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NORTHERN HORIZON FEST - TICKETS ON SALE NOW

HKSPK - Heimkehr

Release Date: September 11 via Independent - You can return without ever truly making it home. On "Heimkehr", Brandenburg's HKSPK explores exactly that unsettling idea through stories of people and experiences that leave lasting scars. Known as Hello Kitti Scum Porn Killer between 2023 and 2026, the band now bring black and death metal together with punk, hardcore, doom and atmospheric weight. Personal experiences meet historical motifs, loss of control collides with black humour, and bursts of aggression give way to heavier, melodic passages. Eight tracks lie ahead, time to find out what remains when the journey home is finally over.

MAGIC CROSS - Self-Titled

Release Date 11 Sept 2026 - Sometimes the underground is supposed to sound dirty. Formed in Florida in 2023, MAGIC CROSS bring together members of Wørsen, Galactoid and Bellicose Records for a particularly abrasive collision of black metal, punk and noise rock. After spending the following years shaping that mixture into something distinctly their own, the four-piece entered Peace Corp. Audio in early 2026 to record their first EP. Four tracks make up the self-titled debut, promising grime, hostility and enough stomping hooks to keep the chaos moving. Time to see what MAGIC CROSS have dragged up from below.

NYCTALOR – I: The Collapse

Available now via Independent - What does the collapse of existence sound like? Australian newcomers NYCTALOR attempt to provide an answer with their debut EP "I: The Collapse". Across just two extended compositions and roughly twenty minutes, black, death and doom metal bleed into one another without fully belonging to any of them. Rather than relying on traditional song structures, the band built around atmosphere, dissonance and suffocating weight, slowly drawing the listener deeper into their vision of inevitable dissolution. Released digitally on August 24, I: The Collapse marks the first step into NYCTALOR's darkness, let's see just how deep it goes.

GREEN LUNG - Necropolitan

Release Date: September 11 via Nuclear Blast Records - Nothing lasts forever, not even monuments built to defy death itself. With fourth album Necropolitan, GREEN LUNG turned their gaze towards London's seven Victorian garden cemeteries, once filled with elaborate monuments to wealth and immortality before eventually being reclaimed by nature. Arriving September 11 via Nuclear Blast Records, the album transforms this collision between human ambition and decay into a celebration of London's occult history and heavy music heritage. Recorded at Rockfield Studios with Tom Dalgety, Necropolitan also embraces a rawer, more live-oriented approach. The dead may have built their monuments to eternity, but nature always gets the final word.

EXUMER - Death Mask Messiah

Available now via Metal Blade Records - Four decades after emerging from Frankfurt’s burgeoning thrash underground, EXUMER have little interest in becoming their own nostalgia act. Since returning permanently in 2008, the German veterans have treated their second chapter as a continuation rather than a celebration of the past, keeping their eyes firmly fixed on the present. Now, seven years after Hostile Defiance, they return with their sixth full-length Death Mask Messiah, featuring new bassist Alex Voss and drummer Jerome Reil. Across 42 minutes, the album confronts manipulation, division and false saviors while promising the same hunger that has driven the band throughout their career. EXUMER aren't interested in proving they can still sound like 1986, they want to prove they still matter in 2026.

MAIDENHEAD - Maximum Clonage

Out now independently - There’s something refreshingly uncomplicated about Maximum Clonage. Maidenhead stay away from dragging thrash into some kind of painfully self conscious territory. Instead, they take the machinery that made the genre originally dangerous, sharpen up the moving parts, & push it until something starts to smoke.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - Rats in the Temple

Available now via Napalm Records - Nearly four decades into their career, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have little left to prove, yet slowing down has never really seemed to be part of the plan. From the thrash metal landmarks Doomsday for the Deceiver and No Place for Disgrace to their more recent resurgence with The End of Chaos, Blood in the Water and I Am the Weapon, the Arizona veterans have continued to sharpen their unmistakable blend of thrash aggression and melodic power. Now, Rats In The Temple marks another chapter as their first release through Napalm Records. But after so many years and albums, how much fire is still left in the tank? Let's find out.

SIGHT OF THEIA - The Great Dreamer

What could possibly go wrong when you send a group of astronauts into space and let them find Cthulhu? Quite a lot, apparently. Atlanta progressive metallers SIGHT OF THEIA explore exactly that nightmare on their debut full-length 'The Great Dreamer', arriving September 4. Following the Lighthouse EP, the band combines progressive structures, crushing grooves and atmospheric melodies with an ambitious cosmic-horror narrative. Humanity has ventured into the unknown, now let's see what is waiting in the darkness.

GREEN CARNATION - A Dark Poem Part III - The Messiah Complex

Release 4th September 2026 via Season of Mist - The third and final piece of the A Dark Poem trilogy, The Messiah Complex has arrived. First the anger, second the sorrow, and third an anxious, grim ending. It is an earnest journey, addressing the world once again with its themes at a time the world needs it most. For this volume, Green Carnation has chosen to end the trilogy with an accompanying orchestra, inspired by prog rock projects of the 1960s.

Sev Lezu - Blood Conscript

Available now via Ordovician Records - Ancient mythology, bloody revenge and a pantheon filled with hatred, SEV LEZU certainly aren't entering quietly with their debut. Formed in 2022 across New York, Philadelphia and the Pacific Northwest, the US outfit unleashed Blood Conscript on August 28 via Ordovician Records. Drawing from the icy melodies of Scandinavian black metal while throwing grind, death metal and traditional heavy metal into the fire, the band describe their vision simply as "grinding, melodic black death". Let's see just how vicious that combination becomes.

HELLMETALL - Mgla

Release Date: September 4 via Rockshots Records - Extreme metal has always drawn inspiration from history, but for HELLMETALL, that history lies directly beneath their feet. Emerging from the isolated Val Resia on the borderlands between Italy, Austria and Slovenia, the band channel the memories and cultural heritage of their homeland through an aggressive blend of thrash and death metal. Particularly distinctive is their decision to perform entirely in Resian, the ancient Slavic language still spoken in the valley. With Mgla, due September 4 via Rockshots Records, HELLMETALL turned towards stories of war, loss and memories passed down through generations, while pushing their music into darker and heavier territory. Let's see what lies within the fog.

DEMONIC MANIFESTATION - Grimshrine

Old-school death metal may have been forged decades ago, but its rotten pulse refuses to die. Formed in Colima, Mexico in 2012, DEMONIC MANIFESTATION have spent their career drawing from the raw spirit of the '90s and the unmistakable influence of Swedish death metal. Following World of Horror (2015) and Necrokult (2017), the band continue to channel the darkness of names such as Dismember, Grave, Entombed and Unleashed, favouring atmosphere, aggression and raw instinct over unnecessary technical excess.

SCALD - Relics

Release 4th September via Cruz Del Sur Music - Scald return to the scene with a new EP, Relics. It marks a special moment for Scald as a group, symbolic as a memorial to late member, Agyl, whose passing marked the original split of the band in the late 90s. Recently reformed, they exhume tracks from their past, in a new era with vocalist Hrafn. These tracks have been played occasionally live in the past, but never immortalised in a studio recording. It is a memorial to their history and a gift to their fans.

NINTH REALM - Damnation's Veil

Fantasy and extreme metal have always made dangerous companions, and NINTH REALM are ready to open the gates to their own world once again. Formed in Maryland in 2019, the death-thrash outfit returned with their sophomore album Damnation's Veil, arriving August 28 via Transcending Obscurity Records. Blending death and thrash metal with elements of hardcore, black metal and traditional heavy metal, the record draws its narrative from drummer Joey Burke's dark fantasy world of Tythorin, where vengeance, fate, grief and human resilience collide. Let's step beyond "Damnation's Veil" and see what awaits.

MISCREANCE - Reminiscence

Release Date: August 28 via Season of Mist - Looking to the past does not necessarily mean being trapped within it. Since emerging as MISCREANCE in 2018, the Northern Italian quartet have built their sound around the technical aggression of late-'80s and early-'90s death and thrash metal, drawing comparisons to names such as Death, Sadus and Atheist along the way. Following their 2022 debut Convergence, the band now return with Reminiscence, a second full-length conceived as a journey through a seemingly lost moment in human history. Told through MISCREANCE's own vision of old-school, technical death metal, the question remains: how much of Reminiscence looks backwards, and how much pushes their sound forward? Let's dive in.

PREVAILER - Convalescent

Release August 28th via Rottweiler Records - After a string of successful single and EP releases, Prevailer emerge with their first debut album, Convalescent. The progressive five-man metalcore group, having founded in 2015 and returning from a hiatus, emerge anew with the fruits of their efforts. Convalescent is a solid, powerful and a memorable first full-length production.

IMMISERATOR - Blight of Subsistence

Release Date: August 28 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft - Humanity built the machine, but what happens when the machine no longer needs humanity? IMMISERATOR explored that unsettling vision on Blight Of Subsistence, the debut album from the project created by Olde Throne's Harrison McKenzie in late 2025. Moving into experimental blackened death metal, McKenzie turns societal decay, technological obsolescence and humanity's march towards its own extinction into the foundation of the record. Released through Apocalyptic Witchcraft, Blight Of Subsistence invites us into a world where mankind is slowly becoming a ghost of its own creation.

PERPETUAL PARADOX - May Misery Befall You

Release Date: August 28 via Bleeding Art Collective - Technicality means little if there is no memorable song underneath it. "With May Misery Befall You", London outfit PERPETUAL PARADOX appear determined to put the riff back at the centre of their sound. Following the broader experimentation of 2025's "Deathwish", the five-track EP promises a tighter collision of technical death metal, crushing breakdowns, blast beats and melody. The release also dives into grief, trauma and resilience. Let's see how deep the misery goes.

ACCURSED WOMB – Hymns of Blasphemous Fornication

Summoned from the darker reaches of Pennsylvania's underground, comes Philadelphia's merchants of decrepit death-metal ACCURSED WOMB and their full-length album Hymns of Blasphemous Fornication set to be released on Nespithe Records. Originally formed as a trio, the band have expanded into a four-piece outfit with the band members identities somewhat anonymous; those alleged to participate on this malevolent creation are AS on vocals, PH on guitars & bass, DP also handling bass, and EJ on drums.

AZGAAL - Divine Hitman

Release Date: August 28 via Fetzner Death Records - Divine judgement rarely promises a pleasant outcome, and AZGAAL certainly has no intention of offering one on Divine Hitman. The French one-man project of Naïwyn builds its latest work around Daovith, an angelic figure found in the Sefer Ha-Razim and tasked with punishing mankind. Continuing the project's long-standing exploration of occultism and spirituality, themes of judgement, condemnation and execution form the conceptual core of the album. Divine Hitman thus opens the gates to an esoteric world where the divine takes a decidedly sinister and unforgiving turn.

NOVERIA - Becoming After

Release Date: 21 Aug 2026 via Scarlet Records - Described as a “cinematic prog experience,” Becoming After is the fifth record from the Italian progressive power metal band. Epic and elegant, it offers meaningful lyrics, atmosphere and real string performances that elevate this victorious sound.

ARGUL - Soledad & Orgullo

Release Date: 21 Aug 2026 via Personal Records - A debut album often captures years of evolution, and for Peru's ARGUL, Soledad & Orgullo carries more than a decade of musical development within its foundations. Formed in Lima in 2014, the band gradually moved away from their early stoner and heavy rock roots towards a slower, heavier, and increasingly introspective sound. Now, those different influences converge on their long-awaited first full-length, where crushing doom meets atmospheric depth and quieter moments of reflection. Let's see what Soledad & Orgullo has to offer.

TERATUM - Ordnance of Spiritual Warfare

Release Date: 21 Aug 2026 via Dying Victims Productions - Sweden's extreme metal underground has never been short on bands willing to keep the old ways alive, but simply looking backwards is rarely enough. TERATUM first made their presence known with a two-track demo in 2025, followed by two singles in 2026. Now, the quartet enter the next chapter with their debut EP "Ordnance of Spiritual Warfare", their first widely available release. Carrying an unmistakably old-school spirit, they combine blackened thrash with a darker and more sinister black metal approach. But does Ordnance of Spiritual Warfare manage to forge an identity of its own? Let's find out.

THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE - Dread Cycle

From the barrens of Tasmania in southern Australia is THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE and their debut full length album Dread Cycle, released via Bleeding Art Collective and Blood Blast Distribution.

HORRIFIER - REVELATIONS OF GORE

Available now via Personal Records - Norway’s Horrifier continue their descent into old school death metal darkness with Revelations of Gore - their second full length, expanding strongly on the rawness of their debut. The quartet remain devoted to the spirit of late 80s & early 90s death metal, delivering a record that feels utterly timeless.

VERTIGINOUS - INCESSANT AFFLICTION

Available August 7 via Comatose Music - Indonesia’s Vertiginous waste no time refining brutality. The second full length, Incessant Affliction, is a relentless 30 minute barrage built to punish & suffocate. Released through Comatose Music, the duo push deep into the ugliest corners of brutal death metal while separating themselves from artists chasing that same extremity.

LUMEN AD MORTEM – A GRAVE ASCENT

Available now via Hypnotic Dirge Records - Modern black metal continues to evolve, but the most memorable releases remain those that balance raw intensity with a compelling sense of atmosphere. On "A Grave Ascent", South Australia's LUMEN AD MORTEM build upon the foundation of their 2023 debut "Upon the Edge of Darkness", combining blistering tremolo riffs, haunting melodies, and immersive atmosphere with lyrical themes of loss, vengeance, and humanity's insignificance. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what "A Grave Ascent" has to offer.

DESTRUCTION OF THE HEALER – A UNIVERSE BEREAVED

Available now via Grindhead Records / Primitive Moth - Building a reputation in the underground extreme metal scene takes more than technical ability alone, and over the years this Australian outfit have steadily earned theirs through uncompromising live performances and a relentless dedication to their craft. Their blend of razor-sharp melody, crushing aggression, and accomplished musicianship reflects the influence of genre heavyweights without ever feeling like a mere imitation. The previously released singles 'Sekhmet' and 'Bestial Hunger' have already provided an impressive preview of what is to come, suggesting that 'A Universe Bereaved' is shaping up to be an uncompromising slab of modern death metal.

NOTHINGNESS – GODSLAUGHTER

Release Date: 31 July via Everlasting Spew Records - Fermented from the midwestern guts of the USA, Minneapolis based death vendors NOTHINGNESS have purged their third full-length offering Godslaughter, soon to be released on Everlasting Spew Records. The band features some new members added to the current lineup which sees the band traversing downward into more darkened and engaging depths. Those responsible are Barclay Olson on vocals, Alex Lewandowski and John Hancock on guitars, Jon Grandel on bass, Jason Hirt drums, and Xen Hartzell providing effects.

DISHUMANE – CENTURION'S DEMISE

Release Date: 7 Aug 2026 via Blood Harvest - Old-school death metal has experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, but standing out within such a deeply rooted genre is no easy task. Emerging from years of careful development, DISHUMANE now step forward with their debut EP, Centurion's Demise. Founded by guitarist James Shanks, the band unites musicians with a shared passion for the uncompromising sound of early 1990s death metal. Across four tracks and fifteen minutes, DISHUMANE makes no attempt to reinvent the genre, instead embracing its darkest traditions with conviction. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what "Centurion's Demise" has to offer.

HULDER – VERBOLGEN

Release Date: 7 August 2026 via Season of Mist & 20 Buck Spin - There is an unmistakable sense of ancient ritual woven throughout HULDER's music. Across previous releases, the project has carved out a distinctive place within the black metal underground by drawing on pagan mysticism, medieval influences, and an unwavering devotion to the genre's raw foundations. Verbolgen continues that evolution, with Necreon officially joining Hulder as a full creative partner. The expanded collaboration brings subtle new colours to the band's sound—from acoustic instrumentation and hurdy-gurdy to multilingual lyricism—yet the album remains firmly anchored in the bleak, uncompromising atmosphere that has always defined HULDER. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what "Verbolgen" has to offer.

DARK PLAGUE – MASQUERADE

For more than two decades, France's DARK PLAGUE has remained committed to an uncompromising vision of black metal. Across five full-length albums, the band have forged a sound that balances relentless aggression with bleak atmosphere, evolving naturally while never losing sight of the darkness at its core. Their latest release continues that path, offering another immersive descent into the band's shadowy sonic world. With their new release, "Masquerade", DARK PLAGUE turned their attention to social hypocrisy and the quiet violence of false appearances. The album examines the pressure to suppress one's true identity, forcing individuals to shape their words, actions, and even their desires in order to avoid judgement, contempt, or exclusion. Beneath every carefully crafted mask lies the self we silence and conceal, the part of our nature that society compels us to bury.

EMPTINESS – NOWHERE SPEAKS

Available Now via Season of Mist - For more than two decades, Belgium's EMPTINESS has refused to follow a predictable path. Since forming in 1998, the band have gradually evolved beyond their black and death metal roots, incorporating elements of industrial, post-punk, and dark atmospheric music into an ever-changing sound that defies easy categorisation. With "Nowhere Speaks", EMPTINESS continues that artistic journey, returning to a denser and more physical approach while remaining true to the experimental spirit that has defined their career. Let's dive in.

MADBALL - NOT YOUR KINGDOM

Available now via Nuclear Blast Records - Kings don't come home asking if the throne's still theirs. Not Your Kingdom, Madball's ninth album via Nuclear Blast and their first without longtime bassist Hoya Roc, isn't a comeback record in the insecure sense of that word. Eight years away, one founding member gone, and the crown still fits. Simple as that.

AYDRA – ICON OF SIN

Hailing from Falconara on the Adriatic coastline is Italian technical death-metal supremo's AYDRA and the reissue of their 1999 debut Icon of Sin, released on Rude Awakening Records. Essentially this is a remastering along with four bonus live recordings captured from various performances in 2025. Compared to the original release, this album has been beefed up resulting in a large weighty sound enriched with warm tones that are clean to the ear and solid in the mix. From the opening few tracks are the obvious complex song structures, changing tempo’s, shifting time signatures, and the perfectly executed musicianship each member brings from their respective crafts.

STORMHAMMER – WRATH OF THE HAMMER

Available Now via Roar - After more than thirty years, STORMHAMMER continues to fly the flag for German power metal. Their first album since "Seven Seals" (2019), "Wrath of the Hammer" sees the Munich veterans embracing a heavier and more aggressive edge without abandoning the melodic foundations that have defined their sound for decades. Let's dive into the album.

ÄXE - AUTOGEDDON

Available Now via Caligari Records - Not many genres capture the untamed spirit of the underground quite like black/speed metal, and London's ÄXE embrace that spirit with unwavering conviction. Rejecting polished production in favour of raw intensity, the band channel the reckless energy of early speed, thrash metal, first-wave black metal, and punk into a sound that feels immediate and uncompromising. With their second demo, "Autogeddon", ÄXE continue to build on that foundation, delivering a release that remains firmly rooted in the genre's old-school traditions while further sharpening the band's own identity

FINSTERFORST – STILL

Release Date: 31 July via AOP Records - Throughout their career, FINSTERFORST have never been content to stand still. Instead, the German outfit have continually expanded their sound, blending black metal, folk, and sweeping cinematic textures into what they fittingly describe as "Black Forest Metal." Now, following the ambitious "Jenseits" EP (2023), the band return with "Still", their first full-length in seven years. Let's see what awaits within its nine expansive compositions.

COMPLEXANT – APEX

Release Date: 31 July 2026 via Bleeding Art Collective / Blood Blast Distribution - Complexant is a fairly new group hailing from our local shores of Australia, keen to make a name for themselves in the blackened death scene. After several successful single releases, Apex is the first full-length album release from the band. Does Apex make a solid first impression? Absolutely it does, full of plenty of drive and energy.

COFFIN HUNTERS – COSMIC DAWN

Available now via Bitter End Records - There is a very fine line between paying homage to heavy metal’s past & becoming trapped within it. On their third full length, Cosmic Dawn, Cali’s Coffin Hunters arrive comfortably on the right side of said divide. Rather than recreating sounds of the late ’70s/early ’80s, the band filters classic heavy metal, hard rock & stoner grooves into something adventurous & completely fresh.

FAUSTIAN – PARABLE OF THE SEWER

Release Date: 24 July 2026 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft - Comprised of members from acclaimed Australian acts such as WEREWOLVES, THE BERZERKER, PSYCROPTIC, THE AMENTA, and ABRAMELIN, FAUSTIAN have quickly established themselves as one of the country's most formidable extreme metal projects. While sharing personnel with the relentless death metal force of WEREWOLVES, FAUSTIAN explores a darker, more sinister path, blending blackened atmospheres with crushing intensity. Following the impressive Ep 'We Come As Angels' (2023), the Australian band returned with their debut full-length album, "Parable of the Sewer". Let's descend into the darkness.

MOUNTAINSCAPE - TRAVERSING REALMS

Release Date: 24 July 2026 via ROAD TO MASOCHIST - Since emerging in 2019, Reading, England-based post-metal outfit MOUNTAINSCAPE have steadily established themselves through their expansive, cinematic approach to the genre. Following the critical success of Iridescent (2024), the band returned with their fourth full-length, "Traversing Realms". Drawing inspiration from the music, stories, and imagined worlds that have shaped their creative vision, the album marks another step forward in the band's artistic evolution. Let's see where this latest journey leads.

SALLOW MOTH – HYDROPHILOUS BROOD

Hydrophilous Brood by Sallow Moth, Release July 24th via Willowtip Records - Hydrophilous Brood is the newest album from progressive death metal duo, Sallow Moth. Focused on the themes of transformation, Hydrophilous Brood continues the story of Mossbane Lantern, having thematic connections to their previous work. The narrative setting is an inter-dimensional nest named Pamugara, with its heart being a mysterious artefact that acts as a portal, the Mossbane Lantern. Hydrophilous Brood is an evolutionary aftereffect of the event and what has become of the organisms that once interacted with it, now a hybrid species.

MANGLED CARPENTER – BETWEEN BLOOD AND SILENCE

Available now via ROTTWEILER RECORDS & BROKEN CURFEW RECORDS - Mangled Carpenter’s Between Blood And Silence proves there is more to the band than just relentless speed & violence. Through six tracks, the trio expands on its deathgrind foundations with dark textures, slow grooves & a mechanical edge that gives the EP a distinct identity.

LITOSTH - DREAMING

Release Date: 24 July 2026 via Personal Records - Few bands capture emotional desolation with the same conviction as LITOSTH. On their fourth full-length, the duo of multi-instrumentalist Maicon Ristow and lyricist Wendel Siota once again delve into themes of grief, loss, and inner collapse. Spanning eight immersive compositions, the album offers an unflinching journey through darkness, where atmosphere and emotion become inseparable. If "Cesariana" (2024) questions the pursuit of happiness, "Dreaming" takes an even darker turn. Stripping away faith, purpose, and certainty, LITOSTH confronts the listener with an uncompromising exploration of loss, isolation, and emotional collapse. The result is an immersive work that lingers long after its final moments.

I CHOOSE VIOLENCE – AN ENEMY TO LIFE ITSELF

Release Date: 17 July 2026 - Emerging from Adelaide's thriving metal scene, I CHOOSE VIOLENCE have steadily built a reputation through crushing live performances and an uncompromising blend of groove and aggression. Since releasing their debut EP Trial By Combat in 2023, the band have shared the stage with the likes of GATECREEPER, BLEEDING THROUGH, KRUELTY, and DISENTOMB while steadily expanding their audience across Australia. Backed by musicians with more than a decade of experience in the local scene, I CHOOSE VIOLENCE now arrive with the confidence of a band ready to take the next step. That next step comes in the form of the EP "An Enemy to Life Itself", a hard-hitting hardcore release spread across five uncompromising tracks. Let's dive in.

PSYCROPTIC - THE PULSE OF ANNIHILATION

It's a cliché, but what the fuck is in the water in Tasmania? - Nine albums into a career that's been remarkably consistent, Psycroptic have finally landed somewhere their catalogue's deserved for a while. The Pulse of Annihilation is out via Metal Blade Records, the band's first release there after a long stretch with Prosthetic, and the recognition is overdue. Consistency reads as unremarkable right up until the record that finally demands you shut up and listen. Critics are independently reaching for "career best" on this one. The Pulse of Annihilation deserves it.

MORK - MONOLIT

Few bands have embodied the spirit of Norwegian black metal as consistently as MORK. Over the past two decades, the band has built a reputation for uncompromising albums deeply rooted in the genre's cold, atmospheric traditions. Their previous full-length, Syv (2024), proved to be one of their most acclaimed releases, combining frostbitten riffs with an immersive atmosphere. Expectations are naturally high as MORK return with their eighth studio album, Monolitt, featuring nine new compositions.

EATEN BY SHARKS – THE UNDERTOW OF HATE

From the Niagaran depths of the Canadian metal collectives is the Ontario based death metal five-piece EATEN BY SHARKS and their sophomore assault, The Undertow of Hate, soon to be released by CDN Records. Founded by guitarists Chris Chaperon and Dan Okowinsky, they’re joined by vocalist Matt Sherriff, bassist Tyler Abrams, and drummer Justin Whitehead completing this formidable and well-established outfit.

FRANKENBOK – THE ARRIBA WAR HONKLE

There's an entry price to this record, and it's steep. Alt metal collides with Mike Patton-style vocal absurdism, which collides with the Seattle grunge sound, which collides with early System of a Down phrasing, which collides with groove metal's chunky low-end and thrash's sharper guitar shapes, all of it periodically detonated by death metal growls. Thirty seconds into the record, you'll understand why some listeners bounce off it entirely. On paper it reads like a band that couldn't decide what it wanted to be and decided to be all of it at once.

UMBERSOUND - TRACKS FROM THE SLITHER

Atmosphere has always been the defining force behind UMBERSOUND's music. Led by Joe D'Angelo (Grey Skies Fallen), the American atmospheric doom/death project has steadily refined a sound built on slow-burning emotion, weight, and introspective storytelling. With their third full-length album, Tracks From The Slither, released on 6 July via Red Book Records, Umbersound continue to explore the darker corners of the human psyche. Across ten interconnected tracks, the album examines themes of avoidance, inner decay, and emotional isolation, pairing mournful doom/death metal with immersive songwriting that prioritises feeling and atmosphere over technical excess. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what Tracks From The Slither has in store.

CYCLOPIC - FLESH OF CHAOS

Out now via Awakening Records - Recorded across Germany, Kazakhstan & Russia, Cyclopic’s Flesh of Chaos lands cohesively, driven by a shared obsession with old school death & thrash, leaving any kind of technical perfection or unnecessary excess at the door mat.

TOMB SLAB – SELF-TITLED

Drawing inspiration from the uncompromising sludge of IRON MONKEY and EYEHATEGOD, TOMB SLAB were formed in 2024 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England by guitarist James Caygill (Atrocity Exhibit) and vocalist Dean Lettice (The Infernal Sea). Joined by bassist John Hunter (Oneiros) and drummer Kez Whelan (Shrykull), the project quickly evolved from a collection of rough demos into a fully realised band. Set for release on 17 July, "Tomb Slab" is the band's self-titled debut, blending crushing doom and blackened sludge into a dense, oppressive listening experience.

CUTTHROAT - INVOKING TERROR

Out now via Dying Victims Productions - There is no shortage of bands claiming their allegiance to old school death metal right now, but few understand that authenticity comes from determination and pure conviction. Insert Dublin trio Cutthroat’s Invoking Terror, a five track, 24 minute statement that captures the spirit of late 80s extreme metal - minus the feeling of wandering around a museum exhibit. It’s primitive, violent & unapologetically direct.

RODTGOD - TALES FROM BEYOND THE GRAVES

Release Date: 10 July via Independent - Originally formed in 2016 as an outlet for material that did not fit the founders' main band, PISSBUCKET, RODTGOD quickly evolved beyond its initial purpose into a project with a distinct identity. Drawing from death, doom, sludge, and stoner metal, the band has developed what it describes as "health metal",a blend of crushing heaviness, dark humour, and surprisingly thoughtful themes that explore the complexities of the human experience. Following the release of "New Doom Rising" and "Know Your Pain", "Pick Your Poison", RODTGOD took a more serious and introspective turn with the 2023 EP "Graveside Service". That shift now reaches its culmination on "Tales From Beyond The Tomb", a release that brings together the band's contrasting musical personalities while continuing to expand its unconventional approach.

SCORDATURA - LED INTO OBLIVION

Out now via Everlasting Spew Records - Scotland has never lacked in good quality death metal, & Scordatura have spent the best part of two decades proving they belong beyond the limits of their local scene. Six years after Mass Failure, the Glasgow quartet return with Led Into Oblivion, an album that lands without sacrificing so much as an ounce of violence. Rather than chasing the bandwagon of increasingly convoluted technicality, Scordatura knuckle down with sharp riffs, tight transitions & bursts of speed that make this collection of songs hit hard.

SINSID - ALL THAT REMAINS

Release Date: 10 July via Pitch Black Records - Over the past fourteen years, Norwegian heavy metal outfit SINSID have quietly established themselves as a dependable force within the traditional metal scene. Led by vocalist Terje Singh Sidhu, the band has steadily evolved through a series of increasingly accomplished releases while maintaining a strong commitment to classic heavy metal values. Their 2022 full-length "In Victory" was met with a positive reception and helped further cement their standing. After bridging the gap with two singles in 2024, SINSID now return with their fourth studio album, "All That Remains", aiming to continue that upward trajectory.

DEHUMANIZING ITATRAIN WORSHIP - 二次元コンプレックス 2D COMPLEX

Release Date: 29 June 2026 via Stillbirth Records, the subsidiary label from Gore House Productions. - In an era where genre boundaries continue to dissolve, DIW remains one of extreme metal's most unconventional acts. The Chinese outfit has built its identity around an unlikely fusion of brutal death metal, anime-inspired melodies, blackgaze, J-pop, and traditional Japanese influences, crafting a sound that is both chaotic and remarkably distinctive. Following years of international touring, the band now arrives with what could prove to be its most ambitious and cohesive work to date. With their new full-length album 二次元コンプレックス (2D Complex), released via Stillbirth Records and Gore House Productions, DIW push their already unconventional formula even further, exploring a more personal side without sacrificing the unrelenting intensity that defines their sound.

LONESHORE - NOTHING LEFT TO DECONSTRUCT

Out now via Willowtip Records - Brazil’s Loneshore returns with Nothing Left to Deconstruct, a sophomore effort that expands on the foundations laid by 2018’s From Presence to Silence. Released via Willowtip Records, the album perfectly occupies a space between progressive metal, post-metal & doom, balancing emotional weight & meticulous songwriting, avoiding many of the genre's clichés.

IN VESPRO - WHERE SILENCE USED TO SLEEP

Out now via Meuse Music Records - The current death doom revival has produced no shortage of bands determined to recreate the tearing weight of the genre’s early years. Most succeed in capturing the sound - far fewer capture the feeling. On their debut full length, Where Silence Used to Sleep, Italy’s In Vespro nail both.

DEVILDRIVER - STRIKE AND KILL

Release 10th July via Napalm Records - Amid their success, DevilDriver returned in 2026 with their latest album Strike and Kill, their eleventh full release. The California groove metal group served up thirteen wicked tracks with this release, a throwback to the sound that put them on the map in the metal scene. From the very first track, Strike and Kill hooks and reels in listeners with precision.

SHADOWBORNE - HEAVEN'S FALLING

Out now via Scarlet Records - Shadowborne arrive with an album heavily focussed on towering choruses, fantasy driven storytelling, and a vocalist that’s capable of carrying an entire world on her shoulders. Heaven’s Falling doesn’t reinvent the genre, instead, committing fully to its vision in which it delivers with utter conviction.

W.M.D. - AGAINST ALL WARNINGS

Available now via Independent - Originally from Calgary, and now and now based in Vancouver, Canadian thrash trio W.M.D. (WHEN MINDS DEVELOP) have self-released their latest album Against All Warnings available in various formats and on digital platforms. Moving from their previous four-piece incarnations, the band have locked in Skyler Mills on vocals and guitars, Jon Power on the bass duties, and Ryan Idris keeping time on the drums.

DEMETRA'S SCARS - BORN UNBROKEN

Available to stream now - Demetra’s Scars arrive with an unquestionable mission on Born Unbroken - dismantle identities and reclaim individuality via force, reflection, and confrontation. Across the 33 minute runtime, the Italian outfit blends groove, alt metal, and electronic textures into a record that lands feeling concerned with liberation and social critique.

MOONSPELL - FAR FROM GOD

Release Date 3rd July via Napalm Records - It’s been five years since gothic metallers Moonspell’s last full-length album, the band spending their time searching on a creative journey, re-emerging with a rebirth of sorts with their newest album, Far From God. It is a classic gothic tale with yearning flair, an easy-to-digest bite in a figurative sense.

COPROLITH - PUTRESCENCE

Release Date: 3 July 2026 via Me Saco Un Ojo / Rotted Life - Toronto's Coprolith arrive with total conviction: Lovecraftian death-doom played as though no other approach was ever possible. Debut album Putrescence drops the listener deep into a foreign world of cosmic drift, floating through distorted whale-song and jangled alien textures that leave you feeling unmoored. This world is enormous and indifferent to your arrival.

CYHRA – REQUIEM FOR A PIPE DREAM

Available now via Reigning Phoenix Music - Ten years into their existence, CYHRA arrive at an ultra defining moment. What began as a collab between former Amaranthe vocalist Jake E and In Flames architect Jesper Strömblad, has evolved into a band standing on its own merits instead of the pedigree of its members.

AGARWAEN – THE MURDER TREND

Release Date: 3 July 2026 via Over The Border Records - Finnish outfit AGARWAEN have carved out a unique niche with what they describe as "Asylum Metal", a chaotic and unpredictable blend of extreme metal styles wrapped in a theatrical, horror-inspired presentation. Following the success of their debut "Dottore I" and its acclaimed successor Channel: "Lunacy", the band built momentum through extensive touring across Finland and Europe, including an appearance at the renowned Tuska Festival in 2024. Now, with The Murder Trend and the EP Arena of Retribution, produced by Teemu Aalto and mastered by Svante Forsbäck, AGARWAEN continue to push their distinctive vision of frantic riffs, unsettling atmospheres, and controlled musical madness.

TODOMAL – GRAVEYARDS OF JOY

Release Date: 3 July 2026 via Season of Mist - Some collaborations seem destined from the very beginning, and TODOMAL is one such example. Formed in 2020 by Anglo-Spanish musician Christopher B. Wildman and producer/composer Javier Fernández Milla, the project brings together two seasoned figures from Spain’s underground music scene. Their shared vision merges the crushing weight of traditional doom metal with the expansive character of space rock, while incorporating elements of ecclesiastical music, classic hard rock, and cinematic soundscapes. The result is a sound that feels both deeply personal and strikingly atmospheric. Serving as the final chapter in a trilogy that began with "Ultracrepidarian" (2021) and continued with "A Greater Good" (2023), "Graveyards of Joy" finds TodoMal bringing their overarching vision to its conclusion. Born from a period of personal loss and introspection, the album channels grief, anger, and resilience into nine sprawling compositions, balancing crushing doom-laden weight with expansive, cinematic atmosphere.

SOOTHSAYER - THE UNBINDING

Release Date: 3 July 2026 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft - Blackened doom metal has always been a personal weakness, so seeing SOOTHSAYER on my review list was an easy choice. Since emerging from County Cork in 2013, the Irish band have taken a patient approach to songwriting, releasing only a handful of records, each carrying a distinct sense of purpose. Five years after "Echoes of the Earth", they returned with "The Unbinding", their second full-length and first release for Apocalyptic Witchcraft. Rooted in grief, tradition, and raw emotion, the album promises another immersive journey through towering doom soundscapes and haunting atmosphere.

MARTYRS SAINT – FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Release Date: 3 July 2026 - Some bands introduce themselves with infectious grooves, others with technical precision or memorable melodies. Bristol crossover thrash newcomers MARTYR'S SAINT choose a far more direct approach. On their debut EP, the quartet launch an uncompromising assault that fuses the raw aggression of hardcore with the speed and razor-sharp precision of thrash metal. Whether that explosive formula holds up across all four tracks is exactly what we're about to find out.

REXORIA – FALLEN DIMENSION

Available Now via Black Lodge Records - I'll be honest with you. I came into Fallen Dimension with my guard up. My listening diet runs… heavier. Power metal, by contrast, has always felt like the genre equivalent of a fireworks display. Fun for thirty seconds. Exhausting by the finale.

DUIR – CATARSI

Release Date: 26 June 2026 via AOP Records - Since emerging in 2013, DUIR have carved out a distinctive blend of atmospheric black metal and folk-driven melancholy under the vision of founder MK. Named after the Celtic word for "oak", the project reflects themes of endurance, nature, and ancient wisdom, shaping a sound where windswept folk passages and shadow-drenched black metal coexist in haunting balance. With "Catarsi", DUIR unveil their most ambitious and emotionally charged work so far. Set during the First World War, the album traces a soldier’s descent through pride, despair, and oblivion, merging atmospheric black metal with haunting folk textures to create a darkly cinematic experience. A guest appearance from L.G. of ELLENDE and mixing/mastering by P.G. of GROZA at Ad Nauseam Sounds further strengthen the album’s powerful blend of melody and intensity. Since emerging in 2013, DUIR have steadily risen through the European underground, sharing stages with bands like GAEREA, WIND ROSE, and TSJUDER. Their debut full-length, "T.S.N.R.I.",and the follow-up "Impermanenza", hinted at a more atmospheric and melodic direction, one that reaches a far deeper and more immersive form on Catarsi.

ORGA MECHA – HUMANITY.EXE

Orga Mecha’s debut album, Humanity.exe, pays homage to the golden age of traditional heavy metal while fusing electronic textures and sci-fi themes. Blending intricate guitar solos, commanding female vocals and an unmistakable 80s aesthetic with synthesizers, the result is an album that feels simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic.

FLESHCRAWL – EPITOME OF CARNAGE

Release Date: 12 June via Distortion Music Group - With "Epitome of Carnage", FLESHCRAWL return seven years after "Into the Catacombs of Flesh" with a tenth full-length that underscores both their endurance and their continued creative drive. Despite decades in the underground and the changes that have shaped their path, the German death metal veterans remain firmly committed to their sound, channeling experience into renewed intensity and focus. Due for release on June 12th, 2026 via Distortion Music Group (in cooperation with Reigning Phoenix Music), the album positions itself as a reaffirmation of purpose rather than a reinvention. "Epitome of Carnage" presents FLESHCRAWL as a band still capable of delivering direct, forceful, and unrelenting death metal rooted in tradition yet sharpened by time. So the real question remains: does "Epitome of Carnage" actually live up to the expectations set by its press release? Let’s find out.

LIVA – ECCE MUNDUS

Available now via Wormholedeath Records - Ecce mundus feels less like a collection of songs and more like a gradual descent into a mythical, otherworldly landscape. Liva, Canada’s first symphonic power metal opera band, singing in Latin, immediately establishes an atmosphere that is cinematic, orchestral, and consistently epic in scope. The album moves with an unusual balance of slowness and urgency, often shifting between gentle, reflective passages and sudden bursts of intensity driven by galloping drums, meticulous guitars, and harsh male death vocals.

TOMBAL – GRAVE OF THE DAMNED

Release Date: 12 June 2026 via Blood Harvest - There is no subtlety to TOMBAL, only chainsaw distortion, rotting atmosphere, and pure Swedish death metal worship delivered with unapologetic force. Emerging in late 2025, the trio dive headfirst into the HM-2 soaked traditions of the early ’90s, combining savage riff work, ferocious growls, and relentless drumming into a sound that feels both violent and authentically old-school. Their debut EP "Grave of the Damned" serves as a compact but devastating statement of intent. In barely sixteen minutes, TOMBAL ripped through blasting aggression, d-beat driven momentum, and thick, corpse-rotten riffing laced with dark melodic touches. The release’s raw conviction quickly caught the attention of Blood Harvest Records, who had already signed the band for their debut full-length. For fans of classic Swedish death, this is less revivalism and more exhumation.

MY OWN WILL – MISERY

Release June 4th via Bleeding Art Collective / Blood Blast Distribution - From Southeastern Michigan comes My Own Will, a hardcore metal act steeped in death metal roots. Their newest EP Misery is a short one, but rest assured it is packed with enough sound and exploding with energy to feel like a full-length, not lacking in merciless beats, gritty vocals and distortion.

NUCLEAR TOMB – EPOCH INHUMANE

With "Epoch Inhumane", NUCLEAR TOMB once again prove why they remain one of the more unpredictable names in the modern thrash underground. The Baltimore outfit sharpened their bizarre and aggressive formula into a volatile collision of technical thrash, punk-fueled chaos, progressive twists, and towering heavy metal atmosphere. Set for release on June 12 through Rotted Life Records, the album channels the adventurous spirit of VOIVOD, CORONER, and PESTILENCE without sounding trapped in retro worship. NUCLEAR TOMB clearly had no interest in playing it safe after their previous output. Over the past two years, the band road-tested and reshaped this material through live performances across North America, tightening every chaotic edge along the way. On "Epoch Inhumane", that evolution becomes impossible to miss: the riffs hit harder, the pacing grows more frantic, and the songwriting dives deeper into unpredictable territory. Beneath the technical aggression and razor-sharp hooks lies a bleak thematic core, with the album tearing through visions of societal decay and impending collapse. Does "Epoch Inhumane" live up to the chaos and ambition promised in the press release? Let’s dive in and find out.

DITHEIST – COSMIC LIAR

Release Date: 6 June 2026 via Independent - After a 10-year hiatus, Chicago's death merchants DITHEIST have returned to the sacrificial altar with their new album Cosmic Liar soon to be available in digital format. Being their fourth release, this album is composed of eight bruising tracks diabolically tempered in just over 29 minutes. Featuring Matt Wright on vocals, Konrad Lysak on guitars, Brian Frost with guitar and bass, and Narcyz Fortuna on drums; the band are joined by guests Briant Daniel, Thomas Moore, and Chad Chanfieled who contributed with their various instrumentations.

VÉHÉMENCE – ASSIÉGÉ POUR L'ÉTERNITÉ

Release Date: 10 June 2026 via Antiq - Originally released in 2014, Assiégé saw VÉHÉMENCE laying the foundations for what would later become known as medieval black metal. Blending melodic black metal rooted in both the French and Swedish traditions with ancient-sounding folk influences, the duo created a sound overflowing with triumph, melancholy, and an unmistakably medieval aura. Even in its rough early form, the album carried a timeless and deeply immersive spirit that later records like Par le sang versé and Ordalies would elevate even further. Now, with "Assiégé pour l’Eternité", VÉHÉMENCE revisit that landmark release not through a simple rerecording, but a full recomposition. Expanded by KK of Passéisme on bass alongside Tulzcha, Thomas Leitner, and Hyvermor, the band reshaped their debut with renewed depth and vision while preserving the epic heart that made it so influential in the first place. But enough about the history behind the record,the real question is: how does "Assiégé pour l’Eternité" actually sound?

DEAD VOID – CRANIAL DEVASTATION

Release Date: 5 June 2026 via Dark Descent & Me Saco Un Ojo Records - On their sophomore album "Cranial Devastation", Copenhagen death/doom outfit DEAD VOID doubled down on the oppressive foundations laid by their debut "Volatile Forms", tightening their approach without losing any of its suffocating weight. Rather than expanding outward, the band sharpens their focus, pushing their sound into more deliberate, violent territory where atmosphere and brutality feel increasingly inseparable. Rather than relying on sheer speed or technical excess, DEAD VOID builds tension through sheer weight and suffocating atmosphere across "Cranial Devastation"’s five heavy tracks. Massive doom passages drag against violent bursts of death metal chaos, creating a constant feeling of collapse and instability. Above it all, the vocals emerge like something buried deep beneath the earth, tortured, distant, and barely human. It’s an album that doesn’t simply overwhelm the listener; it slowly pulls them under. Let’s descend into the suffocating depths of "Cranial Devastation".

DAUÞUZ – TODESWERK

Release Date: 29 May 2026 via Amor Fati Productions - With "Todeswerk: Uranium II", DAUÞUZ continue to deepen their distinctive brand of "Mining Black Metal", merging ’90s-inspired melodic black metal with suffocating atmosphere and historical weight. More brutal in execution yet still rich in acoustic melancholy, the album benefits greatly from the addition of session drummer Werwolf, whose performance gives the songs extra force and depth. Lyrically, the record turns toward the horrors of uranium mining in post-war Joachimsthal and Bohemia, focusing on forced labor, industrial decay, and the human suffering buried beneath the Soviet atomic program. Dark, mournful, and fiercely immersive, Todeswerk: Uranium II transforms forgotten history into bleak and emotionally charged black metal.

EVERGREY - ARCHITECTS OF A NEW WEAVE

Few bands in modern metal have cultivated emotional heaviness as powerfully as EVERGREY. Across three decades of thunderous riffs, haunting melodies, and deeply human songwriting, the Gothenburg outfit has carved out a legacy defined as much by atmosphere as sheer weight. With their fifteenth studio album, "Architects Of A New Weave", arriving June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records, the band once again steps into the shadows and emerges carrying something massive, a dark, cathartic statement charged with melancholy, defiance, and cinematic intensity. Its release comes at a landmark moment for the band, who will soon share stadium stages with IRON MAIDEN on the "Run For Your Lives" World Tour, further cementing EVERGREY’s status as one of metal’s most enduring emotional forces. With that, it's time for the music.

LAGO – VIGIL

Out now via Everlasting Spew Records - Eight years away could have easily buried Lago beneath the endless churn of modern death metal, but Vigil arrives completely controlled and ready for demolition. The Phoenix quartet return sharper, and far more confident in the space they occupy. Where Sea of Duress leaned into atmosphere and weight, Vigil tightens things up with a colder, more technical approach that never sacrifices impact.

BEWITCHED – DIABOLICAL DEATH MASS

Out now via Osmose Productions - Three decades after crawling out of the Swedish underground, Bewitched returned with a record that understands what made the band relevant in the first place. Diabolical Death Mass resurrects the blackened speed metal spirit that defined the group’s earliest years, and succeeds through brutal conviction.

MOONLIGHT HAZE – INTERSTELLAR MADNESS

Available now via Scarlet Records - Italian symphonic power metallers Moonlight Haze have arrived with their fifth studio release, Interstellar Madness. A six track epic, this EP stuns with its strength and emotion, standing out with powerful presence and production work.

MOLOSSER – MOLOSSER

Available now via Gutter Prince Cabal - There’s not much known about Molosser. The New Zealand Black / War / Death five-piece arrive with no real history attached, no scene mythology to lean on, and no origin story doing work for them. Their self-titled debut EP, released through Gutter Prince Cabal, is a stark 18 minutes across four songs.

MALEBESTE – MONESTHEROU

Release Date: 25 May 2026 via Antiq - From the windswept lands of western France rises MALEBESTE, a young black metal force deeply entwined with the legends and forgotten history of Charente and Vendée. Though formed only in 2024, the band already sound steeped in ancient memory and regional mysticism. Melody and aggression move hand in hand throughout MALEBESTE’s sound. Razor-edged riffs and galloping drums carve through the songs with restless momentum, while fierce French-language vocals rise from the mix like distant cries carried through the fog. Inspired by both the French and Swedish black metal scenes, the band shape an atmosphere that feels windswept, cold, and deeply rooted in forgotten legends, where every melody seems to echo from ancient forests and abandoned stone paths. With that said, we now descend into "Monestherou", the debut album from MALEBESTE, and let its cold world unfold on its own terms.

FRUSEN SORG – SMÄRTPUNKTER

Release Date: June 5th, 2026 via Widsith Records - Emanating from the grimier corners of Stockholm’s punk collectives is Swedish blackened crust outfit FRUSEN SORG with their debut long player Smärtpunkter, scheduled for release on Widsith Records. Somewhat of a spontaneous collaboration of long-term friends and bandmates from previous bands and projects, the duo consists of Martin Sandström overseeing the guitar and drum duties, while Kalle Mattsson provides the bass and vocal undertakings.

VOIDTHRONE - DREAMING RAT

Released independently - Out now - Voidthrone’s Dreaming Rat sure wasn’t built for easy listening, instead, the album takes listeners to a purely hostile environment. Forty six minutes of collapsing structures, and neurological overload arrives through dissonant blackened death metal, feeling violently excavated from some infected subconscious. The Seattle quartet have always rocked the boat in extremes, but this record pushes far beyond the density of Metaphysical Degradation into something more uglier in its chaos.

GRABUNHOLD – FROSTHEIM

Release Date: 5 June 2026 via Iron Bonehead - Five years after "Heldentod", GRABUNHOLD returned from the shadows with the same cold conviction that made their debut so compelling. Their sound remains deeply rooted in second-wave black metal, yet shaped by a medieval atmosphere that feels less nostalgic and more like wandering through forgotten keeps beneath a frost covered sky. The band balances grim aggression with epic, windswept melodies and surprisingly clear production, allowing every riff and distant, horn-like melody to breathe. Pagan mysticism, ancient legends, and dark fantasy flow through the album like echoes from another age, giving the music a fierce yet strangely majestic aura. Now, the gates open once more, leading us deep into the cold and shadow-drenched worlds of GRABUNHOLD and "Frostheim".

MÖHRKVLTH - GWENOJENNOÙ AN ANKOUNAC’H

Out now via Antiq Records - Eight years separated Möhrkvlth’s debut from Gwenojennoù An Ankounac’h, but the distance feels far from accidental. Rather than a band rushing to remain relevant, Gwenojennoù An Ankounac’h is the sound of a band returning with a clear identity, and far stronger command of atmosphere than most contemporary black metal bands could ever dream of achieving.

ABUSER - BLOOD MARKS

Out now via Xtreem Music - On their debut full length Blood Marks, Wrocław’s Abuser wholeheartedly avoid every single trap that swallows modern thrash metal whole. Zero nostalgia, zero gimmickry, zero overproduction pretending it’s “old school.” Instead, the Polish quartet delivers a lean, violent, focused record that understands what made late 80s extreme thrash so compelling in the first place.

DESOLUS – DWELLERS OF THE TWILIGHT VOID

Available now via Hells Headbangers - Summoned in Washington D.C. USA are blackened death-thrashers DESOLUS and their album Dwellers Of The Twilight Void, scheduled for release on the Hells Headbangers label.

GRAVERY - PURIFIED IN BLOOD

Release Date: May 15 via Upstate Records - Darkness and violence pulse through every second of GRAVERY’s sound. Emerging from Northern Italy in 2023, the band quickly established themselves through a brutally uncompromising approach, combining oppressive downtempo deathcore with themes centered on psychological destruction and humanity’s darkest impulses. Their latest EP, "Purified in Blood", continues that descent with four tracks built to overwhelm. Following the momentum of "Everything That Is Born Must Die", the release trades subtlety for sheer impact, delivering crushing grooves, suffocating atmosphere, and a level of aggression that feels deliberately relentless from beginning to end. Whether the music truly lives up to the sheer intensity promised in the press release, we’re about to find out.

SPACE PARASITES - MAKE ME EVIL

Release Date: June 6 via Fetzner Death Records - Shaped by personal experience, myth, and echoes of real events, SPACE PARASITES once again step into a dark, mystically charged narrative world. Here, the band channels abyssal forces and vengeance-driven energies, embodying a witch-like presence stripped of conscience, driven by pure retribution. With "Make Me Evil", the Berlin-based trio deliver their third full-length, firmly rooted in old-school thrash metal but thickened with a darker, heavier undertone that defines their evolving identity. Whether it matches the strength of their earlier work is something this album will have to prove in full.

ANGELLORE - NOCTURNES

Available now via Ardua Music - Shrouded in melancholy and carried by nearly two decades of artistic evolution, ANGELLORE have carved out a singular place within gothic doom metal. The Avignon collective weave together sorrowful grandeur, folk textures, and deeply human storytelling, creating albums that feel less like records and more like slowly unfolding tragedies. Works such as "La Litanie des Cendres" and "Rien Ne Devait Mourir" showcased the band’s gift for transforming despair into something hauntingly beautiful. With "Nocturnes", ANGELLORE opens the door to yet another shadow-drenched chapter-a record that has lingered and matured in darkness for almost ten years, emerging now as perhaps their most intimate and emotionally consuming creation yet. With that said, let’s step into the shadowed world of "Nocturnes" and explore the album.

NOCTURNAL DEPARTURE - SPIRITUAL CESSATION

Available now via Hells Headbangers - On their third full-length, Nocturnal Departure advances everything they established on Clandestine Theurgy without diluting hostility. The result, a record tightening control while preserving the volatility central to late ’90s North American black metal.

HEAVENFALL - THORN

Release Date: May 15 via Rockshots Records - With their first full-album release all the way back in 2012, the Italian heavy metal group Heavenfall was quite dormant up until recently in terms of releases. Having formed the band when they were younger, they took their time to find their direction in what they set out to create. What they return with in 2026 is an introspective and gritty creation – their second full-length album, Thorn

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