant Black Magic, soon. The band was founded by guitarist Kuolontuoja in 2021.

Spain-based FOGOS has an album called Of Wyrm And Men through Satanath Records.

Keyboard-laden band THEOSOPHY has an album called Line Before the Event Horizon through its new label Apocalyptic Witchcraft on September 25th 2026.

Germany-based WALLFAHRER has a demo called Knochenkabinett.

Germany-based solo black metal act TABERNAKEL returns with a full-length album, Scheintaufe, issued through Iconoclasm Conquest and Death Ecstasis Productions on July 31st, 2026.

Inspired by KEEL? One of the originators of death metal, Canada-based SLAUGHTER has reformed after 31 years. The band’s sole proper full-length was 1987’s Strappado. SLAUGHTER has uploaded a rehearsal video for a song called Incinerator.

Inspired by KEEL? ARCKANUM has reformed and recorded an album called Beswærilsin, which will be released through Darkness Shall Rise Productions in October of 2026. An EP called Motestandarin is available now.

TÓMARÚM has signed with German label Vesperian and will release its third full-length some time in 2027.

Inspired by KEEL? Germany-based thrash metal band TEMPLE OF THE ABSURD has reformed after 26 years. TEMPLE OF THE ABSURD is singer Sabina Classen, guitarists Robert Frese (formerly on bass) and Thomas Schröder, as well as newcomers Falko Grau (bass – also in STORMWARRIOR) and Robert Julien Schmidt (drums). The band has uploaded a song called Prayer and promises an album for later this year.

Canada-based WITCHES HAMMER will release a full-length called Final Storm through Nuclear War Now! Productions on 30.08.2026.

Romania-based black metal band WARHYMN has a full-length album called Founder through Loud Rage Music in the autumn of 2026. The album concludes the trilogy that began with the debut album Gnosis (consciousness), continued with Cult Of Primordials (crime and free will) and now turns its focus to the rise of the first civilizations.

Reissue and rerelease label Dawnbreed Records has announced the vinyl release of The Netherlands-based black metal band ELFSGEDROCH’s Voor De Groninger Poorten – Hoogmoed Eindigt In As demo as of June 19th, 2026. It is a concept inspired by the siege of Groningen in 1672, when the city resisted the invading forces of the bishop of Münster, Bernard Von Galen.

USA-based thrash metal band DECEPTOR will release its debut album Reign Of Terror through Dying Victims Productions on 21.08.2026.

VOID and Mexico-based PHANTOM are touring North America in September of 2026.

USA-based SEVEN CHAINS has released an album, called Swollen, In Flux, through I, Voidhanger Records.

Yet another project: Scott Eames (as the Wicked One) on vocals and guitar, bassist Maxwell Lavelle (as Malvernis) and drummer Darren Cesca (as Agares) have a “black metal” band called WICKED ONE. According to founder and songwriter Scott Eames: “I used to play the Wicked One character in a previous band. After having a blast playing the character for years and many tours, it felt like Wicked One deserved its own voice.” Members have experience in NILE, PILLORY, VITAL REMAINS and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER was (of course) commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Nocturnal full-length with a headlining tour of Europe in early 2027.

Very hip: Solo, masked and anonymous! I PROÉLEFSI by M Eidolon has an EP called Pógeio Vasíleio · Υπόγειο Βασίλειο (‘Underground Kingdom’) through Depressive Illusions Records on July 10th. The Chilean man behind the act is described as “a seeker of knowledge, truth and ancient wisdom.”

Yet another pop cover version. Keyboard damaged act THY SANATORIUM has a cover version of a song called Take On Me by a pop act called A-HA.

Yet another pop cover version. MERRIMACK has recorded a cover version of DEPECHE MODE song Wrong.

Solo noise/synth/extreme metal act TOMI PERRAKOSKI, run by podcaster Tomi Perrakoski, has a demo called Homeland. It deals with native American history.

Serbia-based DRUNEMETON has a demo called Dweller Of Carcosa as of June 8th, 2026. The band has included cover versions of BLIND GUARDIAN‘s Mordred’s Song and ANCIENT RITES‘ Mother Europe. Neo-Nazi band GRAVELAND had an early demo called Drunemeton.

USA-based melodic death metal/heavy metal band SYN ABSENCE has a new video for a song called Dreamers Of Time. The band is compared to CHILDREN OF BODOM, KALMAH and BLIND GUARDIAN.

Bulgaria-based DEADSCAPE has a new singer. Her name is Krisi Borisova and she replaces Mirela Kaneva. The line-up has a new video called Withstand The Cold Winds.

Harrison McKenzie (OLDE THRONE) has a project called IMMISERATOR. Apocalyptic Witchcraft will issue the debut album, The Blight Of Subsistence. It was founded by Harrison McKenzie in late 2025 as an “experimental” death metal project. The themes include immiseration, technological domination, class collapse and terminal capitalism.

Romania-based thrash metal band RUYNED has an album, entitled Profanum Sacrificium, through Osmose Production.

Albania-based so-called post-metal act MORGU has a demo called Offerings as of June 7th, 2026. “Offerings is a concept record built around the life of a single character, explored through different moments…”

Italy-based experimental band VISCERA/// has an album called 4. Assets For Psychedelic Warfare. It will be released through Time To Kill Records on 24.07.2026. The band’s previous album was issued nine years earlier. The band has replaced guitarist Marcello Bellina with Riccardo Brembilla since the album’s recording.

Sweden-based CIPHER SYSTEM has an EP called Torn Between Realities through At Dawn Records. There is a video for the song Endveiler.

Germany-based speed/thrash metal band SPACE CHASER will issue a full-length album, called Razorblade Bay, through Testimony Records on September 11th 2026. Guitarist Leo Schacht is also on the mike now.

Canada-based TRISKELYON has a studio release entitled Metalmorphosis in August of 2026. The band has uploaded a song called Heartbreaker.

Greece-based CAELESTIA pays homage to the dead singer of MAYHEM, Dead/Per Ohlin, through a song and video called Dead Eternal. The song is taken from the Revelations In Black album, which will become available on July 24, 2026.

Finland-based groove band CROWNSHIFT and bassist Jukka Koskinen have parted ways. The band is in the midst of recording an album.

Australia-based groove and metalcore act SUSPENDED ANIMATION has a demo called The Three Track EP.

Pro life and animal rights metalcore project FEELINGLESS, led by songwriter and guitarist Hugo Markaida, has released a single called Rise From The Ashes through Art Gates Records. For this track, Hugo Markaida has two guests: Aimar Antxia, vocalist of THE FLYING SCARECROW and Pedro J. Monge who performs a guitar solo on the track.

Germany-based groove and thrash metal band DOGTAK has a demo called Shattered Reflection on 21.08.2026. The band was founded as a solo project of Björn Condon in April of 2025 and changed its name in July of the same year.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN is conducting the final shows of its Calculating Infinity tours in Europe before heading to the USA in October.

Sludge band TOMB SLAB has a self-titled debut release through Road To Masochist. The act features THE ATROCITY EXHIBIT guitarist James Caygill and THE INFERNAL SEA singer Dean Lettice.

UK-based funeral doom act APHONIC THRENODY has a full-length, entitled Grace My Heart, on August 7th 2026.

UK-based extreme “tribal” act WYRDSTAEF will release Primordial Bloodlines through Apocalyptic Witchcraft on 04.09.2026. The band has been heard on British national television, appearing on Channel 4’s Britain’s Most Historic Towns.

THE BERZERKER‘s The Reawakening demo from 2008 will be released on limited edition splatter vinyl, CD and cassette on October 30th, ahead of the band’s performance at Damnation Festival in Leeds, UK. The album was pulled by the act following the initial release and will now be available through Apocalyptic Witchcraft. It will also be available on digital platforms on July 17th, 2026.

Progressive/alternative/extreme metal band LIFESWALLOWER has a demo called Lifeswallower, through Prog On! Recordings on 01.09.2026. LIFESWALLOWER began on the south coast of England as a project playing 1990s death metal covers. The band is compared to TOOL and MORBID ANGEL.

Nu modern aggro-grunge core band NEMOPHILA has hired guitarist Ika formerly of ARKROYAL as a live musician.


Metallian Hard

TOKYO BLADE has a new album. It is named Hoist The Colours High and will be issued by Cherry Red Records on 21.08.2026.

Norway-based heavy metal act SINSID will release an album called All That Remains on July 10th through Pitch Black Records.

German heavy metal band THE NIGHT ETERNAL has an album, called Cold Velvet, through Metal Blade Records on 21.08.2026. It was recorded at Church Of Sound Studio by Michael Zech, the guitarist of SECRETS OF THE MOON.

UK-based heavy metal band ASMOVEL has a full-length entitled Set The World On Fire on 01.20.2026.

UK-based heavy metal band SELLSWORD has a demo called …with Might And Vengeance.

Germany-based HM act LUCID DREAMING has a new song called Confederation, featuring Ralf Scheepers, Blaze Bayley, Alessio Perardi and Deon Van Heerden. The song is taken from the upcoming El Puerto Records album Upon The Barricades, which will be issued on July 10th, 2026.

Mirror Self-Recognition (～鏡像認知～) is a new full-length by Osaka, Japan-based heavy metal band IN THE MIRRORS.

Germany-based Occult band MAJAK has signed with Cruz Del Sur Music. An album is expected in 2027.

SAXON has booked a tour of the UK and Ireland called Gods Of Thunder World Tour - Part 1 for February of 2027.

Female-fronted DEATH DEALER UNION has a music video for Cult Of The Moonlight in advance of its Dark Sister demo, which is slated for release on September 18th. DEATH DEALER UNION has two US gigs lined up for October.

TYGERS OF PAN TANG has a new album, entitled Electrifyed, through Mighty Music on 11.09.2026.

VOIVOD singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger will sit out the band's European tour this summer in order to attend to a family emergency. Snake will be temporarily replaced for the shows by former VOIVOD and current E-FORCE singer and bassist Eric Forrest. Eric was in the band between 1994 and 2000.

USA-based IRONFLAME has an album called Worlds To Conquer through High Roller Records in August.

Norway-based hard rock band DUCKWALK CHUCK has a demo called 525, which coincides with the band's 25th anniversary. DUCKWALK CHUCK is compared to MOTÖRHEAD, ROSE TATTOO and THE CLASH.

Former LIPSTICK guitarist Sally has joined poppy all-girl act LONESOME_BLUE.

Art Gates Records has signed I LEGION, a project founded by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fred Riverin. It is described as modern metal mixed with 80s hard rock. The act's catalogue includes collaborations with the likes of Björn Strid (as usual), Chris Clancy (AS I LAY DYING), Angel Vivaldi and Andy James.

Italy-based EXPIATORIA is marking nearly 40 years of history with A History In Three Acts, a self-cover version release retracing every incarnation of the band with songs spanning the doom/goth band's entire discography, alongside a new track, The Incredible Worm Man, which previews an upcoming studio album. The release, which will be published by Diamonds Prod., coincides with the band's appearance at the Luppolo In Rock Festival on July 18, 2026 and features the return of original vocalist Massimo Cottica on two tracks.

BLACK ODYSSEY's self-titled debut demo was released on June 5th, 2026. The Greece-based band claims influences from JUDAS PRIEST, RAINBOW and BLACK SABBATH.

Germany-based neoclassical metal band MICHAEL SCHINKEL'S ETERNAL FLAME has an album called Man Or God through Fastball Music this autumn.

Germany-based hard rock band LYRA'S LEGACY has recruited drummer Hartmut Stoof to replace Sven Drewinske.

SAVATAGE played its first concert with drummer Blas Elias (TSO) at this year's Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden on Thursday, June 4.

VICTORY will perform 1989's Culture Killed The Native and 1990's Temples Of Gold albums in their entirety on tour in Europe in 2027.

URIAH HEEP is touring Germany in August of 2026.

Sensory Records has signed LAZARUS EFFECT, which is the new solo project of former SYMPHONY X bassist Thomas Miller. An album is due this autumn.

AIRFORCE has signed with BraveWords Records. AIRFORCE has a cover version of the IRON MAIDEN song Strange World, which strangely is "Set in the IRON MAIDEN “Somewhere In Time” universe..." Drummer Doug Sampson had played on the original IRON MAIDEN version that was recorded during Iron Maiden's Soundhouse Tapes sessions. Former Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Sullivan is a guest player on the song. AIRFORCE is booked to open for RAVEN, GIRLSCHOOL and ALCATRAZZ on tour in late 2026.

STRYPER will release an album, called Throne Of Thorns, through Frontiers Music on 25.09.2026.

SAMMY HAGAR returns to tour the UK for a first tour since 1996. The concerts were downsized due to a lack of ticket sales. Three of the five dates are at the British Airways ARC in London.

Russia-based doom metal band SCALD will release an EP, called Relics, through Cruz Del Sur Music on 04.09.2026.

Faroe Islands-based folk rockers TÝR are conducting the Valhalla Calling Europe Tour in November and December of 2026. This is the act's first headlining tour of Europe in 7 years. Opening are Twilight Force, Dragonland and Vanaheim.

Doom act SLEEP has uploaded a song called Have Spacesuit Will Travel through Third Man Records. The band has announced a North American tour for this autumn featuring a headlining slot at Levitation Fest on Sept 13th. The band features Bubba Dupree on guitar and Dale Crover on drums now.

Stoner/doom act TEMPLE WITCH has a forthcoming full-length release. TEMPLE WITCH traveled to Pittsburgh in the USA to record at The Vault with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Hillis (grunge bands like ALICE IN CHAINS and PEARL JAM) to record in an intense three-day session in October of 2025.

Bassist Daryl Parson has left the UK-based doom metal band SOLSTICE prompting the band to search for a replacement. The new man has to be based in the UK.

Italy-based doom metal band SHORES OF NULL will issue a new record, called Homesick, on 16.10.2026.

Germany-based stoner band WEEDWIZARD has a demo called Blood Cathedral on July 3rd, 2026. It includes a self-cover version of a song called Down. The band was founded in 2013.

Having just recruited guitarist Panagiotis Chalkidis, Greek goth/doom band DAYLIGHT MISERY has decided to throw in the towel after a period of inactivity and one last show, supporting NIGHTFALL, in Athens, Greece on October 24th 2026. The concert also features SHATTERED HOPE.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN has a new album in November of 2026. It is called Hell Or High Water. Come Hell Or High Water was the name of a DEEP PURPLE live album.

Lemmy is dead and the band is no more, yet the weekly email$ keep coming, "proudly" announcing that MOTÖRHEAD ha$ relea$ed this, endor$ed that and $lapped it$ name on another thing.


Metallian Demos

DIGELSOMINA - SIC ITUR AD ASTRA
It is fortunate that this release landed in my lap. The vehicle of guitarist Andy DiGelsomina is billed as "doom metal" and features no less than Robert Lowe of Solitude Aeternus and Candlemass. The opening track Mahanaim is a doom metal masterpiece, but this does not tell the bigger story.
The opening cut of the demo is just what the doctor ordered for fans of Solitude Aeternus' debut. That was when the band had epic doom metal power and Lowe's melodies reached the heavens. Yet, beyond the doomy foundation, the CD occasionally picks up speed to match the heaviness. The vocals and extensive soloing are matched by numerous time changes and a variety of styles. In that context, much of this album is as much epic Manilla Road, progressive metal and '70s heavy rock, as it is Into The Depths Of Sorrow. Six minutes in and the vocals of Robert Lowe are what have coursed through my veins for the last 35 years when listening to his former main band. The man can still deliver. This proves that all Lowe needed was the right music to motivate and propel him, and DiGelsomina delivers. Imagine a world where they keep releasing crappy post metal (whatever!) after metalcore release and a record like this remains unsigned and unsupported.
Yet, as hinted above, the track’s magnitude is not consistently repeated. It comes close a couple of times certainly, but there are also songs and passages where the composition goes awry, with DiGelsomina having full control allows him to give himself carte blanche to go offbeat or make the segment sound more like a bona fide jam than a song. Harbinger Of Doom could also be called Harbinger Of Heavy Rock. Winternacht has an instrumental power metal segment before the vocals enter. It is somewhat primitive and loads of guitar everywhere. There are tempo changes in multiple songs and the 11-minute Winternacht goes from power metal to progressive to losing points for wasting time and becoming a de facto rock out instead of a song. Entombed By Choice begins with a trademark Black Sabbath riff.
The fact is that DiGelsomina combines as much doom and prolific soloing with high-tempo passages. It is epic metal or doom metal on speed and more than appreciated here amongst the Metallian Towers' knights, and not only because the cover depicts a Metallian Towers' serf who was contracted to model or how it is perversely amusing to hear Lowe scream "there is no God." - Ali "The Metallian"

NOMENKLATURA - CHOEUR À L'OUVRAGE POUR LE PAIN BÉNIT
Nomenklatura sings about communism and its related themes, events and organizations and if the solo act has any respect for its chosen subject, it would do the right thing and… throw in the towel. The music is so bad that any association it bears would do more to discredit communism than its critics ever could.
The Canada-based solo act occupies the exact midpoint between dungeon synth and extreme metal noise, which means it inherits the style of neither. This is from the 'fuck melody' school of music, which on paper sounds cool. Mostly travelling at Mach III, the sheer nonsense and artificiality of the songs here wears out its novelty pretty darn quickly though. It is extreme stuff and, coupled with the topical focus, it could have amounted to something interesting, but the tracks rarely offer anything beyond undifferentiated cacophony. The vocals make the Nazgul sound mainstream in comparison. What makes matters worse is that a song like Brûler Le Swastika Héritique actually shows a modicum of potential. The real frustration is that buried beneath the racket is a glimpse of what the act might have been capable of including topically. - Ali "The Metallian"

ADXHD - ATTRACTION THROUGH ADHD
This release is described as "brutal death metal," yet recommended for fans of Hatebreed and Machine Head! Confused? Indeed, it gets even more odd. The same sentence that calls ADxHD "brutal death metal" goes on to describe the band and its demo as "groove-laden." Which is it? Make up your mind, man. Well, it's only a four-track release, so it won't take long to find out. Incidentally, there is also a crusty band with the same name in South Korea.
First, though, the concert depicted on the cover looks like it would have been an intense one to attend. It is too bad I missed it. At least, here is the music to soak in instead. It is brutal and deathcore. Slamming Deathcore. The band is heavy and crushing, but the vocals, as deep as they are, form more of a backdrop to the instrumentation. Attraction Through ADHD could be described as music-driven. Unfortunately, the music is impure as it is laced with electronic elements. Too bad about these elements as the guitar riffing on Dopamine Seekers, for instance, is effective. Breaking The Crowd's vocals are different. They are still obviously extreme, but suddenly less deep and more throaty on this track. It must be a different singer performing them.
Interestingly, given the band's style, the stage artwork on the cover is adorned with a reference to The Malleus Maleficarum, which was written in 1484.
The publicity blurb studiously avoids mentioning the word, but this is modern deathcore with all its advantages and pitfalls. - Anna Tergel