SVART VINTER unleash new single “Torment”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Today Italian atmospheric black metal five-piece SVART VINTER unleash their new single “Torment”.

The song is taken from their sophomore studio album “Isvind” to be released on May 30th, 2025 via Non Serviam Records.

“‘Torment’ delves deep into the dark, wintry depths of the human soul. It tells the story of an individual trapped in the icy grip of their own existence, where light is a distant memory and hope is extinguished by an inescapable darkness. It’s a statement of existence within darkness, a reflection on the annihilation of the self in a world that offers nothing but cold and abandonment. We hope this track can accompany those who, like us, find a certain beauty in the harshness of the void, in the strength of the ice, and in the freedom hidden within despair,” comments the band.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

About the album SVART VINTER state: “It captures the raw forces of winter’s darkness, with themes of isolation, grief, and torment at its core. Each track immerses the listener in a cold, unforgiving landscape where the frost gnaws at your soul and the night stretches on endlessly.

‘Isvind’ offers an experience that is both atmospheric and intense, bringing to life the most sinister aspects of winter’s embrace. The album weaves a tale of death and darkness, and is a relentless exploration of the harshest elements, where the forces of nature are as merciless as they are mesmerizing.”

“Isvind” track listing
1. Torment
2. Frozen Tomb
3. Isvind
4. Ritual
5. Abyss
6. Where The Shadows Lie
7. My Last Winter
8. Of Cold And Grief
9. Beneath The Night’s Cold Gaze

“Isvind” was mixed and mastered by SVART VINTER’s frontman Andrea Maggioni at Decomposed Design Studio.
The album’s artwork is based on an original photo by Autumnal Mood Photography.

Founded in Rome in 2021 by members of the doom/death metal band Veil Of Conspiracy, they draw inspiration from the classic Norwegian black metal scene of the 90’s. The band’s name, meaning “black winter” in Swedish and Norwegian, reflects the bleak and atmospheric qualities of their music.

Though relatively new to the scene, SVART VINTER has quickly established themselves in the underground black metal community. Their debut album, “Mist” (2022), received critical acclaim for its raw intensity and evocative atmosphere. The album captures the essence of traditional Black Metal while adding a fresh, emotional depth.

SVART VINTER’s sound is characterized by haunting melodies, cold, sharp riffs, and a powerful, relentless rhythm section. Their lyrics delve into themes of nature, isolation, and existential struggle, exploring both the beauty and the darkness of the natural world and the human condition. With poetic, introspective lyrics, Svart Vinter creates an immersive experience that resonates deeply with listeners, reflecting on the human spirit’s search for meaning in an indifferent and often hostile universe.

Their music is more than just a reflection of black metal’s harsh sound – it’s a journey through darkness, atmosphere and emotion, a tribute to the genre’s past while looking toward its future.

SVART VINTER are:
Andrea Maggioni – Vocals
Luca Gagnoni – Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Emanuela Marino – Rhythm Guitars
Jacopo Simonelli – Bass
Luca Tiraterra – Drums

THE DEAD DAISIES Drop “Boom Boom”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

The Dead Daisies are turning up the heat with the release of their latest single, “Boom Boom”—a gritty, hard-hitting take on the John Lee Hooker classic. Out today via SPV GmbH Germany, the track is the latest single off the band‘s upcoming blues album Lookin‘ For Trouble, arriving May 30th. Steeped in the raw energy and rebellious spirit that shaped rock ’n‘ roll, the album finds the band reimagining blues standards with the same firepower that has fueled their decade-long run.

“Boom Boom” channels the swagger and soul of Hooker‘s original, inspired by his time at Detroit‘s Apex Bar, where the bartender Willa would famously scold him, “Boom boom, you late again!” The phrase sparked one of his biggest crossover hits, and now The Dead Daisies bring that same playful edge and infectious rhythm to their high-octane version. “He thought it was a great title and wrote the song,” says frontman John Corabi. “He recorded it with the legendary Motown session band The Funk Brothers, and we couldn‘t pass up the opportunity to put our spin on it!!!” The result is a riff-heavy, blues-drenched anthem that pays tribute while making it unmistakably their own.

Watch “Boom Boom” HERE

From the moment they stepped into FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the band—John Corabi, David Lowy, Doug Aldrich, Michael Devin, and Sarah Tomek, — felt the weight of history around them. The iconic space, where legends like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James once recorded, inspired a late-night jam session that quickly became something much bigger. Producer Marti Frederiksen pressed record, and what started as impromptu fun turned into a full-fledged album—one that captures the blues in its purest, most electrifying form.

Across ten powerhouse tracks, Lookin‘ For Trouble breathes new life into legendary songs, with The Dead Daisies putting their own stamp on each one. The band‘s high-voltage take on Robert Johnson‘s “Crossroads”—the song that gave rise to blues mythology—kicked off the album rollout with a scorching tribute to the Delta blues legend.

“’Crossroads‘ by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson has created a myth so large that it‘s been etched into the very foundation of rock ’n‘ roll lore,” says bassist Michael Devin. “Many bands have covered ’Crossroads‘ over the years, now we‘ve covered it in our own way.”

The band‘s rendition has already been met with praise, with Raised by Cassettes calling it “a high-energy, soul-drenched performance that bridges past and present.” The track is also receiving airplay on radio stations across Germany, the UK, and Australia.

Elsewhere on the album, the band tears through classics like “Going Down” (Freddie King) and “Black Betty” (Lead Belly), putting their own hard-hitting spin on these blues staples. The setlist also includes smoldering renditions of “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Albert King), “Sweet Home Chicago” (Robert Johnson), and “The Thrill Is Gone” (B.B. King), each one injected with The Dead Daisies‘ signature grit and intensity.

At its core, Lookin‘ For Trouble is a testament to the enduring power of the blues. The band approached the album with a deep respect for the genre‘s origins, recording the songs live to capture the spontaneity and emotion that make blues so timeless.

“This album is our love letter to the blues,” says John Corabi. “When I first heard blues, it was through bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The deeper I researched my heroes, the deeper I got into the history of this music. The blues is the soul of rock ’n‘ roll—it‘s in everything we do.”

Guitarist Doug Aldrich adds, “We cut these songs live, in the same room where so many legends recorded. It was all about feel—capturing the rawness and authenticity that makes blues so powerful.”

Lookin‘ For Trouble by The Dead Daisies
1. I‘m Ready (Muddy Waters)
2. Going Down (Freddie King)
3. Boom Boom (John Lee Hooker)
4. Black Betty (Lead Belly)
5. The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King)
6. Born Under A Bad Sign (Albert King)
7. Crossroads (Robert Johnson)
8. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson)
9. Walking the Dog (Rufus Thomas)
10. Little Red Rooster (Howlin‘ Wolf)

Melodic Thrash/Death Band Midjungards Drops New Single “Hraudung”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

“Hraudung” is a stark, primal vision, a warrior’s shadow slicing through an endless frost. A frozen void stretches wide, jagged and pale, winds screaming secrets. He looms wild-haired, fur-draped, a blade of rune and ice in hand, more myth than man. The air bites, storms claw, yet he moves, a ember in the cold, carving through veils of snow and shadow.

Dark shapes rise beasts or spirits clashing in bursts of steel and silence. Lightning cracks, framing his roar, a mark etched in ice that hums with old echoes. The chaos fades to a dawn glow, his form a jagged scar against the light, claiming the stillness. It’s raw, vast, a dance of strength and frost, less a story than a pulse in the wild.

In Ravens and Eagles, Midjungards journeys into darker musical territories, embracing elements from black metal while maintaining our signature melodic, modern sound. It’s an intense exploration of the Gothic past, shedding light on the dual forces that shape our world. This album brings out a new depth and intensity to our music, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

SACRED STEEL – premieres “Leather, Spikes and Chains” music video from brand new studio album “Ritual Supremacy”, out today on ROAR!

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

“Ritual Supremacy” won’t disappoint any fan of the Swabian steel manufacturer. In my humble opinion, this record is even among the best Gerrit, Matze & Co. have ever released!”

9/10 – ROCK HARD (GER)

“Their most diverse album yet!”
4,7/5 – KNAC.COM (US)

“The Wargods of Metal are back – and they haven’t forgotten anything!”
8,5/10 – POWERMETAL.DE

“Undoubtedly Sacred Steel’s most varied Album!”
9/10 – ROCK HARD (IT)

“‘Ritual Supremacy’ is a great album without weak moments. This is how real heavy metal should sound without compromise!”
8/10 – ROCK TRIBUNE (BE)
For more than 25 years, SACRED STEEL have been offering metalheads worldwide a killer, trend-free alternative to bloated trigger drums, cheesy keyboards and boring cliché sounds that are hyped year after year as “the next big thing in metal”. SACRED STEEL have always remained true to themselves, constantly reinventing their traditional style and releasing some highly acclaimed classics, such as their legendary debut “Reborn In Steel” (1997 as the first German band ever signed to Metal Blade Records), the follow-up “Wargods Of Metal”, or their ground-breaking album: “Slaughter Prophecy”.

Today, the iconic heavy metal force is celebrating the release of their brand new, 10th studio album, entitled “Ritual Supremacy”, at a much-awaited live appearance at Keep It True Festival! Get ready for a new chapter of SACRED STEEL, who are a trademark in our scene: All METAL with attitude, never everybody’s darling – and damn proud of it!

Aptly in style, a new music video for the heavy-as-hell rager and latest album single, “Leather, Spikes and Chains”, is now premiering HERE

“This is our tribute to songs like “In Union We Stand” (Overkill) or Metal Church ́s s/t anthem from their debut album, with a fast guitar over a stubborn but easy-going beat”, says the band about “Leather, Spikes and Chains“. “The lyrics deal with a metal biker gang in the style of Mad Max (the movie) or Carnivore ́s post-world-war III (and IV) -scenario. If we would not be a metal band but a biker gang, this would be our club hymn. As so often and as usual, some critics have already slapped us in the face because of the song title – “too clichéd, created with the Manowar text generator” and so on. Anyone who has read and understood the lyrics knows that this is nonsense. And anyone who knows us is well aware that we don’t give a shit anyway. We only do this for ourselves and for the people who are into this stuff. And that’s why we’ve packed a lot of fan footage from all over the world into the video. This is basically our photo collage in video format and our thank you to all supporters to celebrate the release of the album. Have fun!“

SACRED STEEL‘s entirely anthemic, new album marks the first to feature new members Toni Ieva (bass) and Jörn Langenfeld (guitar), who joined the band in 2023. “Ritual Supremacy” is out today on ROAR, and available on CD, Vinyl as well as Digital formats at https://sacredsteel.rpm.link/ritualbumPR

“Ritual Supremacy” track listing:
01 – Ritual Supremacy
02 – Leather, Spikes & Chains
03 – The Watcher Infernal
04 – A Shadow In The Bell Tower
05 – Entombed Within The Iron Walls Of Dis
06 – Bedlam Eternal
07 – Demon Witch Possession
08 – Covenant Of Grace
09 – Omen Rider
10 – Let The Blackness Come To Me