Nagano, Japan-based death metal band INVICTUS will release a full-length album, called Nocturnal Visions, through Memento Mori/Me Saco Un Ojo Records on January 26, 2026.

Slovakia-based trio HECATONCHEIR will see the release of a vinyl version of 2024’s Nightmare Utopia through Violence In The Veins on the 16th of December 2025.

Canada-based SANCTVS, a black metal solo project of Mortheos (GEVURAH, NOVAE MILITIAE, etc.) has signed a contract with Osmose Productions and will release the De l’Abîme Au Plérôme album on January 30th 2026.

And now for those seeking something a little more deep: Germany-based death metal band ENDLESS CURSE has a demo entitled DISGUSTING EXISTENCE. The blistering EP continues the band’s “hardcore mantra” of “Drink, smoke, and don’t give a fuck!”

Germany-based black metal act ASARU returns after more than a decade with a new album, V.O.I.D. It will be released through Schwarzdorn Production on January 23rd, 2026. The band was founded by singer and guitarist Frank Nordmann in 1995.

USA-based duo DIMENSION OF THE ABANDONED has a self-titled debut demo. Referring to the band’s genesis, “after leaving NIVIANE, I wanted to prove to them and to myself that the songs I had written, which were rejected, really were the next step forward and could connect with metal fans of any style,” says guitarist, bassist and composer Rick Stallkamp.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is releasing LETHWEI’s debut Album Lethwei Vol. 1. LETHWEI is a new grindcore project from Matti Güey (FORMLESS MASTER, ROTTENNESS, DEFIGUREMENT), Ben Anft (NOISEM, CASTLE FREAK, MUSCIPULA) and Jm Cave (DWELLING BELOW and OCCULSED). Lethwei Vol. 1 is themed around martial arts (specifically Lethwei, a form of muay Thai where fighters can take substances to be revived if they are knocked unconscious).

Malta-based true death metal BOUND TO PREVAIL will release its debut full-length album, Enthroned In Torment, through Lethal Scissor Records on January 7th, 2026.

USA-based ARCHITECTURAL GENOCIDE has an album called Malignant Cognition through Comatose Music on 16.01.2026.

Switzerland-based techno-death metal band ANACHRONISM and USA-based SUNLESS are touring Europe.

Hungary-based techno-death metal band ANGERSEED returns with a second full-length album, Rapture Is Mine… Glory Is Ours, nine years after the band’s debut, The Proclamation. The lyrics contain a “characteristic social-critical perspective” and there is a Hungarian-language bonus track, Epilógus/Számvetés 33, a “poetic and introspective summation of frontman Peter D. Maniak’s 33-year musical journey.”

Italy-based techno-death metal band HUMAN has a demo called Concetto Transeunte. HUMAN was founded by guitarist Edoardo Boccato as a solo act in 2010.

EYE OF PURGATORY has signed a contract with Apostasy Records and will release a full-length album called Darkborne on the 13th of February 2026. Band member Roger “Rogga” Johansson has been releasing one or two albums a month recently.

USA-based death metal band VITRIOL has gone on hiatus. In the middle of a USA tour, new guitarist Keith Merrow, bassist Brett Leier and drummer Andy Vincenzetti split from founding member Kyle Rasumussen and abandoned him, and his girlfriend, with the band’s gear at a gas station in Vermont/shop in New York state (depending on who you believe). The remainder of the tour, which included opener Unmerciful, was cancelled. Rasmussen went on social media and asked for donations to cover travel expenses for the return trip home. The departing members were also all new. The departed members report they will begin a new band. Rasmussen admits to using cocaine and becoming irresponsible.

ARCH ENEMY and singer Alissa White-Gluz have parted ways. She had been in the band since 2013. As part of her corporate statement, she said, “stay tuned for big news in 2026 and see you very soon.” The singer has uploaded a song called The Room Where She Died, which is taken off her forthcoming solo album.

Germany-based death metal band SAPROBIONTIC has signed with Black Lion Records and will issue a full-length called Of Fire And Bloodshed in 2026.

Sweden-based death/thrash metal band ZADISM has a debut EP, called Under Sadistic Law, through De:Nihil Records and Dala Destroi Records.

Apocalyptic Witchcraft has signed black metal crustband WOLFBASTARD. A new album, Satanic Scum Punks, is due for release on March 13th 2026. The group was formed in 2012 and features members of FOETAL JUICE and BURIAL.

Mexico-based DECRYPTER has a demo called Nechronicles.

HIRAES, and openers NOPREACHERS, are touring Europe in the winter of 2026.

The Netherlands-based metalcore act TEXTURES has a comeback album, called Genotype, through Kscope in January 2026.

Norway-based VREID has signed a deal with Indie Recordings.

UK-based MONACHOPSIS has an animated lyric video for the song Letters From The Doomsday Vault, which is taken from the death metal band’s The Carcass Choir demo.

ASPHYX has cancelled its upcoming show at Obon Fest due to severe health issues within the band.

Germany-based death/doom trio PUTRIDARIUM has a 7″ called Natvm Ad Mortem through Night Terrors Records on 16.01.2026.

He was in only 20 other bands so needed more: Sweden-based doom/death act SOLUS REX, the solo project of Peter Svensson, has a digital mini-album called Scenes From Yonder Life through Obelisk Polaris Productions. The album was built around lyrics written over almost 25 years.

1349 has issued Winter Mass, a live album captured at Oslo’s Parkteatret, through Season Of Mist.

Metal Blade Records has signed Greece-based black metal band YOTH IRIA. A new album is expected in the spring of 2026.

Mexico-based black metal band MUERTO has re-signed with Transcending Obscurity Records and will release an album in 2026. A song called Serpentine Echoes is available now.

Norway-based black metal band NATAS has an album called Mara through Dusktone.

Ukraine-based black metal band WINDSWEPT will release The Devil’s Vertep album through Season Of Mist on December 12th 2025.

USA-based WORM has signed a deal with Century Media and announced an album called Necropalace for February 13th 2026.

Chile-based black metal band UMBRIO has an album called Quintaesencia Nocturna through Vampiric Militant Legions. The CD is limited to 100 copies.

Germany-based black metal group INFAUST will issue its first album since 2017. Entseelt will hit the streets on January 30th 2026 through Eisenwald.

Belgium-based PREDATORY VOID has signed with Pelagic Records and shall release an EP, entitled Atoned In Metamorphosis, in February of 2026.

Renewer is the title for a full-length from Slovenia-based black metal solo act MOSSGIVER. It is available through Sij MusicArt on February 6th 2026.

Athens, Greece-based SONS OF HADES has an album called Tombs Of The Blind Dead through Floga Records. The band was formed by guitarist and vocalist Apostolis K. in 2023.

Avantgarde Music is issuing ABYSMAL GRIEF’s Taetra Philosophia (doom metal from Italy), and UNFYROS’ Star Blood (black metal from Finland) this month.

USA-based duo ODYN has a release called The Chronicles Of The Sacred Eye, Pt. II: The Fury Of The Star Spawn. The album resumes the tale of three brave warriors who set out on a quest to acquire The lost eye of Odin.

Les Acteurs De L’ombre Productions has signed France-based black/death metal band SKAPHOS.

NO WORTH OF MAN will release its full-length debut album, The Killing Streets, through Brutal Records on February 13th 2026.

Sweden-based solo act ENEMY AWAKE has a song called Too Empty To Bleed. “This song is about hopelessness, to feel that you are like a living dead, that your life is only about pain, just a sign, a cry for help.”

Melodic black metal band SARDONIC ALLEGIANCE will issue a new demo, called Coast II, in January of 2026. It is the follow-up to Coast I issued in the spring of 2025. The Netherlands-based black metal studio project was formed by multi-instrumentalist Vasco ‘Triest’ Lub and drummer Griendhakker in 2009.

Vic Records has rereleased THUS DEFILED’s Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn and Wings Of The Nightstorm albums as of November 28th. They were respectively originally released in 1995 and 1997.

Finland-based VINNFROST has a demo called Frost Requiem. The act is compared to AMORPHIS and INSOMNIUM.

Australia-based blackened fantasy metal band DARKLORE has a demo, called The Great Elven War, on February 20th 2026.

Chile-based thrash metal band D1STRAUGHT has a song and music video, for the track Preceptos De Exterminio (‘Precepts of Extermination’). This release serves as a preview for a forthcoming demo. The band was founded in 2010.

Chile-based OVERTOUN has signed with Time To Kill Records and will release an album called Death Drive Anthropology.

Raise the dead! SODOM has uploaded a music video for the song Sodomized (dubbed the Schweinskopf remix), featuring Lemmy Kilmister of MOTORHEAD, KREATOR, Nicke Andersson from ENTOMBED and SODOM’s own Tom Angelripper, Andy Brings and Atomic Steif, which was filmed at the Christmas Metal Meeting Tour in 1993.

Guitarist Thomas Klein formerly of Germany-based WARRANT has died. He was in the band from 1983 to 1985.

Reunion 2028? THE CROWN has announced its intention to disband following concerts in 2026. The band’s final concert will be in Gothenburg, Sweden on December 19, 2026.

A decade following the release of its Ülestõus album, Estonia-based pagan act THARAPHITA has uploaded a song called Surmaraud. It is taken from the group’s Öise Taevaga Üheks (‘One With The Night Sky’) release, which is due in 2026.

Switzerland-based death metal band BURIED SOULS has a new demo, Here Comes The Void. The band was founded in 2010.

Portugal-based BOOBY TRAP has an album called L(i)mbo through Firecum Records as of December 1st, 2025. The thrash metal/crossover band switched gears after more than 30 years embracing its mother tongue exclusively for the first time.

SEPULTURA has announced an Irish headline concert for the 3Arena on Sunday, August 9, 2026. This is supposed to be the band’s last ever performance in Europe. Support was to come from BIOHAZARD, MALEVOLENCE, SACRED REICH and CRYPTA.

SYLOSIS will release a full-length called The New Flesh through Nuclear Blast on 20.02.2026. It was produced and mixed by Josh Middleton and engineered by Scott Atkins.

Italy-based groovy band NOVOMUNDO will release a full-length, called The Cursed Cult, on March 1st, 2026. The band was founded in Rome in 2012.

METAL CHURCH has another new line-up in 2025. Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof kept guitarist Rick Van Zandt and recruited singer Brian Allen (ex-VICIOUS RUMORS), bassist David Ellefson (ex-MEGADETH) and drummer Ken Mary (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, MEGADETH, FIFTH ANGEL, etc.) and announced an album had already been recorded. In advance of the 2026 album, the group has uploaded a song called F.A.F.O. The band is booked for Skogsröjet festival in Sweden. Kurdt and Ken knew each other from Seattle and TKO. Ellefson worked with Vanderhoof’s Rat Pak Records.

Five years after the debut album The Grief That Feeds The Night, the sludge metal band HVRT is back with a new album, Cancerbloom, through Crawling Chaos on December 5th 2025. The band has “a lot to say, because the guys are pretty fed up with the state of affairs in Germany.”

USA-based funeral doom metal act CHALICE OF SUFFERING has an album called The Raven Cries One Last Time through My Kingdom Music on March 20, 2026.

Austria-based sludge and doom band TARLUNG has signed with Argonauta Records and will release a record called Axis Mundi on January 30, 2026. It was recorded and mixed by Lukas Haidinger at DeepDeepPressure Studio.

Groove and metalcore act PYTHONIC has a new demo. It is called Decomposition and available in December of 2025. The band opened for INTO ETERNITY in Saskatoon and is playing at Slaughterfest in Edmonton in December.