Full disclaimer, I am not the biggest Deathcore fan or Death Metal fan. My knowledge on this music is limited compared to other sub genres of Metal. I love heavy, extreme, brutal music for the most part, but don’t often seek out Deathcore. Like many people, Lorna Shore is an exception however. I feel that Lorna Shore’s “To The Hellfire” is one of the most iconic Metal songs in two decades. This song is responsible for so many people getting in to this type of music, as evident on the comments on YouTube on the song and the Reaction videos. It’s not very often a Metal band goes viral for a good song, and Lorna Shore did this emphatically. That puts Lorna Shore in a very unique position in Extreme Metal or Deathcore to be on the world’s biggest stages. What they’ve done for the longevity of Metal is unprecedented. Between some of the most epic music we’ve ever heard and wholesome fan interactions that rival any VIP Experience, this band has a microscope put upon them by millions. This level of success has never been possible for this kind of music before Lorna Shore. I feel like there’s too many reasons to name to get into this band, even if they’re not typically your style of music. Their heartfelt, personal, uncensored, vulnerable lyrics combined with unrivaled technicality and an immersive ambience of descending into ethereal hell worlds is an experience like no other on the planet. Lorna Shore combines the lightness, the sensitivity and grandeur sounds of Classical Music with the most brutal Speed riffs and demonic sounds in a seemingly impossible feat. I don’t even know how this level of music is mixed, balanced, or played live on a regular basis. It’s like Dimmu Borgir, Death, Strapping Young Lad, and Vivaldi had a cursed offspring that bloomed into something beautiful. Whatever genre or style Lorna Shore is, it’s completely unexpected and so locked in that there’s nothing like it..
I wasn’t a fan of Pain Remains as much. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace to appreciate it, or maybe I just didn’t understand it. In time, I will probably come to love it when I come back around to it. My expectations for this new album were low. Heavy Music feels like it’s on a lull to me; most of it sounds like bands just going through the motions or heavy for the sake of being heavy with no purpose other than shock and brutal-ism. So the last thing I wanted was a Lorna Shore record in this point in time. I didn’t expect to like it or be able to even get through this album. “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me” is not even a shred of what I expected in the best way possible. I don’t review albums anymore unless it’s something innovative or thought provoking, and of course Lorna Shore achieved a spot on my blog. “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me” is an insane journey of sonic excellence. This album has everything I want in a Metal record, but at the highest level. The symphonic sounds are perfectly layered with the guitars from the incomparable Adam De Micco, who I think is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The synths and orchestration is done by guitarist/bassist Andrew O’Connor and he did an impeccable job at it. The orchestration rivals any Symphonic Metal band in thirty years, and I mean that as a huge Symphonic Metal buff. I find “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me” to be more melodic and anthemic than any of their previous releases. Songs like Unbreakable, Glenwood, and Forevermore are gigantic songs that feel deserved of being played with a full orchestra and choir at Plovdiv or Sydney Opera House. Everywhere you think the album could go, it strafes and goes even grander. I am truly blown away by this album, which hasn’t happened this year by many releases for me. I never expected a Lorna Shore album to have a Celtic or Tolkien vibe to it. It works. The different sound to it freshens Lorna Shore’s sound in a way I didn’t expect. Listening to “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me” is an exhilarating and inspiring experience from beginning to end. There’s not a weak track. It is the most epic battle music. Every member is peak on this album. You will not be disappointed even as a first time listener. This is by far one of the greatest albums of the year and shockingly perfect from a band continually reinventing itself. Lorna Shore pushed every boundary, every theme, every ounce of their being with this album. Austin Archey on drums is always perfect, but this album is an unbelievable feat of Extreme Metal drumming that rivals anything else. He is a drummer for the ages. He doesn’t just blast, he utterly destroys laws of human anatomy and physics on every song. I cannot express how incredible he is. If nothing else, just listen to the drums on this record.
Overall, I do think this is Lorna Shore’s best album yet. It’s the most fully immersive and complete release I’ve heard since Ramos joined the band. Some of his demon noises get a bit repetitive and don’t really add much, but the technicality and uniqueness is surely a novelty. I think this album sets itself apart from any heavy record of the year, because it’s not just heavy for shock and awe. This level of brutality is well thought out, intentional, and meaningful. It is not for attention, it’s for art. It’s like the utter despair and pain Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy expressed in Extreme Metal form. It’s all class, no filler, and fantastic composition. If you’re a reader of this blog, you know how much I love “Wall of Sound” production style, and this album nails that completely deep and wide listening experience. The wall is an infinite abyss. It is a cacophony, and I absolutely love it. It doesn’t get any better than “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me” in 2025. This is a huge album of the year contender for me. No spoilers, but Forevermore might be one of my favorite songs of all time.
The Immortal out August 29th, 2025 via Supreme Chaos Records and Dalapop
In Mourning is one of the most underrated bands on the planet. The Swedish Death Metal group has created albums that are forever burned in the fans’ memories. Albums like The Weight of Oceans (2012) mix Melodeath, Progressive, and Gothic elements to create a truly unique listening experience. This is a band I think everyone should pay more attention to, especially with the rising popularity of Insomnium and In Flames. If you dislike the more mainstream direction In Flames has taken, maybe In Mourning can be your new Melodeath favorites. Although, In Mourning do not sound like anyone else to me. They are distinct. Three vocalists, all playing different guitar riffs and licks, and a Prog minded drummer all set In Mourning apart to me. They still have epic guitar solos as well, which is a great deviation from Modern Metal’s lack of guitar eloquence. The Swedish SadBois are back in 2025, but does the new album live up to their previous releases?
In Mourning have finally unleashed “The Immortal” after waiting four years and little teasers. “The Immortal” is everything you’d expect from a Melodeath album, and even more special coming from In Mourning. This album is a special experience. If you’re driving through the mountains in pitch black darkness with reckless abandon and the winter doldrums setting in, “The Immortal” is 47 minutes of soundtrack. It is not just an album, a collection of In Mourningesque ideas; The Immortal is a soundscape, laying out so much material and influences. They return to their roots, so you know it’s authentic, but it is not formulaic. It builds, it ebbs and flows, and it chugs. I had high expectations, but honestly didn’t expect to like this album as much. There’s something up with Me and Metal music this year. I am just continually disappointed with new releases. In Mourning has broken the lull for me.
“The Sojourner” is an instant classic Melodeath track for me. This song has everything I want from In Mourning, the Progressiveness, the longing feeling, the technical solo, the soulful clean vocals: It’s perfection. “Song of the Cranes” is just as good and a track with even more soul crushing depth. Each song stands on its own, but they all have the same moodiness and driving beat that ties it all together. If you’re a recovering Ghost Brigade fan, this album is the closest thing you will get to GB in 2025. “Moonless Sky” is all I love about Melodeath. It is an ode to the bands that have come before them, and a cementing outline of what In Mourning will continue to create. The emotion in this band is nearly unparalleled in 2025. I haven’t heard many heavy releases that really resonated with me this year, but In Mourning smashed the walls down and made me believe in Metal again this year. They go from emotional and moody atmospheric track “Moonless Sky” to Death Metal smasher “Staghorn”. That’s one of the most surprising moments in music for me this year. This song, as well as the rest of the album is so easy to get lost in. That’s what I expect from Metal. I expect an all encompassing, emotionally driving, unique artistic listening experience. I expect the highest level of catharsis. “The Immortal” hits these notes profoundly with each song. Of course, In Mourning always achieves these points on every release, but “The Immortal” packs a serious Death Metal edge that is so very satisfying.
“North Star” is a true tear jerker of an epic Melodeath song, reminding me so much of Insomnium in all the best ways, but even more satisfyingly heavy. The guitars are so tight. The chemistry in this band rivals old Dark Tranquility and Belakor for me. Each element feels so meticulously planned and thought out, but not over produced. It’s tight and clean, but not bloated like so much Metal is for me today. This album could’ve come out in 2010, because of its sheer precision and unfiltered emotion. It doesn’t have 500 layers of Pro Tools edited guitar tracks with huge compression or reverb. It sounds like In Mourning right off the board, which is exactly what I have always loved about them. Yes okay, maybe the songs become a bit predictable after awhile and you know when the instrumentals and soft parts are coming. But there is a “my comfort album” element here to immerse yourself into. It’s just absolutely solid Melodeath and no bullshit.
“The Immortal” closes with one of the best songs on the album, “The Hounding”. It is a blazing Death Metal track with blast beats, Black Metal worthy screams and chilling guitars, and atmospheric elements. What holds this song, and the entire band together is undoubtedly the drums. While they’ve changed drummers from one of my favorite drummers, Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson, now with Dark Tranquility, to Cornelius Althammer, there’s no difference in the Progressive Metal influence that stands out to me. “The Hounding” absolutely sold me on Cornelius Althammer and I am very impressed by his speed.
Overall, “The Immortal” is objectively a great album. The tracks standalone. While the album starts out a bit slow and predictable, it builds and becomes truly great. It will take a few listens to soak it all in, especially if you’re in an over stimulated state like I am these days. The album is worth replays and I think it holds up fairly well to In Mourning’s previous releases. It is nowhere as epic as previous ventures, but it is still surprising and enjoyable. If you like Melodeath, I think this album hits all the right Sadboi goodness. If you don’t like Melodeath, I am not really sure if this is an album to change your mind. If you’ve never heard In Mourning, start with “Song of the Cranes” and then listen to the rest of this album.
Battle Beast’s new album Steelbound comes out in October. It is their 7th studio album, and it seems these Finnish Heavy Metal masters keep getting better and better. This band never ceases to amaze me. Their soaring melodies, chugging heavy riffs, and epic synths and orchestrations are mindbogglingly good. This band’s music hearkens back to the 70s and 80s where good ol Heavy Metal had catchier lines and riffs than any other genre on the planet. Singer Noora Louhimo’s stunning range has no limits it seems, switching between impossibly high Power Metal screams and soft Ann Wilson style storytelling, she may be the most underrated vocalist of our time.
The three new singles from Battle Beast’s Steelbound, the title track, “Here We Are”, and “Last Goodbye” are three of the best Metal tracks I have heard this year. They are catchy, moving, energetic, powerful, and extremely well written. “Here We Are” is part 80s dance track, part Pat Benatar, and part Rhapsody of Fire. “Last Goodbye” is as if ABBA, Judas Priest, Europe, and Dimebag Darrel had a love-child. It’s fist pumping like Sabaton, a battle track to get you through a workout or rush hour traffic. “Steelbound” is a harmonic delight straight from the 1980s. Man, I am loving the throwback sounds that bands like Battle Beast are bringing back. The vocals on this send insane chills up my neck. The vocals have so much tone without a ton of production. It’s so refreshing after hearing bands like Sleep Token, Bad Omens, and Falling in Reverse that are so over produced, it is grating to my ears. Stop listening to the Radio, stop watching the charts, and listen to Battle Beast. This band is one of the greatest bands of the past two decades, in my opinion. I cannot wait to hear what else they do with Steelbound.
For over five years now, I have been testing various Music Streaming services to find out what worked best for me. I have tried just about every service, except Apple Music because I don’t really use Apple products except my Laptop. So, I will leave Apple out of this. Everyone has different criteria for streaming services, so I will go into great depth and detail to list what makes each service great or not so great. With Spotify continually making controversial decisions, many people might be looking for another service. I personally don’t like Spotify, not only because they continually don’t pay artists in a timely manner or what the streams are worth, but because they LIE about the quality of their streaming and they do not have a lot of the independent artists I listen to, and consistently lose licensed content. There are so many reasons to drop Spotify, especially with other Scrobbling Apps available if you like your monthly and yearly “Wrapped” or “Recap”. I will also explain the scrobbling apps, for us data and tracking nerds!
I will end the article with the best service (in my opinion) and the service I currently use.
Spotify: Rating 4/10
I used Spotify off and on for about eight years. Initially, I loved this Streaming App. The app had all of the content I listened to, even some obscure European music I listened to then. The quality, compared to Radio and Pandora was mind-blowing in the beginning. It had immense dynamic range and seemed to have a FLAC listening experience even while on Mobile Data. The “Offline Mode” was a must have. I live in Colorado and our cell service and Mobile Data is incredibly spotty while traveling. Offline Mode allowed me to per-download full albums in high-quality and listen to them wherever I went. Life was good with Spotify, and then they started pulling shady corporate business practices. Artists began complaining about how little they made from Spotify compared to other platforms. I noticed a decline in quality shortly after these allegations came out. Then, I became a huge fan of Devin Townsend when the album Z2 came out. Spotify notoriously dropped Devin Townsend albums, then got them back, and then dropped them again. This was extremely frustrating, especially at $20 a month for the App. Nothing was more frustrating than the lack of ability to stream brand new albums on-the-go, however. A new album would release, I would go on the Desktop version of the App, and pre-save the album so it would download as soon as it was available. Then, I would get in the car for a trip and the album would never load on the mobile app. I did this probably a hundred times, before giving up entirely on the App. The other reason I switched from Spotify to the next App on the list (Amazon Music), is the streaming quality was never as good as advertised. Another feature that was not worth the money was the “Family Plan”, which didn’t work as intended for my family. Maybe Spotify has improved on these features since then.
To test the quality, I simply plugged my Beyerdynamic Headphones into my Sony Hi-Res Amp, and played three of my favorite songs on Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, and Tidal. The songs were “Okapi” by Novelists, “Kingdom” by Devin Townsend, and Choke by The Warning. These songs have completely different ranges and span a huge range from different tuning, levels of layering, and vocals. Spotify was the absolute worst performer on this test. I couldn’t hear any of the quieter details, especially the intro on “Okapi”, and the flam (multiple snare hits with ghost notes) on the songs. The bass was too quiet, even after using the equalizer and boosting everything. The sound was flat, muddy, and even had distortion at louder volumes. I tried multiple mediums to test Spotify and try to get the best sound out of it, but nothing seemed to matter. It doesn’t perform as well as expected for me. Many people say it has the best quality, but to me, it’s the worst besides the Radio.
This absolutely sealed the coffin on Spotify. They claim to have the best streaming quality around, but based on the music I listen to, it falls incredibly flat. Once I tried other apps, I realized Spotify was not as good of quality as advertised.
Amazon Music: Rating 5/10
Amazon Music is a service my family and I received through our Prime membership. I was looking for an app other than Spotify that had a massive selection and worked on-the-go. I decided to try Amazon Music. Immediately, I was impressed by their selection, their suggestions for music, the ease of use of the App, and the high quality of the music on Desktop and the App. I found it to be better than Spotify right away. It was faster, crashed less, used less memory on Desktop, and had a much better fuller sound on their Metal tracks. It was working great for a year and a half, but then I noticed some glaring issues. Upon update, it lost my account login, my playlists, and changed the user agreement. I could no longer use my own account, and had to use my mom’s account. I tried to recover my account, but it required a new family plan. This was extremely upsetting, as we were not warned beforehand that this would occur. The countless hours I spent making playlists and collaborating with my family and friends was gone. The account was not recoverable, so Amazon lost my business. On top of that, Amazon’s “Offline Music mode” was incredibly inconsistent. It would randomly delete all my downloaded data without telling me. Then, I would get in the car and nothing would play offline. Every week I had to re-download a playlist or two. This was annoying and a wrongful advertisement of a great feature. Like most apps I’ve used since Smartphones became a thing, Amazon Music became worse and worse over time and was hard for my other family members to use.
Amazon’s music quality to my ears is superior to Spotify, but not enough to go back to it.
Upon research, I did find that Amazon does pay their artists a bit better than Spotify. But, ultimately you’re just funding Jeff Bezos’ personal and business ventures as well as shady dealings with China, where they sell all the data that the App collects to the highest bidder like most apps out there and ultimately funds the Chinese Communist Party, which isn’t something I wish to do.
Spotify: Pays artists an estimated range of $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.
Amazon Music: Pays artists an estimated range of $0.004 to $0.00402 per stream.
Soundcloud: 8/10
Soundcloud is great at streaming on Desktop. Upon testing the app, I cannot find an “Offline Mode”, unless it is for your own music that you own. Offline mode is only available on the Go+ version of the app. Soundcloud has a massive catalog of music, however. There is infinite level of discovering unsigned and underground music. It is a huge range of music from big names to independent basement artists in any genre or sub genre you can think of. I enjoy the huge range of music. There was even a Devin Townsend ambient album on there that I forgot existed. To stream music at a basic level is $4.99 per month. For high quality music, it is $10.99 per month. That is $2 to $10 cheaper than competing streaming services.
The high quality is god level, to be honest. It is just as good as Tidal for quality, which really surprised me. I tested “Kingdom” by Devin Townsend on Soundcloud vs Tidal back to back, honing in on parts of the song. On first listen, it sounds nearly identical. Plenty of punch and layers and clarity at high volume. But Soundcloud did something I thought no App could do, and that’s make it sound “live”. The reverb is way more audible on Soundcloud, giving the sound a more “anthemic” and epic effect. To be honest, I like the version of Kingdom on here much more than Tidal. Tidal sounds TOO distorted on this song, like there’s still too much distortion at high volume. Let me try another song and see if it has the same effect.
Okay, the “fullness” and full dynamic range definitely depends on the song. Some songs I listen to sound better on Soundcloud. Some songs sound better on Tidal. It is definitely a subjective preference. But I still prefer Tidal’s dynamic range. It provides a HUGE boost to the bast on Rock songs, especially The Warning when I want to hear the full range of Alejandra’s bass at full volume, Tidal is incomparable. For Metal listeners, I definitely recommend trying both apps. For EDM listeners, Tidal’s bass is unlike anything else I have ever experienced. It is a religious experience hearing the bass quality on Tidal. I listen to Hayla and The Chainsmokers regularity, and it just sounds so starkly better on Tidal than any other app.
Soundcloud is unassuming, a light weight juggernaut. The app seems so basic. It is so incredibly easy to use. You can find literally anything you’re looking for in seconds. I also enjoyed the tag based search. You can search based on anything from a mood, to a color, to a subject, to a region. It is miraculous how much bang you get for your buck on this app. I did not expect to like this App at all, but Soundcloud is my next choice after Tidal for a Streaming service. This app is simply amazing. Go+ is worth every penny. I highly recommend the free trial.
YouTube Music: 4/10
YouTube is one of the biggest websites of all time, especially after Google Monopolized it and but billions into optimizing the site and App and boosting content. I use YouTube Premium and YouTube every single day of my life since it all begin. I am a music video junkie (one of my next topics on this blog) and I love YouTube. So I was eager to try their “premium” music service. The quality on YouTube Premium Videos seemed pretty good. I can always tell when the audio is super compressed, which is a common complaint among YouTube users. Sometimes the music sounds ultra flat, distorted, and honestly garbled from CD or other Streaming Services that offer FLAC quality. I expected YouTube Music to be better quality than the videos. I ended up being very disappointed. YouTube Music provides the same quality as Music Videos, as far as I can tell. The App is overly complex. You can’t tell if it wants to play the video or the song. The artist names are not always correct on more obscure songs. It takes A LOT of Bandwidth and lags on WiFi, even worse on 4g or 5g Data. There’s so much I don’t like about this App. The family plan costs the same as Tidal’s, but I don’t think it’s worth the money. It’s not user friendly in anyway. It is hard to make playlists and time consuming, even if you’ve had a YouTube account for as long as I have. There’s nothing intuitive about the App. I really dislike the layout of it. It is small, clunky, and way too touchy. While the selection is great, even including exclusive live performances, I don’t think it’s worth $13.99 a month. You’re welcome to try it for yourself, but I didn’t care for this App at all.
Bandcamp 8/10
TLDR: Bandcamp is a choice App to support your favorite artists 100% with no Middle man, but you have to pay $10 an album to do so. If you truly care about giving real artists your money, USE BANDCAMP. Great App, Great quality, infinite possibilities and interactions with the artists themselves PLUS exclusives!
Bandcamp is a rare gem in the streaming industry. It allows for 85% or more proceeds to go to the Artist, but the honest truth is, this does not apply to Streaming.. You have to buy the digital versions of songs or albums to pay artists, and that applies to the entire industry. So don’t be fooled and think streaming on Bandcamp is any better for the artist, because it simply doesn’t pay. If you buy the albums or individual songs and then stream them, then they get paid. But Bandcamp does not pay the artist for streams without buying the album or song.
BUT, the download quality and Streaming through the App is absolutely incredible. I found it to be almost equal with Tidal, especially since you get access to FLAC files even through the App upon buying those versions.. It sounds absolutely fantastic. The selection is immense, especially for Rock, Metal, Indie, and Avant Garde. Taking into the account of being able to purchase albums and stream, knowing 85% goes to the artist, I LOVE the idea of this app. Is the App the best? No. The browser version is so much easier to use. So, if you’re on Desktop it’s fantastic. And if you want to track music for a Spotify Wrapped experience, there’s no way to do that with Bandcamp. BUT, I think having Bandcamp in addition to Tidal is a wonderful way to insure your artists are getting paid what they deserve.
Tidal 9/10
TLDR: I love Tidal more than any App ever made. It pays artists more per Stream. It’s seamless, easy to use, user friendly, family plan,, and offline mode actually works. The quality of streaming is truly unbelievable. It’s FLAC quality and dynamic range are unmatched. Tidal is mostly American owned by Block INC, and Norwegian owned with no shady dealings.
I have never been more blown away by a streaming service. Tidal is my end all be all Music Streaming App. It is the most intuitive music App I have ever used. It knows what I want to listen to and helps me build infinite playlists with ease. It’s selection is expansive. Anything you can think of, even Sea EDM, Indie, Shoegaze, and so much Metal and Classical music. It also allows users to upload their own music, which is great for sharing. It keeps a monthly track of your listening habits and makes a graphic every month. It works with Last FM to get a comprehensive stat based look at what you listen to. I can’t really find anything wrong with it, besides some small clarity issues on some songs. There’s a bit of distortion on loud streaming, and I have no idea why.. Other than that, you can hear every layer so well.
Progressive Metal sounds unbelievably good on Tidal, as well as old music. Old Music sounds better on Tidal than on Disc, because the volume is boosted and a little compressed so you don’t have to blow your speakers out on the louder parts. Every aspect of the App is optimized. It is fast, but the Desktop app is a memory HOG. It streams at such a high quality, it will bog your computer. It is not good for playing while gaming. I recommend listening on headphones on your phone while you game. It will crash your PC if you try to run new games with high intensity processor use. But I don’t care. I love this App anyway. It just sounds fantastic on everything; The car, your phone, home theater system, desktop speakers, it sounds EXACTLY the same no matter what you’re using to stream it on.
So, Tidal is my favorite Streaming service thus far, and I don’t think that’ll change anytime soon. But you ultimately have to find what service works the best for you. Give Bandcamp and Tidal a shot!
More importantly, go buy merch and physical copies from your favorite artist to support them in the maximum way possible. Streaming alone will never be enough to sustain the variety of new music.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Conquer The Hunger Games in New Single “Can’t Catch Me Now” | Watch the Official Music Video HERE!
Delve Into Their Latest Album Metamorphosis | Order HERE![Photo Credit: THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON]
Following the success of their debut album, Metamorphosis, enchanting quartet THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON embark on a new journey. Their new single, “Can’t Catch Me Now”, leads them into the sinister Panem. A rendition of pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s original addition to the soundtrack of Hollywood blockbuster “The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes”, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON’s latest song fuses cinematic orchestration, haunting melody, and thunderous heaviness into a breathtaking sonic voyage. Fronted by vocalist Melissa Bonny (AD INFINITUM) and powered by the guitar work of Hans Platz (FEUERSCHWANZ), this metal interpretation of “Can’t Catch Me Now” is melodic, hypnotic, and fiercely untamed – a hymn for all who dare to run free in the shadows.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON about “Can’t Catch Me Now”: “‘Can’t Catch Me Now’ – our first release since our debut album Metamorphosis! A new chapter begins, and we can’t wait to take you with us to new shores.” Watch the Official Music Video for “Can’t Catch Me Now” HERE: Fantastical metal quartet THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON features members of FEUERSCHWANZ, Amaranthe and AD INFINITUM. Together, they dive into the adventures of heroic characters, adding nonpareil soundscapes to their beloved stories. Guitar virtuoso Hans Platz and drum master Morten Løwe Sørensen shape their heavy sound throughout original songs and soundtrack reinterpretations alike, leaving room for harpist Jenny Diehl to add her delicate touch. Vocal queen Melissa Bonny guides through mystical worlds from “Harry Potter” to “Game Of Thrones” so enchantingly, that their debut album Metamorphosis obtained top 20 charting positions in their native Germany and Switzerland.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON are off to tell their mesmerizing tales on a German tour this fall, supporting heavyweights LORD OF THE LOST and FEUERSCHWANZ.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Supporting LORD OF THE LOST & FEUERSCHWANZ on their LORDS OF FYRE Co-Headline Tour 02.10.25 DE – Berlin / Columbiahalle 03.10.25 DE – Leipzig / Haus Auensee 04.10.25 DE – Offenbach / Stadthalle 10.10.25 DE – Hanover / Swiss Life Hall 11.10.25 DE – Fürth / Stadthalle 17.10.25 DE – Munich / Zenith 18.10.25 DE – Düsseldorf / Mitsubishi Halle
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON started with a bet between AD INFINITUM singer Melissa Bonny and Hans Platz, the guitarist of FEUERSCHWANZ. Whoever lost owed the other a “dare”. Hans won and challenged Melissa to record a metal version of “Jenny Of Oldstones”, and the rest is history! Exploring the fantastical lives of famous pop culture heroes since their childhood, the multitalented musicians transform soundtracks of worldwide known movies, TV shows and video games into powerful metal tracks on the debut album, Metamorphosis. THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON don’t limit themselves to cover versions, but also include their own songs dedicated to their favorite warriors. Calling for solidarity, the harmonic “The Gates of Time” tells the story of the time traveling portals in the famous “The Legend of Zelda” series. Marching into the great worlds of “The Lord of the Rings”, the band paints the Grammy-nominated soundtrack “May It Be”, featuring Charlotte Wessels (ex-DELAIN), in a new light, while the mystic song “Misty Mountains” (feat. EVERGREY’s Tom S. Englund) of “The Hobbit” film trilogy underlines the tragic story through melodic folk vocal lines and rousing guitar riff choirs. Like the seven untamed seas, the melodies appear in energetic and rousing waves, while others head towards the shore in an exciting, elegant and soulful rhythm. Exploring the untouched sides of these multifaceted selected songs, the multinational band shifts the world-famous soundscapes into new adventures which will take listeners back to forgotten times. The multi-million streamed “League of Legends” soundtrack theme, “Legends Never Die”, comes back to life through a stunning makeover due to the incredible vocal lines of Melissa Bonny. Just like the moon, every song has an unexplored side, now discovered by THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.
Metamorphosis tracklisting: Legends Never Die The Gates of Time Misty Mountains (feat. Tom S. Englund) Double Trouble / Lumos! (Hedwig’s Theme) (feat. Rusanda Panfili) First Light (feat. Rusanda Panfili) New Horizons (feat. Fabienne Erni) The Wolven Storm (Priscilla’s Song) May It Be (feat. Charlotte Wessels) If I Had a Heart The Hanging Tree Jenny of Oldstones
Metamorphosis is available in the following formats: 1-LP Gatefold BLACK 1-CD Digisleeve Digital Album[1-LP Gatefold BLACK]THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON are: Melissa Bonny – vocals Hans Platz – guitars Morten Løwe Sørensen – drums Jenny Diehl – harp
Alter Bridge Now Available for Pre-Order in First Formats HERE
Band Announces 2026 European Headline “What Lies Within Tour” With Daughtry and Sevendust
Only ALTER BRIDGE Performance in 2025 to Take Place in Nashville, TN on October 1 at Tremonti Family Charity Golf Outing
Alter Bridge L to R: Scott Phillips, Myles Kennedy, Brian Marshall, Mark Tremonti
Photo Credit: Chuck Brueckmann
With more than two decades performing together, acclaimed rockers ALTER BRIDGE show no signs of slowing down. Known for their memorable riffs, infectious vocal melodies and dueling guitar attack, the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums have garnered themselves massive critical and fan acclaim around the globe. The band looks to continue that trend when they release their self-titled, eighth studio album next year via Napalm Records. Alter Bridge will be released on January 9, 2026, and first physical formats are now available for pre-order.
Alter Bridge is comprised of 12 all new tracks from the band and features some of their most iconic moments on record. Songs like “Rue The Day,”“Disregarded” and “Scales Are Falling” will fit alongside any of the classic songs from ALTER BRIDGE’s catalog. “Trust In Me” shows Myles and Mark sharing vocal duties as Myles handles the verse duties while Mark takes the chorus. That strategy is flipped on “Tested And Able” as Mark handles the verses and Myles takes on the choruses behind one of the band’s heaviest intros to date, giving way to an unforgettable melody. “Hang By A Thread” is sure to become a show favorite as it hints at some of the most popular songs in the band’s catalog. Album closer “Slave To Master” is an epic track that ALTER BRIDGE has come to be known for and is the longest song the quartet has recorded to date.
The band worked with longtime collaborator and producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette on their eighth album. Alter Bridge was recorded over the course of two months this spring in the legendary 5150 studio in California and Elvis’ recording studio in Florida.
Pre-Order the First Physical Formats of Alter Bridge HERE More Formats Coming Soon!
Alter Bridge track listing: 1) Silent Divide (5:06) 2) Rue The Day (4:46) 3) Power Down (4:08) 4) Trust In Me (4:48) 5) Disregarded (3:55) 6) Tested And Able (4:36) 7) What Lies Within (5:07) 8) Hang By A Thread (4:11) 9) Scales Are Falling (5:54) 10) Playing Aces (4:05) 11) What Are You Waiting For (5:00) 12) Slave To Master (9:03)
Alter Bridge is currently available for pre-order in the following formats: -1-CD 6p Digisleeve, 12p Booklet -2-LP Gatefold BLACK, Lyric Sheet -2-LP Gatefold TRANSLUCENT VERDE – VETRI (INDIE exclusive) -2-LP Gatefold TRANSLUCENT VERDE – VETRI + autographed postcard (NEWBURY exclusive, limited to 50) -1-CD 6p Digisleeve + autographed postcard (NEWBURY exclusive, limited to 250) -2-LP Gatefold SPLATTERED BLACK SMOKE/ WHITE ORANGE BLACK, 12p Booklet (Napalm mailorder exclusive) -2-LP BLACK, White Label Edition + hand-numbered Covercard (Napalm mailorder international-only exclusive) -2-LP Gatefold MARBLE COLORLESS BLACK & RED BLACK OLD PURPLE, 12p Booklet (Napalm exclusive) -LP Box incl. 2-LP Gatefold SPLIT BLACK/MILK, 12p Booklet, 5-Tack Bonus Picture Vinyl in Plastic Sleeve, Artprint (Napalm mailorder international-only exclusive) -1-CD 6p Digisleeve + “Hang By A Thread” Shirt Bundle (Napalm exclusive) -2-LP Gatefold SPLATTERED CRÈME BLACK, 12p Booklet (Band exclusive) -2-LP Gatefold MARBLE BLACK SMOKE, 12p Booklet (Band exclusive) -2-LP Gatefold CRISTALLO MILK GLITTER, Lyric Sheet (Band exclusive) -1-CD Jewel Case (Ticket Bundle for Townsend exclusive) + Guitar Pick (Band exclusive)
To coincide with the announcement of the new album, ALTER BRIDGE will be touring in support of the release. The band is heading out on the What Lies Within Tour. The 31-date tour of Europe will kick off on January 15 in Germany before it wraps on March 5 in Nottingham, UK. Joining the band on the tour will be Daughtry and Sevendust. Public on sale for all shows is July 18. More information on all tickets and VIP packages for the upcoming tour can be found at http://www.alterbridge.com.
European What Lies Within Tour 2026: Jan 15 – HAMBURG, GERMANY – Sporthalle Jan 17 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene Jan 18 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene Jan 20 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – Annexet Jan 22 – HELSINKI, FINLAND – Ice Hall Black Box Jan 24 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – KB Hallen Jan 25 – BERLIN, GERMANY – Columbiahalle Jan 27 – GLIWICE, POLAND – Prezero Arena Gliwice Jan 28 – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Barba Negra Jan 30 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Gasometer Jan 31 – ZAGREB, CROATIA – Bocarski Dom Feb 02 – ROME, ITALY – Atlantico Feb 03 – BERGAMO, ITALY – ChorusLive Arena Feb 05 – ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – The Hall Feb 06 – LYON, FRANCE – Halle Tony Garnier Feb 08 – BARCELONA, SPAIN – Razzmatazz 1 Feb 10 – LISBON, PORTUGAL – Sagres Campo Pequeno Feb 12 – MADRID, SPAIN – Palacio Vistalegre Feb 13 – BORDEAUX, FRANCE – Arkea Arena Feb 15 – LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG – Rockhal Feb 17 – OBERHAUSEN, GERMANY – Oberhausen Turbinenhalle Feb 18 – PARIS, FRANCE – Zenith Feb 20 – MUNICH, GERMANY – Zenith Feb 22 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Ziggo Dome Feb 23 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – Ancienne Belgique Feb 25 – NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM – Utilita Arena Feb 26 – MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM – AO Arena Feb 28 – DUBLIN, IRELAND – 3Arena Mar 02 – GLASGOW, UNITED KINGDOM – OVO Hydro Mar 04 – LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – The O2 Mar 05 – NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – Motorpoint Arena
ALTER BRIDGE will be reuniting for one show in 2025. The band will be doing a rare acoustic show on October 1 in Nashville, TN to support the Tremonti Family Charity Golf Outing. The outing is a benefit started by guitarist Mark Tremonti to support the National Down Syndrome Society – an organization close to Mark after his daughter Stella was born with Down syndrome. The event will raise money for NDSS – an organization that engages grassroots advocates at the federal, state, and local levels and creates resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers across the lifespan on topics including education, employment, health and wellness, and aging. Tickets for the event can be purchased at:
About ALTER BRIDGE:Back in 2004, four lifelong musicians got together down in Florida. Even though they had traveled separate paths, similar lessons learned, wisdom earned, and dues paid united these gentlemen—Myles Kennedy [vocals, guitar], Mark Tremonti [guitar, vocals], Brian Marshall [bass], and Scott Phillips [drums]—as ALTER BRIDGE. Over the ensuing two decades, the band endured countless trials and tribulations, defied every odd, and rose to the head of the pack as a hard rock juggernaut, cementing a singular legacy by selling out arenas, gathering nearly one billion streams, inciting international acclaim, and quietly attracting a diehard audience. Beginning with the Top 5 entry of 2004’s gold certified One Day Remains, the band have scored six consecutive Top 20 debuts on the Billboard 200. Among a myriad of highlights, Guitarist Magazine applauded “Blackbird” for the “Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time,” the ABIII single “Isolation” vaulted to #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart, 2013’s Fortress received rare perfect scores from KERRANG! and Total Guitar, and Walk The Sky shook the Top Rock Albums Chart at #1. Beyond packing O2 Arena and Royal Albert Hall, Classic Rock hailed 2022’s Pawns & Kings as “the Rolls-Royce of ALTER BRIDGE records” in a 4.5-out-of-5-star review. Plus, the latter LP garnered praise from American Songwriter, Guitar World, and Loudwire, while Billboard christened them “one of America’s premiere hard rock quartets.” Channeling the same hunger, the band continue to push themselves on their self-titled eighth full-length offering, Alter Bridge [Napalm Records]. It embodies everything they’re known for such as the precise riffs, towering hooks, and solos that practically break guitar strings as they burst through the clouds.
Swiss Heavy Metal Torchbearers BURNING WITCHES Unleash Music Video for New Single, “High Priestess Of The Night” Watch HERE
New Album Inquisition out August 22, 2025 via Napalm Records Pre-Order HERE
USA Tour Begins August 30 in Pompano Beach, FL
Swiss heavy metal act BURNING WITCHES have shared a new track taken from their forthcoming studio album, entitled Inquisition, slated for release onAugust 22, 2025 via Napalm Records!
Following the previously released album title track, this second single brings a powerful mix of classic heavy metal riffs and hard rock grooves to the band’s signature witch-themed metal offerings. “High Priestess Of The Night” features a memorable chorus as well as a tasteful and melodic ’80s-style guitar solo. One can be sure, the band is set to perform this and many other new tracks on their upcoming live dates that can be found below!
BURNING WITCHES comment: “We chose this good-vibed yet still heavy-themed, catchy mid-tempo song as a second single. This will be an ear catcher and a hip shaker for sure at live shows. This song is a must for everybody… it’s simple but it’s also the way of every Metalhead. If you are a Metalhead, you will like High Priestess Of The Night!”Watch the new music video for “High Priestess Of The Night” HERE: On their sixth studio offering, the band returns with a darker, more thunderous brew — diving headfirst into themes of medieval persecution, religious oppression, and the unbreakable spirit of resistance. Featuring 12 brand-new tracks, the album marks a bold new era: forged in the flames of power/heavy metal and sharpened by anthemic songwriting and epic instrumentation.
When BURNING WITCHES takes the stage, the world trembles beneath their firestorm of heavy metal might! Following the classic heavy metal tones of their previous record, The Dark Tower (2023), Inquisition delivers tight production and an unrelenting onslaught of burning riffs, crushing drums, and vocal sorcery, driven by producers Damir Eskic (Destruction) and V.O. Pulver (Little Creek Studio, Pro-Pain, Destruction), and shaped by the songwriting of founding guitarist Romana Kalkuhl.
With Inquisition, BURNING WITCHES unleashes their most focused and ferocious album yet, honoring classic heavy metal roots while diving into darker, more powerful territory. From mystical ballads to breakneck shred-fests, the album channels both the sacred and profane, the melodic and the menacing—a testament to a band unafraid to evolve, fight, and enchant!
Guitarist Romana Kalkuhl says about the album: “As we celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary in 2025, I am very happy as well to announce our sixth album with pride and satisfaction. I am extremely happy to start the next chapter of our metal journey with my girls. The album Inquisition is for those of you who are into legends like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Slayer. Full of power, melodies, double bass drums, heavy riffs and speedy guitar solos, Inquisition is not only our style and lifestyle, it’s our life! From the beginning to the end, it’s the best of us.
We and our label Napalm Records are a huge supporter of vinyl records, so with passion and joy we chose some great editions to add to your collectables. Now it’s your time to pick your Inquisition!”
Inquisition track listing: 1. Sanguini Hominum 2. Soul Eater 3. Shame 4. The Spell Of The Skull 5. Inquisition 6. High Priestess Of The Night 7. Burn In Hell 8. Release Me 9. In For The Kill 10. In The Eye Of The Storm 11. Mirror, Mirror 12. Malus Maga
Inquisition will be available in the following formats: – 1 CD Digipak – 1 LP Black – 1 LP Translucent Orange (GSA, CH) – 1 LP Translucent Orange Black Splatter – 1 LP Cross Red Black – 2 LP Die Hard Gold Black Marbled (feat. 1 LP Inquisition + 1 LP The Night Of The Witch, 8p Booklet) – SOLD OUT!! – Deluxe Wooden Box (feat. CD + Live CD + Autograph Card + Pendant + Gloves + Patch) – Music Cassette – Digital Album [Deluxe Wooden Box (feat. CD + Live CD + Autograph Card + Pendant + Gloves + Patch)]
BURNING WITCHES live: USA: 08/30/25 – Pompano Beach – FL – Piper’s Pub 08/31/25 – Clearwater – FL – Road House 09/02/25 – Atlanta – GA – Masquerade 09/04/25 – Covington – KY – Madison Live 09/05/25 – Westland – MI – Token Lounge 09/06/25 – Columbus – OH – The King Of Clubs 09/07/25 – Cleveland – OH – Beachland Ballroom 09/09/25 – Pittsburgh – PA – Crafthouse Stage & Grill 09/10/25 – Harrisburg – PA – Club XL 09/11/25 – Philadelphia – PA – City Winery 09/12/25 – Teaneck – NJ – The Debonair Music Hall 09/13/25 – New Bedford – MA – The Vault 09/14/25 – Hampton Beach – NH – Wally’s 09/17/25 – Annapolis – MD – Rams Head On Stage 09/18/25 – Virginia Beach – VA – Elevation 27 09/20/25 – Sanford – FL – West End Trading Co
Europe: Witches And Kings Tour Support: Hammer King
09.01.26 Milano – Legend Club IT 10.01.26 Obertraubling – Airport DE 11.01.26 Zlin – Masters Of Rock Cafe CZ 13.01.26 Rubigen – Mühle Hunziken CH 14.01.26 Brugg – Salzhaus CH 15.01.26 Basel – Sudhaus CH 16.01.26 Langenthal – Old Capitol CH 17.01.26 Zug – Galvanik CH 18.01.26 St.Gallen – Grabenhalle CH 19.01.26 Glarus – Kulturzentrum Hölastei CH 20.01.26 Monthey – Pont Rouge CH 21.01.26 Wetzikon – Kulturfabrik CH 23.01.26 London – The Dome UK 24.01.26 Birmingham – The Asylum UK 25.01.26 Manchester – Academy 3 UK 27.01.26 Kortrijk – DVG Club BE 28.01.26 Paris – Backstage By The Mill FR 29.01.26 Essen – Turock DE 30.01.26 Kaiserslautern – Kammgarn DE 31.01.26 Aschaffenburg – Colos Saal DE 01.02.26 München – Backstage Halle DE 03.02.26 Nürnberg – Hirsch DE 04.02.26 Leipzig – Hellraiser DE 05.02.26 Hannover – Musikzentrum DE 06.02.26 Hamburg – Logo DE 07.02.26 Uden – De Pul NL 08.02.26 Heerlen – Nieuwe Nor NL 10.02.26 Lyon – Rock N Eat FR 11.02.26 Barcelona – Salamandra ESP 12.02.26 Murcia – Garaje ESP 13.02.26 Madrid – Revi Live ESP 14.02.26 Vitoria – Urban Rock ESP
25.04.26 Reinhardshagen – Wezer Metal Meeting DE 03.05.26 Diest – Hell Open Air BEL 09.05.26 Rautheim DE Rock In Rautheim DE 26.06.26 Oschersleben – Rock & Metal Dayz DE
BURNING WITCHES are: Romana Kalkuhl – Guitar Laura Guldemond – Vocals Courtney Cox – Guitar Jay Grob – Bass Lala Frischknecht – Drums
FEUERSCHWANZ & DORO Collaborate on New Single “Valhalla“ | Watch the Official Music Video HERE! New Album Knightclub Out August 22, 2025, via Napalm Records | Order Your Copy NOW! LORDS OF FYRE Tour with LORD OF THE LOST Kicks Off in October![Photo Credit: Stefan Heilemann]
Today, FEUERSCHWANZ and metal queen DORO deliver the glorious viking anthem of the year with their galvanizing new collaborative single “Valhalla“! With thunderous riffs, boisterous energy and united vocal power, the song is a triumphant march through Nordic myths and metallic battles. Arriving alongside an incendiary official music video prominently featuring both artists, “Valhalla” is cut from FEUERSCHWANZ’s upcoming studio album, Knightclub, out August 22, 2025, via Napalm Records.
“Valhalla“ is not just a musical battle cry, but an ode to courage, cohesion and the pursuit of eternal greatness. Between Viking ships and metal stages, two giants of the scene merge into an epic thunderstorm of sound!
FEUERSCHWANZ have undergone an impressive transformation in recent years and, after 20 years as a band and two #1 albums on the official German album charts, are more successful and in demand than ever. Through their participation in the German preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, the band managed to attract an audience of millions and media attention far beyond the borders of the genre.
FEUERSCHWANZ on “Valhalla“: “This song is not only for the ‘Brothers everywhere’, but for ALL Vikings & Valkyries out there! Together with metal legend Doro Pesch, we call on the entire metal community: Let’s stand side by side, let’s renew the oath and show the world that we all have something in common – namely the love for heavy metal! Together we are strong – we stand together side by side. Peace, love and heavy metal – Feuerschwanz.”
Doro on the collaboration: “As soon as I heard ‘Valhalla’for the first time, I was immediately hooked and loved the idea of recording this song together. The video is also super epic and beautiful. I love it!”Watch the Music Video for “Valhalla” HERE: With Knightclub, FEUERSCHWANZ release their first studio album with an English title – and for the first time, several tracks feature English lyrics. Knightclub is characterized by catchy hits, absolute party mood, great anthems and hard metal riffs. Once again, the band manages to incorporate their unmistakable humor into songs bursting with energy.
The title track became a fan favorite during the Eurovision Song Contest pre-selection, firing up audiences across Germany. The album version features Dag-Alexis Kopplin of SDP on guest vocals.
Tracks like “Valhalla” and “Avalon” show a more epic, serious side of the band – with “Valhalla” featuring heavy metal legend Doro Pesch. The fantasy-inspired “The Tale of Sam The Brave” pays homage to Middle-earth, while “Name der Rose” draws from a literary classic. Previously released “Lords of Fyre” (feat. LORD OF THE LOST) sets the tone for their upcoming co-headline tour.
Produced by Simon Michael (SUBWAY TO SALLY) and mastered by Jacob Hansen (EVERGREY, Arch Enemy, Volbeat), Knightclub features artwork by Peter Sallai (POWERWOLF, Sabaton, Saxon, Hammerfall). Pre-Order Your Version of KnightclubNOW – Several Formats Are Already Sold Out!
Knightclub tracklisting: 1. Knightclub (feat. Dag/SDP) 2. Tanz der Teufel 3. Avalon 4. Drunken Dragon 5. Eisenfaust 6. Name der Rose 7. Valhalla (feat. Doro Pesch & Miracle of Sound) 8. The Tale of Sam The Brave 9. Testament 10. Lords of Fyre (feat. Lord Of The Lost) 11. Gangnam Style
Knightclub will be available in the following formats: Deluxe Box (incl. 2-CD Mediabook, Viking Knife, Collector Cards, Flag) – Napalm Records mail order exclusive (strictly limited) 1-LP Gatefold LIQUID – Napalm Records mail order exclusive (strictly limited) – SOLD OUT 1-LP Gatefold GREEN – Napalm Records mail order exclusive (strictly limited) – SOLD OUT 1-LP Gatefold SPLATTER – Napalm Records mail order exclusive (strictly limited) 3-CD Earbook (CD, CD-BONUS, CD-INSTRUMENTAL), Booklet 48 pages 2-CD Mediabook (CD, CD-BONUS), Booklet 40 pages 1-LP Gatefold BLACK 1-CD Jewel Case, Booklet 24 pages Digital Album[Deluxe Box (incl. 2-CD mediabook, viking knife, collector card set, flag) – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited)FEUERSCHWANZ Live 2025: LORDS OF FYRE Tour 2025 FEUERSCHWANZ & LORD OF THE LOST w/ The Dark Side Of The Moon 02.10.25 DE – Berlin / Columbiahalle 03.10.25 DE – Leipzig / Haus Auensee 04.10.25 DE – Offenbach / Stadthalle 10.10.25 DE – Hanover / Swiss Life Hall 11.10.25 DE – Fürth / Stadthalle 17.10.25 DE – Munich / Zenith 18.10.25 DE – Düsseldorf / Mitsubishi Halle
Festivals 2025: 18.07.25 FR – Sélestat / Les Tanzmatten 19.07.25 DE – Loiching / Open Air Weigendorf 24.07.25 DE – Bremen / Seebühne 25.07.25 DE – Creuzburg / Burg Creuzburg 26.07.25 DE – Bückeburg / MPS Bückeburg 08.08.25 ES – Villena / Leyendas Del Rock 10.08.25 UK – Derbyshire / Bloodstock 16.08.25 CH – Cudrefin / Rock The Lakes 23.08.25 DE – Schleswig / Baltic Open Air 04.09.25 DE – Loreley / 30 Jahre In Extremo 06.09.25 DE – Luhmühlen / MPS Luhmühlen
FEUERSCHWANZ are: Johanna – violin, hurdy-gurdy Hauptmann – vocals, guitar Ben – flutes, bagpipes, guitars, vocals Hans – guitar Jarne – bass Rollo – drums Yennefer – dance & performance Hela – dance & performance FEUERSCHWANZ online: WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TIKTOK NAPALM RECORDS
Progressive symphonic metal band Scardust are thrilled to announce the release of their anticipated new studio album “Souls”, out on July 18th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl. The band also share the new single and accompanying official video, “Dazzling Darkness”, available now.
Watch the official video for “Dazzling Darkness” HERE
The band commented on the new album by saying: “Souls is a deep personal journey for us, combining everything from intricate progressive elements to sweeping symphonic passages, anthemic choruses and epic choirs. This album is a milestone for the band. It contains the Scardust DNA while experimenting with different writing and composing methods, involving every single musician in the band, resulting in the creation of the next evolution of our sound and pushing the boundaries of what we can express through music.”“Thematically we’ve explored ideas of memory, belonging, loss, and the desire for connection, weaving in influences from different musical worlds, including orchestral, Mediterranean, and even Celtic sounds”, they added. “Souls is our most ambitious album to date, incorporating Scardust’s signature technical musicianship, and featuring the Hellscore choir and a string quartet throughout the entire album plus guest appearances from some international top tier musicians like Ross Jennings (Haken), Ally Storch (Subway to Sally), a Turkish orchestra and the TLV orchestra. It’s bold, it’s emotional and we hope it resonates deeply wherever it is heard.
”Scardust’s early years saw their debut EP, Shadow (2015), position them as a promising newcomer, while their first full-length LP, Sands of Time (2017), cemented them as one of the leading progressive metal bands in Israel. Scardust rapidly rose to the top of the local metal scene, selling out shows and opening for the likes of Symphony X, Therion, and Epica. They soon expanded their reach, touring overseas and playing festivals and headline shows in Germany, China, and the UK, while continuing to dominate stages at home.Despite the challenges of Covid-19, 2020 saw the release of their sophomore album Strangers through M-Theory Audio, accompanied by seven self-produced music videos. Described by Dead Rhetoric as “captivating from start to finish,” Strangers introduced a unique concept album built on complementary song pairs, earning strong critical and fan acclaim.2022 started on a high note with the visit of folk star Patty Gurdy, who joined Scardust for a live show in Israel and filmed the band’s most viewed video to date, Concrete Cages. The song, featuring a duet between Noa and Patty, tells a tale of mankind’s loss of connection with nature – culminating in a shocking twist.That summer, the band headlined multiple shows across Europe, performing to packed arenas at Wacken Open Air and Dong Open Air. Testament’s Steve Di Giorgio, upon hearing the band from backstage, ran out front and watched the entire set, later describing himself as “mesmerized.” The year ended with the release of the dramatic one-shot video Evolution of the Disney Princess – But She’s METAL, where Noa weaves through a high-energy metal arrangement of beloved Disney Princess songs in just three and a half minutes.2023 saw the release of Game of Now, a cinematic piece set in a futuristic dystopian live show. Scardust played festivals and concerts across Europe, spent two weeks on tour with power metal legends Blind Guardian, and signed a major multi-album deal with Frontiers Records – marking a significant milestone in their career.Following an extended period of recording, the end of 2024 brought the release of My Haven, a powerful music video exploring the concept of finding a safe space. Shortly after, they unveiled RIP, a haunting track accompanied by a visually striking video centered around the enigmatic figure of Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Scardust continued working with filmmaker Lahav Levi, whose creative vision has played a key role in bringing their music to life on screen.Alongside Scardust’s rise, Noa Gruman’s metal choir, Hellscore, has been gaining significant recognition. Known for their unique a cappella renditions of metal classics, they have collaborated with renowned artists and bands such as Epica, Therion, Amorphis, and Alestorm. Hellscore is also an integral part of Scardust’s sound, performing on all their albums and live shows.Noa Gruman is also much in demand as a vocalist and the already-impressive list of her recent guest vocal appearances includes albums by Amorphis, Ayreon, Therion, Gloryhammer, Nino Helfrich and Orphaned Land.If you are looking for the most fresh and innovative progressive album, “Souls” is set to be a milestone for the genre.
“Souls” Tracklist:
1. Long Forgotten Song 2. My Haven 3. RIP 4. Dazzling Darkness 5. Unreachable (feat. TLV Orchestra) 6. End Of The World 7. Searing Echoes (feat. Ally Storch) 8. Touch Of Life I – In Your Eyes (feat. Ross Jennings) 9. Touch Of Life II – Dance Of Creation 10. Touch Of Life III – King Of Insanity (feat. Ross Jennings)
Line Up: Noa Gruman – Vocals Gal Gabriel Israel – Guitar Aaron Friedland – Keyboards Orr Didi – Bass Yoav Weinberg – Drums
[Photo Credit: THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON]
[Photo Credit: Stefan Heilemann] 
Metal Valkyrie 