LOCUS NOIR SIGN WITH LISTENABLE RECORDS

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Locus Noir is the latest endeavor from singer Ben DMN, best known as the former frontman of the Swiss Industrial/Groove Metal juggernaut Sybreed, and is the result of a deeply personal journey, driven by his aspiration to reconnect with the music that inspired him during his formative years and to rekindle his passion for songwriting and live performances.

Drawing inspiration from iconic acts like Type O Negative and Fields of the Nephilim, Locus Noir’s sound radiates a dark and evocative energy. The music also incorporates brooding atmospheres reminiscent of Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride and the raw edge of Gothic Rock, resulting in a cohesive soundscape that offers both a fresh perspective and a timeless interpretation of what Gothic Metal can be.

This venture also marks a significant evolution in Ben’s vocal style, as he now fully embraces haunting melodic vocals that merge Peter Murphy’s theatrical flair with a depth reminiscent of Depeche Mode. The lyrics traverse contrasting realms, delving into themes both esoteric and carnal, often laced with irony: love, death, lust, and the bitter taste of parties that linger past dawn. Ultimately, Locus Noir serves as a sincere homage to the Gothic subculture.

Ben comments “I am simply thrilled to be working with Listenable Records again. It’s a team I’ve known for a long time and hold in high regard: they played a key role in Sybreed’s career and have always demonstrated a highly collaborative approach, which is in line with my own work ethos and was one of my non-negotiable conditions when I decided to return to music as an active artist. I also know that there is a real cultural affinity that will facilitate our exchanges. So I was very happy when they told me they wanted to sign Locus Noir after I contacted them, and I know I can count on the Listenable Records team, especially since they see as much potential in this new band as I do. This makes me very confident – and as optimistic as one can be when playing this kind of music – about the release of Locus Noir’s debut album, Shadow Sun, and the next steps in this new musical adventure.“

Initially conceived as a solo project with contributions from both long-standing and new friends, Locus Noir is poised to evolve into a full-fledged live band, ready to carve out its niche in the Metal landscape.

Locus Noir’s debut album’ Shadow Sun’ is due for release in 2026 on Listenable Records.

HEAVEN SHALL BURN are causing Interference with “Confounder”

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

After releasing a first single, “My Revocation of Compliance”, in early April HEAVEN SHALL BURN are dropping another new song and video taken from their upcoming album, “Heimat”. “Confounder” is their anthem celebrating self-empowerment, self-reliance and autonomous thinking, but ultimately advocating community, supporting and uplifting each other. Watch the emotional video here:

The band comments: “Like an invisible force, the current conditions in our societies deform and mistreat every individual. Pressure to consume, fear campaigns, and pseudo-debates scream at us from all media and numb values important for community and democracy, such as tolerance, solidarity, and autonomous thinking. Standing up against this and setting a positive example that deviates from the madness of everyday life within one’s own bubble with a clear stance is what we want to promote with this song and the accompanying video. Be the disruptive factor, be the ’Confounder‘!”

“Heimat” = German for “home / homeland / native land” – a term that merely refers to a relationship between people and spaces but has nevertheless always been highly emotionally charged. Often misused, it sometimes causes discomfort, lively discussions and battles over interpretation. Maik Weichert (guitar) comments: “‘Heimat‘ is not meant as the narrow-minded end point in the sense it has been used by agitators and populists, but the starting point for observations and perspectives. The album is about a much wider sense of the term ’Heimat‘: the homelands for many different people and also about the spiritual home, something that shapes and determines our thoughts and actions.”

HEAVEN SHALL BURN took their time with the follow-up to “Of Truth And Sacrifice”, which reached number 1 in the Official German Album Charts in 2020. “Heimat” was produced at the band’s own studio, The Dude Ranch, which is run by guitarist Alexander Dietz. Like in the past, Danish producer Tue Madsen took care of the mixing and mastering.

The Thuringians enlisted the renowned artist Eliran Kantor for the artwork, who previously crafted the artwork for “Of Truth And Sacrifice”. The centrepiece of the impressive triptych is a rearing stag – in its roaring variant a classic motif of wildlife painting, the epitome of kitsch and trivial art from the 19th and 20th centuries and interpreted by some as a symbol of patriarchy and capitalist competition, but here placed as a vital allegory of resistance amid an apocalyptic scene. He is flanked by a hunting lynx and a watchful owl, which complete the highly symbolic artwork concept as further elements of the triptych. As with “Of Truth And Sacrifice”, HEAVEN SHALL BURN worked together with composer, producer and director Sven Helbig and conductor Wilhelm Keitel, this time supported by the Mondëna Quartet and the Ukrainian Sophia Chamber Choir.

Prog/Power Metallers, EchoSoul, Releasing Sophomore album, Time of the Dragon, on May 15!

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Fort Wayne (IN) – U.S. Progressive/Power Metal band, EchoSoul, are set to release their much anticipated sophomore album, Time of the Dragon, on May 15 through No Dust Records.

Three singles from the forthcoming album have been released: “Die Demon Die,” “Hollowed Ground,” “Sister Suicide,” and “The Path of the Righteous.”

All four singles can be streamed at:

open.spotify.com/artist/5W3aUIqgkPOyk9JJdSymBS

Lyric videos for “Sister Suicide” “Die Demon Die” “Hallowed Ground,” and “The Path of the Righteous” are also available.

The Time of the Dragon Bandcamp album listening party is scheduled for May 13 at 7:00pm CST. RSVP at the following link:

echosoulmusic.bandcamp.com/merch/time-of-the-dragon-listening-party

EchoSoul songs take the listener on a ride through solid chugging and fast and alternate picking, mixed with plenty of scale runs, harmonies and complex type riffing that draw you in. Lots of solos to leave you complete. Every song at its core has a melodic or catchy chorus and some memorable take aways leaving you singing it later in the day.

Whether you’re a Power Metal fan or into Thrash, there is something for everyone. A perfect fusion of Power and Prog Metal! On Time of the Dragon, look for some of what you came to love on the first album, along with Rob back on Vox and Guy’s guitars, in filling in, Randy Walton and Tyler Witte. Some guests include Andy LaRoque (Kings Diamond) and Joseph Michael (Sanctuary, Witherfall)

Guitarist/founder, Guy Hinton, offers his thoughts on the upcoming album:

“On our sophomore album, we dug into the writing process a little deeper. We have goneheavier and yet even more melodic. There was some more collaboration, and we had one of the best guitarists in metal on ‘Hollowed Ground,’ Andy LaRocque (King Diamond). Some of the album lyrically is a story and concept about the end of days, the rise and fall of the dragon, and its sway on the world. A variety of topics about real tragedy, the battle of suicide, some about political intrigue, conspiracy, and anthems that hit hard. There was a little pressure with following up the debut album T he End Of Darkness, which manged to make the Top 10 in Germany and got a ton of good press internationally. Originally scheduled to come out a year ago, the war in Ukraine made it difficult for final production to be done by our friend who lives in the center of the conflict.”

Track Listing:

1. Prologue

2. Time Of The Dragon

3. Path Of The Righteous

4. Sister Suicide

5. Instruments Of Chaos

6. Hollowed Ground

7. Invisible Empire

8. Split (Instrumental)

9. Die Demon Die

10. A New Conspiracy

THE HAUNTED launch new single/video “In Fire Reborn”

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Off upcoming album “Songs of Last Resort”

Swedish deadly Thrash Metal pioneers and purveyors THE HAUNTED continue to promote their upcoming, 10th studio album entitled “Songs of Last Resort”, to be released worldwide on May 30th, 2025 via longtime partners Century Media Records.

Today, a new relentless single is being released with the track “In Fire Reborn”, which you can also check out in a video clip directed by Patric Ullaeus / www.rEvolver.se (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, etc.) here:

THE HAUNTED vocalist Marco Aro comments about “In Fire Reborn” as follows: “This is the second single off the album “Songs of Last Resort”. The song is called “In Fire Reborn” and it’s a more classic THE HAUNTED sounding song with the aggression turned up to 11…just in case you missed the memo on our previous single!”.

THE HAUNTED guitarist Jensen added: “A classic THE HAUNTED 6/8 beat song. I wrote the start, verses and ending of the song, but it wasn’t until Jonas wrote the chorus when “In Fire Reborn” really bloomed out. I believe this could also easily become a fan favorite, just like it has become one of the band’s favorite songs on the album. The lyrics are, just like with ‘Warhead’, also along the topic of war, but this time from a soldier’s perspective…”.

With music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus, main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio, “Songs of Last Resort” was then mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Kreator, Arch Enemy, Sepultura, etc). Artwork was once again provided by longtime visual collaborator Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson and here is the complete standard track-listing of the upcoming album:

THE HAUNTED – “Songs of Last Resort” (40:33):

1. Warhead (03:39)
2. In Fire Reborn (03:18)
3. Death to the Crown (02:56)
4. To Bleed Out (04:29)
5. Unbound (03:34)
6. Hell is Wasted on the Dead (02:53)
7. Through the Fire (03:01)
8. Collateral Carnage (04:03)
9. Blood Clots (01:30)
10. Salvation Recalled (03:26)
11. Labyrinth of Lies (03:30)
12. Letters of Last Resort (04:06)

Swedish Sludge Metal heavy weights CAREGAH present “Tombstone” video single from upcoming reissue ”Osmium”Due out on May 30th via ROAR!

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

May 30, 2025, will see Swedish sludge and groove metal force CAREGAH reissue their highly anticipated debut album, ”Osmium”, self-released by the band in 2023, now through their new label partner ROAR!

”Osmium” will be available on CD, Vinyl and Digital, visit https://caregah.rpm.link/osmiumpr to pre-order your favorite format of choice. Also, a music video for the band’s latest, haunting single “Tombstone” is now premiering below!

Marcus Kärregård (vocals, guitar) comments:
“I wrote this song many, many years ago and have played it for myself from time to time. I actually like to let the listener form their own opinion of all the songs Caregah releases, but if you want to know my insight into the song, it’s about longing for something/someone and loneliness but when you’re among other people. There are many perspectives here…so I’ll let everyone decide for themselves what Tombstone is for them.”

Hailing from Southeast Sweden, CAREGAH is a no-nonsense, full-throttle heavy, sludgy groove metal band. Their music has a captivating quality, keeping you engaged throughout every performance and track. Formed in 2019, CAREGAH introduced themselves to the world with their much-acclaimed debut EP, ”Forsaken EP” featuring a music video for the track ”Tomahawk”. This Ep will now be reissued as a bonus on the new CD version of “Osmium”!

Their music is a fantastic blend of groove, doom, and sludge metal, ultimately delivering a straightforward, headbanging-heavy metal experience. Their live performances are a whirlwind of high-energy moments that will leave your neck sore from all the headbanging.

Sweden Rock Magazine gave “Osmium” 8 out of 10 points, and a perfect 10/10 highscore came from Metal-Head.de, attesting: “CAREGAH have forged a massive piece of metal with “OSMIUM”. It’s like riding a steel wrecking ball or surfing a monster wave. You are swept along mercilessly. It’s massive! It’s hard! And it rocks! An absolute direct hit!“

Dive deep into “Osmium” and experience a massive wall of sound from CAREGAH, which are currently working on their follow-up record, always driven and inspired by the power of the riff. If your musical tastes align with Down, Pantera, Black Label Society, Testament, and Sepultura, then CAREGAH is a band that you’re sure to fall in love with!

Pre-order “Osmium” HERE!
“Osmium” CD track listing:
01 – Forever Merciless
02 – Steel
03 – Revenge
04 – Tombstone
05 – Terrorized
06 – Smoke Of Doom
07 – Into The Grave
08 – Floods Of No Return
09 – Forsaken Town
10 – Waves Of The Dunes
11 – Tomahawk
12 – Gravedigger

BLOODRIDE Signs with Wormholedeath for Highly Anticipated Fifth Album “DEAFENING” – Out July 25, 2025

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Helsinki, Finland – Finnish thrash metal titans BLOODRIDE are thrilled to announce their signing with Wormholedeath Records for the release of their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Deafening. The album is set to unleash its sonic fury on July 25, 2025.

Formed in 2000, BLOODRIDE has been a relentless force in the global thrash metal scene. Known for their signature blend of old-school thrash infused with darker death metal elements and hardcore intensity, the band has carved out a reputation for delivering raw, neck-breaking energy both in the studio and on stage. Their previous album, Idiocracy (2021), received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike, solidifying their position as one of Finland’s most formidable metal acts.With Deafening, BLOODRIDE promises to push the boundaries of thrash metal even further. The album is a testament to their unyielding dedication to the genre and features a ferocious lineup of tracks guaranteed to leave no neck unthrashed.

To get a taste of their thunderous sound, check out their official music video for “Come In Peace”:

Mark your calendars for July 25, 2025 – Deafening will be unleashed worldwide through Wormholedeath Records. Prepare your ears and brace your necks – BLOODRIDE is coming!

1 Sardonic Grin (Intro)
2 Kill Without Hate
3 Come in Peace
4 Hindsight Einstein
5 Ashes Remain
6 Holy Simplicity
7 King of Pain
8 The Dark Triad
9 Simply Complicated
10 Death Sentinel
11 Erase and Replace
12 Fear Cage

AHAMKARA Returns with “The Harrow of the Lost”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Following ten years of silence after the release of their debut album The Embers of the Stars and the untimely death of vocalist Steven, UK-based atmospheric black metal trio AHAMKARA returns with a new lineup and new album The Harrow of the Lost, an unflinching exploration of the transformative nature of grief.

The Harrow of the Lost is out now on Bindrune Records. Order the album at shop.bindrunerecordings.com and bindrunerecordings.bandcamp.com.

Stream The Harrow of the Lost on Apple Music.

The Harrow of the Lost tracklisting:

1. The Circle of Remembrance

2. Our Scars Shall Abide in the Thaw

3. Channelling Grief

4. Ordeal of Ascension

An emotionally charged and fiercely personal record, The Harrow of the Lost takes the AHAMKARA sound in a more complex and tormented direction, encompassing existential rage, nihilistic despair, and all in between. Both rawer and more organic in sound, intensified by the electrifying drum work of new member Austin Lunn (Panopticon), and scaling greater peaks of Emperial ambition than ever before, the album integrates the expansive reach of the Cascadian black metal sound with the densely detailed savagery of classic Emperor and the aching melancholy of early Anathema to produce a deeply involving journey of genre-transcending atmospheric metal.

Completed by a heartfelt and uncompromising vocal performance from founder member Michael and the nuanced, evocative synth work of Alexandra (also of labelmates Nemorous), this is a journey into the scorched earth landscapes of bereavement that no follower of the Bindrune family should miss.

Canadian Progressive Death SYMBIOTIC GROWTH Partners w/ Bolverk Records For CD Release of New Album “Beyond The Sleepless Aether”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Unleashing their sophomore album “Beyond The Sleepless Aether” this past March, Canadian progressive blackened death unit Symbiotic Growth announces they have partnered with Bolverk Records for the physical release of the record on May 9th, 2025.

The band comments:

“We’re proud to team up with Bolverk Records for a limited CD release of our new album. In an age of digital saturation, there’s something powerful about holding music in your hands — something tangible, raw, and real. Bolverk shares our DIY ethos, making them the perfect partner for this release. We’re stoked to bring this record to life in physical form for those who still value the ritual of pressing play.”

CD Promo Video – https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h1GV6yi5Dso

CD Pre-Order – https://www.bolverkcollective.com/symbioticgrowth

Similar to the band’s predecessor, their 2020 self-titled full-length, “Beyond The Sleepless Aether,” is once again based in fiction and is lyrically conceptual, but dives more into thoughts and emotions of everyday life, and sometimes those thoughts are hard to deal with.

“I feel like this time around, the sound is a bit darker and experimental, with more synth-heavy sounds and a melancholy atmosphere. The lyrics were very loosely inspired by a dream I (Aaron) had about the multiverse theory intertwined with some of my challenges of dealing with a sense of being and why we are all here,” says Aaron Barriault (Vocals, Guitar, Bass).

Progressive, experimental, foreboding, and emotional, every song has its own identity and place within the album’s story, taking its protagonist through the multiverse, placing him in places like dark wooded forests, wide open desert landscapes, and the unending cosmos.

The full-length listening experience tackles strong topics of loneliness, a sense of being, self-hatred, and suicide. Some of these are blatant and easy to see, and others are subtle throughout the album, lyrically and musically.

“I think the fans who have heard our previous album may be a bit surprised; the sound of this album is a bit different; it’s a little bit more experimental in its way. Either way, we hope that fans enjoy what we’ve created. I feel like the listener may have feelings of uneasiness and wonder. An odd combination, but I feel like it’s fitting.

Mixed and mastered by Tom Maclean (Twelve Tone Studio, Haken, Athemon, Brutta), “Beyond The Sleepless Aether” features seven paryalzing sounds of technical metal created by the Sudbury, ON recording line up of Aaron Barriault (Vocals, Guitar, Bass), Devin McQueen (Vocals, Guitar), and Dan Favot (Drums)(ex-Wolven Ancestry, ex-Fractal Generator). The artwork was created by Erskine Designs and shows an entity standing at the foot of what the band likes to think of as Azathoth.

“The album doesn’t touch on any Lovecraftian mythos (maybe a bit in The Sleepless Void), but the lore behind Azathoth, that we are all in his dream and once he wakes, everything will cease to be, is very fitting to the album lyrically,” adds Barriault.

Recommended for fans of Ne Oblivisacaris, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Cor Scorpii, and Gojira, “Beyond The Sleepless Aether” is available at the following links:

BRUTAL SPHINCTER: Belgian goregrind powerhouse drops “Beatdown Syndrome” video

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

“Beatdown Syndrome” is the savage new single from Belgian goregrind powerhouse BRUTAL SPHINCTER. The song is the latest single preceding the band’s gnarled new album, “Sphinct-Earth Society“, due out May 23rd, 2025, via Time To Kill Records!

The track is a satire of the beatdown hardcore scene. Bold and daring, it blends relatively technical death metal riffs with groovy verses and a chorus worthy of the greatest hardcore bands. The bass and drums take center stage, reaching their peak when the guitars drop out for several seconds. The vocalists complement each other, delivering a brutal and diverse range of techniques. With such qualities, this track is set to become a staple in the band’s discography.

Watch the “Beatdown Syndrome” video:

With“Sphinct-Earth Society”, the band pushes the boundaries of the genre they inhabit. In other words, by incorporating numerous new influences, ranging from death metal to modern metal, they redefine what goregrind can be, all while maintaining that groovy signature sound that makes them so instantly recognizable.

For example, while the track “Beatdown Syndrome” integrates hardcore elements, the song “Name Three Songs” instrumentally pushes the limits of technicality. Meanwhile, a track like “Abolish Frontex” draws influences from death metal akin to Daath or Decapitated, and a juggernaut like “Unvaxxed Lives Matter” secures its place as a classic in BRUTAL SPHINCTER’s discography thanks to its unparalleled heaviness and ultra-groovy riffs.

Across the 10 tracks that make up this new opus, BRUTAL SPHINCTER tackles societal issues both dramatic (climate change, immigration, sexism, etc.) and conspiratorial (anti-vaxxers, flat-earthers, etc.). As usual, they use their particularly biting humor and embrace absurdity to approach these sensitive topics.

Moreover, the band’s two frontmen complement each other more than ever, delivering a particularly diverse vocal range. Whether you’re a fan of the pitched vocals typical of goregrind, the slimy inhales of slamming death metal, the caveman shouts of powerviolence, or the more traditional growls foundational to death metal, there’s something to enjoy in these 30 minutes of brutality.

With this new offering, BRUTAL SPHINCTER solidifies its position among the leaders of their genre and sets out to expand its reputation into scenes less niche than grindcore.

Tracklist:

1. The Prolapse Of Society
2. Tony Hawk Pro-Choice 2022
3. Crusta-Colada (Crack’n Kofola)
4. Unvaxxed Lives Matter
5. Beatdown Syndrome
6. Name Three Songs
7. Sphinct-Earth Society
8. The Juice Did It
9. Persona Non-Greta
10. Abolish Frontex

Preorders:

https://timetokillrecords.com/collections/brutal-sphincter-sphincht-earth-society

https://brutalsphincter.bandcamp.com/album/sphinct-earth-society

Offending everyone since April 1st, 2013, BRUTAL SPHINCTER have, over the years, established themselves as one of the leading acts in the current goregrind scene.

Bringing political themes into their music, they dub themselves “POOlitical” and, through offbeat and satirical humor, take a stand against all forms of extremism while championing freedom of speech.

Despite their extreme musical style, they are one of those rare acts that can seamlessly fit into any type of event or festival. They have proven this time and again, performing at some of the biggest metal gatherings in Europe, such as Hellfest, Summer Breeze Open Air, Alcatraz, Motocultor, Party San, Metaldays, and more, as well as at the most extreme metal events like Obscene Extreme, DeathFeast Open Air, Meh Suff, Kaltenbach Open Air and Netherlands Deathfest.

BEWARE! Party, dance, groove, and brutality are the elements they always bring with them to every show.

Line-up:

Eerik Maurage – Guitar
Germain Bodeus – Bass
Jimmy Defays – Unpitched Vocals
Griska Lutgen – Pitched Vocals
Julien Racine – Drums

DEEZ NUTS Are Back With “Kill This Shit”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

DEEZ NUTS are back with a video for their latest anthem, “Kill This Shit”. The video was directed and edited by Michael Williamson and can be found here:

JJ Peters (vocals) on the song and video: “‘Kill This Shit‘ is about taking on the world, fighting for what you deserve, and doing what you want without giving in to self-doubt or criticism.”

Catch them live:
19.07.25 (BE) Dour Dour Festival
24.07.25 (DE) München – Free & Easy @ Backstage
25.07.25 (CH) Goms – RottenRockFest 2025
26.07.25 (DE) Wirges – Subwood
31.07.25 (DE) Weinheim – Cafe Central w/ Cro Mags
01.08.25 (CZ) Littomerice – Death Coffee Festival
02.08.25 (DE) Roitzscchjora – Full Rewind
04.08.25 (DE) Berlin – Huxleys w/ Landmvrks, Counterparts

Stay tuned for more new tunes from DEEZ NUTS shortly!