German metalcore titans Annisokay just released new single 'Into The Gray' and their highly anticipated EP, 'Abyss Pt II' via Arising Empire. This new instalment promises to continue the band's evolution, delivering their signature blend of crushing heaviness and melodic intensity.
Watch the visualiser for the full EP stream here: https://youtu.be/fOAN9mwD51Q
The previous lead single, 'Inner Sanctum', offers a glimpse into the EP's depth, exploring themes of inner struggle and resilience through powerful vocals, atmospheric soundscapes, and intense breakdowns.
Reflecting on Abyss Pt I, released in September 2023, the EP received widespread acclaim for its fusion of metalcore aggression and melodic elements. Tracks like 'Human' and 'Ultraviolet' showcased the band's ability to balance heavy riffs with catchy choruses, while their rendition of Leony's 'Remedy,' titled 'Calamity', demonstrated their versatility and willingness to push genre boundaries.
With Abyss Pt II, Annisokay aim to build upon this foundation, further solidifying their status in the modern metalcore scene. Fans can look forward to experiencing these new tracks live during their European tour in October, which includes performances at major festivals such as Wacken, Greenfield Festival, Reload Festival, and Summer Breeze.
UK tour dates:
UK-London - 15.01.26
UK-Leeds - 16.01.26
UK-Bristol - 17.01.26
UK-Nottingham - 18.01.26
Annisokay are:
Rudi Schwarzer | Vocals
Christoph Wieczorek | Vocals / Guitar
Peter Leukhardt | Bass
Nico Vaeen | Drums
For more information:
www.annisokay.com
www.facebook.com/annisokay
www.instagram.com/annisokay
www.twitter.com/annisokay
Poland’s Demeted return with their captivating and dynamic Rituals EP, released 9th May via Seek & Strike.
A modern metalcore masterpiece, you can hear the EP's second single 'Naiad' now.
Watch the video for 'Naiad' here: https://youtu.be/GFW4y3Ndb0Q
Pre-save Rituals here: https://orcd.co/demetedrituals
This is the follow-up to Demeted's debut EP Lunacy, which earned them national recognition and saw the band push their songwriting to new heights, crafting more epic hooks and infectious melodies, while maintaining their overall aggression.
Demeted state: "The EP’s second single, ‘Naiad,' was inspired from a legend about slavic Rusalka. The theme of this song revolves around water, just like the legendary creature. The character in the music video is a Rusalka that tries to lure the main character into water, where it is most powerful. This is a metaphor to people getting deceived, just to have a rude awakening when they discover they’ve been fooled. This song is very fun to play, as it contains a chorus that is good sing-along material and also has complicated riffs that keep the listener guessing what's next.
"This EP is also the manifestation of our continuous evolution as a band. The sound has turned to a darker, more aggressive and mysterious tone, but the imagery was adjusted to resemble the offering's main themes. Everything in the new release falls under the concept of displaying the forgotten and mysterious, indigenous culture of Poland from hundreds of years ago. The one specific element that clearly helps separate us from the rest of the bands in our genre is our sound flexibility. We can always find a way to create a catchy chorus, even if the song is really heavy and it would be impossible at the first glance.
"If there’s anything we can share with the world, it would be one thing - be proud of who you are, because your intrinsic value is immense. You just need to show it to the world and eventually there will be someone that’s going to cherish it."
For more:
https://www.facebook.com/DemetedOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/demetedofficial
Photo Credit: Terhi Ylimainen
If you like intense, highly energetic live shows with perfect musicianship and songwriting, powerful vocals, a spectacular scenery, fire, force and fun, Finnish metal stars Battle Beast are your perfect choice.
Today, they celebrate the release of Circus Of Doom – Live in Helsinki 2023, a triumphant display of entertaining and monumental heavy rock.
To coincide with the album release, the band have unveiled their new video 'Eden (Live In Helsinki 2023)'. Noora Louhimo quotes excitedly: ”It was such a special moment to perform our song 'Eden' - the long time favourite of our fans, in Helsinki Ice Hall. The audience got to be part of the song as the heavenly choir and sang with us the whole time. I still get goosebumps while thinking about it. Go check it out and enjoy!”
Watch: https://youtu.be/JgTiikhV13Y
Order Circus Of Doom - Live In Helsinki 2023 here: https://battlebeast.bfan.link/circus-of-doom-live
Battle Beast's European tour starts with a bang on 17th October with their biggest German headline show to date at Hamburg’s Inselpark Arena. The tour will keep the band on the road until mid-December. To complete the bill with melodic metal superiority, the band are thrilled to welcome Germany’s metal sensation Dominum as their special guest, and Sweden’s rising power metal force Majestica as their opening act.
Tickets for the tour are onsale now at www.battlebeast.fi/tour.
Dates:
17-Oct-25 Germany Hamburg Inselpark Arena
18-Oct-25 Germany Berlin Huxleys Neue Welt
19-Oct-25 Netherlands Den Bosch The Rock Circus
21-Oct-25 England Birmingham O2 Institute
22-Oct-25 England Manchester O2 Ritz
23-Oct-25 England Bristol O2 Academy
24-Oct-25 England London Shepherd's Bush Empire
25-Oct-25 France Paris Elysee Montmartre
26-Oct-25 France Toulouse Bikini Toulouse
28-Oct-25 Spain Madrid Sala La Riviera
29-Oct-25 Spain Barcelona Sala Apolo
30-Oct-25 France Lyon Transbordeur
31-Oct-25 Germany Filderstadt FILharmonie
01-Nov-25 Germany Wiesbaden Schlachthof
02-Nov-25 Belgium Antwerp Trix
04-Nov-25 Germany Hannover Capitol
05-Nov-25 Denmark Roskilde Gimle
06-Nov-25 Sweden Huskvarna Folkets Park
07-Nov-25 Sweden Gothenburg Trädgårn
08-Nov-25 Sweden Stockholm Fryshuset Arenan
09-Nov-25 Norway Oslo Rockefeller Music Hall
28-Nov-25 Germany Leipzig Felsenkeller - Ballsaal
29-Nov-25 Germany Nuremberg Löwensaal
30-Nov-25 Austria Vienna Arena Wien
01-Dec-25 Slovakia Bratislava Majestic Music Club
02-Dec-25 Hungary Budapest Barba Negra Red Stage
03-Dec-25 Slovenia Ljubljana Cvetlicarna d.o.o.
05-Dec-25 Germany Munich TonHalle
06-Dec-25 Switzerland Pratteln Z7 Konzertfabrik
07-Dec-25 Italy Trezzo sull'Adda Live Club
09-Dec-25 Switzerland Lausanne Metropole
10-Dec-25 Germany Saarbrücken Garage
12-Dec-25 Germany Oberhausen Turbinenhalle
13-Dec-25 Czech Republic Zlin Sports Hall Datart
14-Dec-25 Poland Warsaw Progresja
Close to two decades into their career, with six records, 300M+ streams, four consecutive number #1 albums, and the strongest line-up the Finnish symphonic heavy metal group ever had, it’s about time Battle Beast release a proper live album. Now, Circus Of Doom – Live in Helsinki 2023 finally comes out via Nuclear Blast Records on April 11th, 2025 as digital album and Limited Edition CD plus Blu-ray Digipak.
Offering 117 minutes of playing time, 15 songs, a stunning 24-page booklet showing the band’s impressive stage and performance in a series of photos by Jaakko Manninen, and artwork by Jan Yrlund, Circus Of Doom – Live in Helsinki 2023 is a triumphant testimony to BATTLE BEAST’s one of a kind adventurous and monumental music. Recorded in the Helsinki Ice Hall on January 27, 2023, mixed by the band’s “keytarist” Janne Björkroth and mastered at the legendary Finnvox by Mika Jussila, this massive live package is a highlight for every dedicated fan out there and perfectly captures the ambitious dystopian carnival show Battle Beast put up during their past touring cycle. And rest assured that Noora, Janne, Joona, Juuso, Eero and Pyry are already preparing an even more exciting new chapter for their fantastic tale that will hit you straight to the heart and take you beyond the burning skies.
Battle Beast are:
Noora Louhimo | vocals
Eero Sipilä | bass
Joona Björkroth | guitars
Juuso Soinio | guitars
Janne Björkroth | keyboards
Pyry Vikki | drums
For more:
https://www.instagram.com/battlebeastband
https://battlebeast.fi/home
https://www.facebook.com/battlebeastofficial
Introducing DEVILHUSK - the new nu-metalcore Brightonian quartet - releasing their debut single 'I SEE GOD'.
Watch: https://youtu.be/HZ-JxX47B7I
The band comment: "‘I SEE GOD’ is DEVILHUSK’s debut single and a violent opening statement of intent. The track doesn’t beat around the bush, focusing in on disillusionment with and criticism of organised religion following a loss of faith. The song lyrically features tongue in cheek recitals of bible verses that have had their meanings twisted, and musically delivers as much as a metal song can in a 3-and-a-half-minute runtime. Distorted, aggressive sound design, haunting atmospheric textures and 3 breakdowns for good measure. While likely shocking to some, ‘I SEE GOD’ is exactly what the others are looking for."
DEVILHUSK forcefully bend genre boundaries to suit their idea of where the style can be taken. Forming in late 2023 out of necessity, DEVILHUSK decided to push forward with a vision that’s creatively driven by artist and producer Kino’s stubborn desire to make music that simply does not exist yet.
Having spent more than a year in the lab ardently crafting a sound and image that they’re satisfied with, DEVILHUSK draw from the gargantuan intensity of progressive metal titans like Meshuggah and Vildhjarta, and the innovative energy of modern electronic pioneers like Nitepunk and MARAUDA, and channels it into a metalcore/modern hardcore aesthetic akin to the likes of Knocked Loose or thrown. Trying to summarise their style into a sentence isn’t easy, as the sum of influences results in just as much an industrial sounding Tearout dubstep or Neurofunk drum and bass project as it does a metal band. This wide array of influences in tandem with their near neurotic attention to detail creates an experience that’s simultaneously vivacious and crushing, whether it’s at home or in a live environment.
The DEVILHUSK line-up consists of James Boon (Kino), Joe Lyndon, Joshua Hutchings and Kieron Durrant. Kino is the main driver of the band’s creative direction and pulls from his deep, long term involvement with the underground electronic music scene with the ambition of filling a hole in the metal world – an organic blend of the two styles that comes from a genuine understanding of both. The music is often inspired by a sound design session, with his guitar parts written around the unconventional production, which immediately sets DEVILHUSK’s music apart from that of bands that write for the sake of riffs. Joe’s background and experience with the UK’s underground death metal scene has proven equally as invaluable as his uniquely aggressive vocal capabilities. Having engineered for major names like Loathe, Doyle, GBH, and Discharge, his co-production adds a familiar appeal to the band’s sound. Joshua Hutchings is a wildcard, having previously been involved in bands influenced more by the likes of Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie than anything in the metal scene. However, his ear for hooks and background outside of metal, like Kino, is a perfect fit for a project intended to be such a melting pot of differing sounds. Finally, DEVILHUSK finds it’s backbone and rhythmic framework in Kieron Durrant, a drummer whose musical roots lie in a combination of deathcore and 90s hip-hop, solidifying the punchy, assertive style the band has, reminiscent of the nu metal era.
The band have immediately hit the ground running, and within weeks of announcing the project have played alongside the likes of ARCHIVES, Dead Flesh, Downpour, Earthbound and Chaos Reigns. With a lot of music soon to be released and a point to make, DEVILHUSK are looking to make a lasting impact on the UK metal community and beyond, as not just a band, but a statement.
Watch DEVILHUSK live:
29th April Brighton - Daltons
For more:
https://linktr.ee/devilhusk080
Photo Credit: Alexander Skepp
Fearlessly experimental, deliciously irreverent and defiantly unclassifiable for 25 years, Stockholm’s Gösta Berlings Saga have announced the release of Forever Now, their highly anticipated seventh studio album, on 6th June via Pelagic Records. Still determined to push boundaries after two decades, Forever Now’s second single ‘Fragment I’, which is unveiled today, doesn’t actually appear on the record.
Watch the video to 'Fragment I' here: https://youtu.be/p4y2sMcPXGo
Pre-order Forever Now here: https://orcd.co/gostaberlingssaga
The band comment: "'Fragment I' was recorded in January 2025 with the ambition to expand the NOW within Forever Now. Fragments of music from the upcoming album, intertwined with ideas dating back to the time before our very first record, were allowed to merge freely over an afternoon in the studio. To shape this session, we invited two guest musicians we deeply admire: Reine Fiske (Träden, Dungen) on guitar and Gustav Nygren (Kungens Män, Anekdoten) on guitar and saxophone.
"The result is a journey through layers of sound and improvisation, colliding to create something entirely new and ‘now’."
Gösta Berlings Saga began in 2000 with a creative spark keenly felt between keyboardist David Lundberg and drummer Alexander Skepp. Taking formative inspiration from the ‘60s jazz fusion improvisations of fellow Swedes Hansson & Karlsson, Gösta Berlings Saga broadened their sonic palette with the addition of bassist Gabriel Tapper and guitarist Mathias Danielsson before the release of their debut album Tid Är Ljud in 2006. Danielsson subsequently left the project to be replaced by Einar Baldursson, contributing to the darker and more complex sound of 2009’s Detta Har Hänt, 2011’s Glue Works and 2016’s Sersophane.
The overt manipulation of sound and melody on this trio of early releases helped set Gösta Berlings Saga apart from the rest of the progressive pack, swerving easy cliché and navel gazing nostalgia in favour of a fervently forward-thinking ethos. Undoubtedly influenced by the greats of prog, art-rock, electronica and the avant-garde, Gösta Berlings Saga have remained thrillingly impervious to categorisation.
2017 saw another evolution within the band as Baldursson left to be replaced with Rasmus Booberg whilst percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Jesper Skarin also joined the ranks. Rejuvenated and revitalised, Gösta Berlings Saga’s subsequent albums, ET EX (2018) and Konkret Music (2020), introduced a whole new audience to the band’s idiosyncratic fearless experimentation, breakneck rock ‘n’ roll infused with even more found sound electronics and sonic obscura. Uncompromising and utterly distinct, these albums solidified the band’s belief that staying true to their own artistic vision was always the only way forward.
Forever Now is 10 tracks of hand-crafted chaos that bear all the brilliance of Gösta Berlings Saga’s 25 years of irreverent innovation. Entirely written, recorded, produced and mixed by the band for the very first time, the album sees synthesizers and arpeggiated guitars spiral ever higher, colliding with helter skelter percussion and pulse-racing drums on the way, whilst the band’s innate trust in each other and in their music form the propulsive core of a perpetual energy engine five years in the making.
Although not established as a concept album as such, personal tragedies during the early writing process ultimately left their mark. For a time the band tried to separate their collective creativity from the events of their private lives but, rather than grief and darkness making their presence felt, Gösta Berlings Saga built this album on the pursuit of the eternal - a euphoric glimpse beyond time, where music becomes a bridge between the present and what was and will be, echoing connections that never fade.
Gösta Berlings Saga are:
Jesper Skarin - Percussion
Gabriel Tapper - Bass
David Lundberg - Keys
Rasmus Booberg - Guitars
Alexander Skepp - Drums
Forever Now track list:
1. Full Release
2. Through The Arches
3. Arrangements
4. Forever Now
5. The Sprig and the Birch
6. Fragment II
7. Ascension
8. Dog Years
9. Make of Your Heart a Stone
10. Ceremonial
Photo Credit: Damien Demolder
Cinematic post-metal quartet Telepathy have today unveiled a new video for their behemoth track 'End Transmission', taken from their most recent, and acclaimed, record Transmissions (March 2025, Pelagic Records).
Watch: https://youtu.be/IYtkNGfuqeA
Order Transmissions here: https://orcd.co/telepathy
Telepathy will perform tracks from Transmissions at A Colossal Weekend in Denmark on Thursday 8th May. In addition, they're touring at the following:
UK 17.04 London - The Black Heart
DE 06.05 Leipzig - Werk2
DE 07.05 Berlin - Neue Zukunft
DE 08.05 Copenhagen - A Colossal Weekend
DE 10.05 Bremen - Zollkantine
DE 11.05 Siegen - Vortex Music Club
NL 23-24.09 Maastricht - Pelagic Festival
The band comment: "We are excited to announce the first European live dates in support of our new album Transmissions, including a stop at A Colossal Weekend festival in Copenhagen. We can't wait to see you. Welcome to the first Transmission".
They continue: "'End Transmission' was the first song we performed from our new album, way back at the end of 2022. It became THE song in our set on that tour with Oranssi Pazuzu, and we wanted to document that initial excitement with this clip.
Featuring footage from Euroblast in Germany, Amplifest in Porto, the 2000trees vs ArcTanGent event in Bristol and club dates through France and the UK we present this nostalgic look back at life on the road as we prepare to head back out on the road in support of Transmissions."
Telepathy are:
Piotr Turek
Albert Turek
Krystian Turek
Richard Powley
For more:
https://www.instagram.com/telepathybanduk
https://www.facebook.com/telepathyband
https://telepathyband.bandcamp.com/album/transmissions
Track-list
1. Oath 09:10
2. Augury 06:26
3. Knife Edge Effect 04:12
4. Tears in the Fibre 14:19
5. A Silent Bridge 01:57
6. End Transmission 15:49
7. Home 05:52
Renowned modern guitarists KEYAN & Connor Kaminski have joined forces to unveil their new instrumental progressive metal three-track EP, Kinetic, set for release on Friday 16th May.
The duo have also shared the first single 'Swell', which you can stream here: https://youtu.be/1fltWSrMbJ0
Pre-order Kinetic here: https://ffm.to/kinetic-contest.ZRF
Kinetic's tracklisting has also been revealed, showcased legendary featured artists Adam 'Nolly' Getgood of Periphery and guitar maestro Jack Gardiner.
KEYAN, a Fender/Jackson-endorsed shred-lord and YouTube sensation, has made waves in the global guitar community through his social media presence and online persona. Known for his technical prowess and ability to bridge social media virality with serious musicianship, KEYAN has shared the stage with progressive metal icons like Animals As Leaders, Periphery, Intervals, Leprous and more, and has over 50M YouTube views to boast.
Across the ocean, UK-based composer, producer, and technical guitar virtuoso Connor Kaminski has built a reputation for his intricate guitar work and innovative approach to modern prog metal. Influenced by Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, and Intervals, Connor has honed his craft as a guitarist and cultivated a strong following online. This growth helped him establish relationships with .strandberg*, D’Addario, Neural DSP, GetGood Drums, and even allowed him to design and release his dream signature guitar with .strandberg* at the young age of 27 last October.
The pair pool their talent on Kinetic, a 20+ minute progressive metal journey, exploring the concept of movement in relation to the human experience. The release showcases the unique synergy between KEYAN and Connor’s distinct playing styles, offering a dynamic listening experience that blends soaring leads, intricate rhythms, and cinematic soundscapes. The EP’s first single, 'Swell', is available for streaming now, offering listeners a taste of the duo’s technical brilliance.
Kinetic features guest performances from two modern guitar titans - Adam 'Nolly' Getgood from Periphery, who is known for his precision production work and bass/guitar mastery, and Jack Gardiner - known for his melodic phrasing and jazz-fusion-infused approach to prog.
With Kinetic, KEYAN and Connor set out to push the boundaries of instrumental progressive metal, showcasing a new chapter in the evolution of modern guitar music. The EP captures the energy, complexity, and technicality that define their artistry, solidifying them as key players in the global prog scene.
For more:
Connor Kaminski
https://www.instagram.com/connor.kaminski
https://www.youtube.com/@ConnorKaminski
KEYAN
https://www.instagram.com/keyanhoushmandlive
https://www.youtube.com/c/keyanhoushmandlive
Tracklisting:
1 Swell
2 Oscillate
3 Pirouette
Photo Credit: Chris Sikich
Hiroe, the new darlings of the American post-rock underground, return with news of their debut album, Wield, due 20th June via Pelagic Records.
The band have today released their first single from Wield, the titanic 'Tides'.
Stream 'Tides' here: https://youtu.be/RhiUsR0CqGE
Pre-order Wield here: https://orcd.co/hiroe
Both powerfully melodic and heavy, Wield shows the Philadelphia-based quintet mastering their craft, of creating compelling melodies that sound larger than life.
On 'Tides', the group comment: "The intention for 'Tides' was to evoke aural imagery akin to an unstoppable force colliding with an immovable object. Our studio intern's observation perfectly captured this sentiment: "it sounds like a soundtrack for Godzilla fighting King Kong”. There’s an undercurrent of frustration woven into the song. It serves as a metaphor for the very universal human experience for us all – the constant challenges, both monumental and mundane, that we all face in a struggle to exist."
2022 saw Hiroe burst onto the scene with an explosive debut EP full of soaring anthems and sublime soundscapes. Combining the sonic expansiveness of Deftones with the dynamic heaviness of bands like Isis and Caspian, Hiroe immediately already figured out how to make the most majestic sounding post-rock early in their career. "Our first album, Wrought was a statement of creation," explains principal songwriter Eric Kusanagi (guitars).
For the recording of Wield, Jill Paslier moved from bass to guitars, with Brian Kong (guitars), Jon Seiler (bass) and Dan Sagherian (drums) joining to complete the lineup. Produced once more by Mario Quintero (Spotlights) Wield capitalises on everything the band learned in the creation of its predecessor, adding to it a new focus on textural intricacies and compositional detail.
“We wanted to show a larger range of musical themes on this record,” continues Eric. “You’ll hear us dive into some synth work, some piano work, some really interesting effects that Mario helped us dial up.” Wield as a result packs in a huge range of details, which reveal themselves over repeated listens.
Nevertheless, Wield is still an affair of instant gratification for fans of guitar driven post-rock. From the soaring leads of 'Tides' to the epic finale of 'I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life', Hiroe show they’ve upped their game in every department, but especially that which tugs at your heartstrings.
Wield presents the brave new future we all need in these confusing times. A new American frontier on which we can build our wildest dreams and our most daring ambitions.
Watch Hiroe live:
JUN 06 – Baltimore – Monument City Brewing
JUN 07 – Washington, DC – The Pocket
JUN 13 – Brooklyn – Gold Sounds
JUN 14 – Boston - Deep Cuts
JUN 20 – Harrisburg – JB Lovedraft’s
JUN 21 – Lancaster – The Upside
JUN 27 – Philadelphia – Kung Fu Necktie
JUN 28 – Pittsburgh – Ormsby’s
JUL 23 – Indianapolis – Black Circle (Post-Fest Pre-show)
Hiroe are:
Eric Kusanagi – Guitar
Jill Paslier – Guitar
Brian Kong – Guitar
Jon Seiler – Bass
Dan Sagherian - Drums
For more:
INSTAGRAM • FACEBOOK • BANDCAMP • PELAGIC ARTIST PAGE
Track-list
Side A
1. The Calm
2. Tides
3. Collider
Side B
4. Dancing at the End of the World
5. The Crush
6. I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life