Canadian/Swedish Progressive Metallers, VOIDCHASER, Releasing ‘Trust’ EP March 7

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Montreal/Stockholm Progressive Metal Quartet, Voidchaser, are set to release new EP, Trust, on March 7! Serving as an epilogue to critically acclaimed 2024 release Solace, the new EP completes the narrative and brings closure to the conceptual journey begun with their debut album.

Voidchaser has released two singles from the forthcoming EP: “Trust,” featuring Jim Grey of Australian prog metallers Caligula’s Horse (InsideOut Music), and “Dogma,” featuring rising prog-metal stars, The Anchoret (Willowtip). Check out the videos for each single below!

“Trust” (Lyric Video): youtu.be/4icqnLEXlvA

“Dogma” (Visualizer): youtu.be/D8ZuxXDf3uA

Trust solidifies Voidchaser’s reputation for heavy yet emotionally resonant progressive metal. The band is also gearing up for an international tour in 2025, with more details to be announced soon.

Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chad Bernatchez discusses Trust:

“Trust picks up directly after the events of Solace. Our protagonist is drifting across the vast emptiness of space, as the reserve oxygen tanks from the suit keep him alive and scenes from his life pass them by. The first song, Time, depicts our protagonist having to say goodbye to someone who he was very close to. The second song, Dogma, depicts our protagonist having to make an impossible decision, resulting in leaving behind someone else he was very close to. Finally, the title track depicts our protagonist unapologetically committing his entire life to someone only to have his trust broken and their sense of self be lost in the process.

We collaborated with musicians from all around the world on this EP and it’s very cool to have had the opportunity to do that. We have a lot of love for the musicians that accepted to be on it and feel incredibly honored that we made something they wanted to be a part of.

This EP is very special to us because it marks the end of a chapter for Voidchaser. We are very proud of how far we have come since the band has started, and there is nothing we would have done differently. Everything has led to where we are today and we have learned a lot from the past two years and we are very grateful for everything that happened and everyone who was with us along the way.”

FFO: Devin Townsend, Haken, Dream Theater, Between the Buried and Me, Opeth, Caligula’s Horse.

“Rising stars of international progressive metal.”

-Riffage

Track Listing:

1. Time (feat. Universe Effects)

2. Dogma (Feat. The Anchoret)

3. Trust (feat. Jim Grey)

From Montreal and Stockholm, Voidchaser is a progressive metal band. Since their inception in 2023, the band has quickly gained momentum with standout high-caliber singles that have resonated across multiple countries in North America, South America, and Europe, earning widespread acclaim from influential critics such as The Progspace, Prog-Sphere, Metal Universe, and Metal Minded, among others.

In 2024, Voidchaser unveiled their most ambitious and emotionally charged project yet: Solace, a progressive metal concept album that weaves together technical brilliance, evocative storytelling, and raw human emotion. Composed as a single conceptual piece divided into six interconnected parts, Solace showcases the band’s diverse musical spectrum, from the thunderous intensity of “Solace Part II: Only Human”—a fierce anthem of resilience featuring Ashbreather—to the haunting beauty of “Solace Part IV: Alien,” an acoustic ballad exploring themes of love and control. Solace is not just music—it is a theatrical exploration of survival, a celebration of human connection, and a reflection on the duality of strength and vulnerability.

This debut album amassed over 200,000 streams in its first three months and was charted among the top metal albums of the year according to Apple and iTunes in Canada, Sweden and other countries. This impact propelled Voidchaser onto both the local and global scenes, as evidenced by their participation in prestigious events like ProgPower Europe 2025 alongside acts such as The Dear Hunter, Threshold, Kingcrow, Extol, KYROS, and Nospūn, as well as upcoming festivals in Canada.

From The Ashes – 23/02/2025

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

PLAYLIST

The Bronx Casket Company – Motorcrypt

The Jam – Going Underground

Black Sabbath – Headless Cross

AC/DC – Touch Too Much

Slayer – Die By The Sword

Nirvana – Lithium

Motionless In White – Eternally Yours

Paradise Lost – Colossal Rains

Scar Symmetry – Chaosweaver

Architects – Tear Gas

The Union Underground – South Texas Deathride

Gothminister – Ich Will Alles

Annihilator – Dressed Up For Evil

August Burns Red – Defender

Mushroomhead – The Flood

Chaoseum – Smile Again

Dimmu Borgir – Burn In Hell

Iced Earth – My Own Saviour

Voltstorm – Judas

Black Sun – Rise

Faith In Failure – Lost (Down In The Darkness)

All That Remains – Two Weeks

Fit For A King – Keeping Secrets

Kult of The Skull God – The Oath

Godhead – The Reckoning

Static X – The Only

Bad Wolves – Sacred Kiss

Hollywood Undead – Day of The Dead

Thrash Metal Legends DESTRUCTION Unleash Third Single “Scumbag Human Race” + Official Music Video Out Now

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

While fans eagerly await the release of DESTRUCTION’s 16^th studio album, Birth Of Malice, out March 7, 2025 via Napalm Records, the German thrash metal icons have released their third single, “Scumbag Human Race”. On this track, Schmier rages against the corruption and deceit of humanity, with the unforgettable chorus acting as a call for reckoning as the band spits fury at those who exploit and manipulate. A blistering thrash anthem, this track will resonate with anyone fed up with the state of the world.

DESTRUCTION on “Scumbag Human Race”:
“Single number three, ‘Scumbag Human Race’, is a mercyless steamhammer of a track! Its relentless groove and energy are pushing you straight forward into the moshpit! This will be an intense live track and that riff can melt faces!
The lyrics are metaphorically speaking: how would this planet call us if it could talk? And what would it tell us? Right …wake the fuck up … SCUMBAG HUMAN RACE!!!!“

Watch the Official Music Video for “Scumbag Human Race” HERE:

Fans all over the world worship DESTRUCTION as one of the biggest names in thrash metal with a 40+ year career! As part of the legendary Teutonic 4 alongside German thrash icons Sodom, Tankard and Kreator, DESTRUCTION have forged a legacy that has been captured by German film makers Denise Dörne and Ilija Jelusic, who have created an exciting documentary about DESTRUCTION’s eager plans to reunite the Teutonic 4 for a world tour. But in the pursuit of this dream, however, fate strikes. The film follows Schmier and his band up close as the pandemic hits, and after a fateful turn of events, everything is at stake. The movie was shot over the course of five years, resulting in exclusive material that sets it apart from traditional interview-heavy documentaries. The viewer experiences the protagonists in behind-the-scenes like atmospheres, immersing them in the world of DESTRUCTION. The film uncompromisingly shows what it means to be a heavy metal musician – amidst small, sweaty clubs and huge open air stages – enabling an authentic view into the core of one of the most undisputedly important, influential and genre-defying bands in thrash metal.

The movie will premiere in Berlin on March 6, 2025, with the band and filmmakers also in attendance. Make sure to get your tickets HERE!

Denise Dörner about the movie:
“This documentary is not a cheerful music clip, but a very serious story about passion and life. I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams that our idea could be realized so well, even if everything was completely thrown into disarray by the circumstances. I was allowed to look behind the scenes, travel with DESTRUCTION and empathize with them. I met my idols and many interesting people and also felt the full range of emotions. I’m very excited to see what people will think and feel about this journey.”

Ilija Jelusic adds:
“As a film team, we had a really good connection with Schmier and DESTRUCTION, who had a lot of trust in us. The film was made without a commission and without film funding. That means we had to finance everything ourselves, which also contained a big risk.
During the pandemic, none of us knew what would happen next and where the story of the film would go. Of course, it was a very moving time for us filmmakers as well. And then one adventure followed the next and suddenly we were off to Mexico. I am deeply grateful for the experiences we were able to gain through DESTRUCTION!”

Watch the Trailer for The Art of Destruction HERE:

On Birth Of Malice, scene-legend and original member Schmier once again combines his dual vocal/bass attack with crashing riffs from battle axe masters Martin Furia and Damir Eskić, while Randy Black blasts pummeling drums to new heights. As witnessed on their previous thrash-fest Diabolical (2022), DESTRUCTION return with their uniquely raw and brutal sound, delivering merciless songs with a touch more variety and groove this time. All twelve songs from the butchers hit with a direct, clean sound – resulting in addictive metal anthems for a new generation of thrashers!

The album is opened by the brutal “Destruction”, with a luring intro transforming into a true thrashing hymn with razor sharp guitars honoring the band’s 40+ year legacy, where mastermind Schmier reflects on the old days. Like the title Birth Of Malice suggests, lyrically, Schmier delves deep in human errors – like selfish behavior on “Greed” and “Evil Never Sleeps”. A clear statement is made with carnage on “Scumbag Human Race”, exploring the mistakes mankind makes and pushing authorities in its memorable chorus “I will count your days!”. The same rebellious attitude can be witnessed on the banging “No Kings – No Masters”. DESTRUCTION also shifts to futuristic topics on the album, like the unconscious influence of technology and new forms of war on “Cyber Warfare”. To close this brutal tour de force on a positive note, the thrashing legends celebrate their strong allyship with metal colleagues Accept by presenting their own version of classic neck breaker “Fast As A Shark”.

All of these heavy topics are combined in the brutal cover artwork, designed by talented Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák, known for his works for bands like Accept, Kreator and Blind Guardian. Birth Of Malice was recorded at Switzerland’s Little Creek Studio by V.O.Pulver, and guitarist Martin Furia mixed and mastered the masterpiece at The Black Mancave in Hannover, Germany. DESTRUCTION mark themselves once again as a tight metal-machine, switching between ruthless thrash and pounding melodic moments, proving they are more than ready to slaughter again on this new album, and at their upcoming shows all over the world!

Birth Of Malice tracklisting:
1. Birth Of Malice
2. Destruction
3. Cyber Warfare
4. No Kings – No Masters
5. Scumbag Human Race
6. God Of Gore
7. A.N.G.S.T.
8. Dealer Of Death
9. Evil Never Sleeps
10. Chains Of Sorrow
11. Greed
12. Fast As A Shark

NIGHTSTEEL sign to Cosmic Fire Records

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Cosmic Fire Records is pleased to announce the signing of Greek heavy/power metal band Nightsteel for the release of their self-titled debut album.

Nightsteel is the first band to join the label‘s roster, with more announcements to be made in the coming days.

Nightsteel is a new Greek metal band formed in 2022 by songwriter and bassist Bill Sam. After laying down some demos, he asked his best friend and drummer Mike Foudotos to join.

They started working on Bill‘s songs with local vocalists before Bill decided to take the next big step and ask some well-known artists to join the band. The first was renowned vocalist Travis Wills (Crimson Glory, Infidel Rising), who can be heard on the first self-titled single, which is out today on all streaming platforms.

The lyric video for the debut single can be seen on the label‘s YouTube channel

Travis Wills comments on the single:
“I love the ‘Nightsteel’ song, powerful soaring vocals perfect for this song and shredding guitars… it‘s a combination of perfect metal. When I first heard it I wondered if I was gonna be able to do the song justice, and I was finally able to dig deep in myself and pull out what I felt was complimentary to the song. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do”!

Songwriter & founder Bill shares:
“’Nightsteel’ is the first song I wrote back in early 2021. I knew there was something special about this song, but I never imagined that Travis would sing it so well and take it to another level! I‘m really lucky to work with a talented musician like Travis and I was blown away by his amazing vocals and his professionalism. Play this song loud and rock out!

CRADLE OF FILTH Unleashes Satanic New Music Video for Latest Single “To Live Deliciously”

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

GRAMMY Award-nominated extreme metal institution CRADLE OF FILTH recently announced their upcoming 14th studio album, The Screaming Of The Valkyries, out March 21, 2025 via Napalm Records. The band reigns supreme as one of the most revered, formative and notorious names in music – from the depths of the extreme metal underground to the peaks of mainstream pop culture itself, and are responsible for breaking ground for many of today’s top metal artists with their trademark mixture of blackened heaviness, macabre theatricality and scintillating gothic style.

Today, following the release of their acclaimed new single “To Live Deliciously”, the track’s music video has been released in all of its gory glory. Experience the ride of your life (or death, rather) and watch the video now!CRADLE OF FILTH master of ceremonies Dani Filthsays about the new video:
“An observation on religious restraint as well as being a window to tout a bit of blasphemous filth, the video for ‘To Live Deliciously’ (our second from the new album) is a pleasant social engagement betwixt a pious young nun and her mentor priest.

Just with a smattering of demonic possession and sexual misconduct added for good stock.”

Watch the Music Video for “To Live Deliciously” HERE:

Following the release of 2021’s Existence Is Futile (#20 Billboard 200 with Hard Rock Genre), CRADLE OF FILTH emerge again with a legacy-cementing opus. On The Screaming Of The Valkyries, Dani Filth’s recognizable scream and equally identifiable growl stand mightily alongside twin guitar attacks, symphonic flourishes and explosive rhythm section, implemented by drummer Martin “Marthus” Skaroupka, bassist Daniel Firth, guitarists Marek “Ashok” Smerda and Donny Burbage, and keyboardist/vocalist Zoe Federoff.

After album opener “To Live Deliciously” hits immediately, second track “Demagoguery” blends dark beauty, blast beats and slaytanic groove as only Cradle can combine. Across the album’s blunt and unforgiving yet inviting expanse, Cradle summons the succulent flavors of classic albums like Dusk And Her Embrace and Cruelty And The Beast with the galloping (but no less fierce) thunder of recent entries Hammer Of The Witches and Existence Is Futile. Flashes of early metal influences coalesce with carnivorous glee into unapologetic death ‘n’ roll. “White Hellebore” is CRADLE OF FILTH at its most devilishly straightforward, juxtaposing traditional heavy metal with blasts of thrashing fury, spinning back to operatic goth without sounding disjointed. Anchored by arguably the most mournful melody in their catalog, “Non Omnis Moriar” (“I shall not wholly die”) could be a cousin to Paradise Lost or Anathema, inverted through Cradle’s thorny prism. “You Are My Nautilus” is the darkest song Iron Maiden never wrote, spinning an epic tale with dueling guitars, while “Ex Sanguine Draculae” conjures Dusk-era atmosphere with imaginative new colors.

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, England, The Screaming of the Valkyries beckons the brave into a new era of CRADLE OF FILTH misadventure, celebrating massive melancholic melody, blackened thrash, and apocalyptic existential dread with a grinning smattering of unbridled revelry. The Screaming of the Valkyries is a bloody dark love letter to the longtime legion of CRADLE OF FILTH faithful and a stunning entryway for fresh lambs to the sonic slaughter.

MARROWOMB Debut Album “Phisenomie” Out Now

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

The debut album from Chicago-based blackened-death entity MARROWOMB is now available for download and streaming.

Over five years in the making, Phisenomie is the brain spawn of multi-instrumentalist Frank Lato and features drums by renowned session drummer Kevin Paradis (ex-Benighted).

Get Phisenomie at marrowomb.bandcamp.com/album/phisenomie.

Featuring eight meticulously crafted tracks, Phisenomie delivers an unrelenting experience that blurs the boundaries between extreme and experimental. Each song provides a labyrinth of ferocious riffs and punishing rhythms, showcasing Lato’s visionary approach to composition. Phisenomie immerses listeners in a soundscape that is both savage and cerebral. This debut offering is more than just an album—it is a journey through the depths of the human psyche, where chaos and catharsis converge.

The artwork for Phisenomie was done by Penny Slinger (pennyslinger.com/) with layout by Frank Lato. Photography by the legendary Peter Beste.

“You’re not going to get some amateur hour here. This album is 45 minutes of blistering blackened death metal that attacks from every angle.”

– Vox and Hops

“A furious yet cerebral journey that pushes boundaries” – Antihero Magazine

“A thick, bitter, but well-seasoned bowl of madness.” – Metal Temple

Tracklisting:

1) Phantasia Kataleptike

2) Sickness Unto Life

3) Vicarious Visage

4) Inner Ring

5) Black Gossamer

6) Veil of Cold

7) The Mirror

8) Despairloom

MARROWOMB is a blackened death metal project formed from the ashes of former Chicago-based bands Polyptych and Endmember in 2020. Spearheaded by mastermind Frank Lato, the artistry of MARROWOMB knows no bounds and takes an uncompromising approach to songwriting. The project takes its influences from various sources; however, the prominent focus is centered on internal conflict and struggle.

MARROWOMB opts for a simplistic approach to its lyrical content and concepts; however, this is not a surface-level entity. For those who choose to venture beyond the surface, there are rewards to seeking out additional truths, messages, and meanings within the music.

The Metal Asylum Talks To….BREAKDOWN

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

Leo: Hello there!! BreaKdowN BKN was inspired like Destruction, Overkill, Massacre, Devastation etc….we wanted a name that would get us on this direction!

The band started officially in 98, with me and my brother, we were playing covers and started to create music…it was a magic moment. The band went through some changes , and today it me since the start, then we have Tati, my wife, on the bass…she loves bass and had one for years but on the pandemic times she would say “I will play and join the band” and there she is with this monstrous thunder bass now, and Edu does the drums Edu recorded the first Album and fun fact is he was like 10 years without playing and for the EP he took the drums and nailed it!

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Leo: well, the band started like this, same area etc, today this line up is together because of musical taste purely.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Leo: We love the honest aggressive music, the rage of punk bands, the metal sound of the 80s and 90s, pointy guitars, walls of Marshalls, killer riffs and inspiring melodies, too many bands to mention…lets say Kreator, Sepultura, Judas Priest, Testament, Accept, Th Exploited …to mention a few

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Leo: yes I always had, and I have been somehow in between worlds, as we have parallel jobs as well.But if you love music it never leaves you.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Leo: right now I have some albums from U.D.O, King diamond, Latin music, and some new and underground bands

Do you sing in the shower?

Leo: Sometimes to be honest, life is getting so fast these days!!

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Leo: This year we are releasing “Divide and Konquer” a new EP after years without release, and working on concerts preparation, for the next year or so we will release more music,

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Leo: in Addition to “Divide and Konquer” that was on 08SEP2024, we are just writing and getting ideas together.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Leo: I believe we all dream about playing these big festivals…as I do, but I believe something epic like The Troubadour

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Leo: If I pick one would be Painkiller, it has everything including the best guitar solo in the world, if an Alien arrives on Earth and ask what Metal is, I would play this album.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Leo: well, I have been listening to a lot of Latin music and world music lately,

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Leo: Wow that is a hard question, I would go to perhaps 91, and get Death, Sepultura, UDO and Judas Priest with their albums from these times!

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Leo: I was into Metal and Iron Maiden, but only listening to the Radio songs, I went to a local shop and bought the first two albums in vinyl, I went home and played it loud for like months.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Leo: yes, I would say, Hey I know you are just a few but don’t worry hopefully the family will grow haha, seriously we appreciate all the support received from all the globe, it is a fantastic community

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Leo: Yeah, we have all centralized onto our website, where you can find all the links to every social media out there, don’t be a stranger and come say hello!

We, at Metal Planet Media, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Leo: Hey, yeah, thanks for the space, your work supporting small artists is Fantastic!! Check our new EP @divide and Konquer” and let the metal flow!

This interview is the property of Metal Planet Media

The Metal Asylum Talks To Vittorio Sabelli (Notturno)

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

– Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

Notturno was born with the idea of creating music that breathes the darkness and intimacy of the night. Atmospheres and melodies are created in harmony with the most intimate part of ourselves.

– Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Notturno is a project composed by me and Kjiel with the addition of the drummer Sven in the first album, while from the second album ‘Inside’ there is the drummer Diego ‘Aeternus’ Tasciotti. Kjiel and I live close by even if we see each other very little. I chose Kjiel because in the extreme music scene she is the only one who manages to have dynamics that go from almost imperceptible whispers to a devastating scream with a unique musical expressiveness. Above all, she is a person with whom I can find an excellent balance inside the project.

– Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

The first album ‘Obsessions’ is certainly influenced by some bands I was listening to at that time (Coldworld, Nocturnal Depression) but from the second ‘Inside’, Notturno begins to have its own unique characteristics within the Black Metal panorama. The distinctive features are certainly the use of clarinets and piano, in addition to Kjiel’s voice, which makes the project recognizable at first glance.

– Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Being able to do what you love for a living, which is playing music, is already an excellent goal in itself. I honestly never thought I could do better since I was a teenager.

– What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

I still think in the old way, so no playlists but only vinyl and CDs. Lately my listening are focused on the discography of Lifelover and The Cure.

– Do you sing in the shower?

Absolutely not, I’m also a terrible singer, I admit it!

– Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

The third album ‘Our’ has just been released, again for the label Hypnotic Dirge Records. The second album of the A.M.E.N. project will be released next January for the label My Kingdom Music, together with Erba del Diavolo, the singer of the mighty Ponte del Diavolo. The album will be dedicated to the King of horror: Dario Argento.

– Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

In addition to Notturno and A.M.E.N. I’m working on the second INCANTVM album titled “Maleficia”.

– If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Notturno inside Pere Lachaise in Paris.

– Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

I have more than one but there are at least four that have changed my life, and they are: Miles Davis ‘Kinf of Blue’, Led Zeppelin II, Black Sabbath ‘The Headless Cross’ and ‘Nemesis Divina’ by Satyricon.

– Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Absolutely not. I try to listen to what is in tune with my mood every day and still enjoy the pleasure of emotions that only music can give.

– If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Very difficult, but I would say Led Zeppelin with Miles Davis and Dimebag Darrell.

– Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

I still have every vinyl, CD or MC from when I was 14^th years old. The first MC was Black Sabbath’s The Headless Cross and the first Iron Maiden, also on MC.

– As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Always to support Underground music, still among the few in which you can find sincerity from those who create it. Of course all the projects can be listened to and possibly purchased on our Bandcamp page: https://dawnofadarkage.bandcamp.com/

– Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

On Instagram page, in addition to Bandcamp:

https://www.instagram.com/notturno_black_metal

– We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

I think we’ve said enough things. I thank you on behalf of Notturno for your interest and we hope to hear from you again in the future.

RIVERS OF NIHIL To Release Self-Titled Fifth Full-Length May 30th On Metal Blade Records

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

New Video/Single “House Of Light” Now Playing

“I feel like these songs are the perfect blend of all our albums, with all the fat cut away,” says founding guitarist Brody Uttley. “There are more technical songs that call back to The Conscious Seed Of Light and Monarchy sound, but with a more mature understanding of how to pace a song. There’s a fair bit of the Where Owls Know My Name and The Work-type experimental stuff, but with a more refreshed perspective on those styles for the current era of the band.”

On June 15th, 2023, the band released a new single, “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” the first track with Biggs handling lead vocals following the 2022 departure of singer Jake Dieffenbach. It was also the first track to feature Thomas. A second single, “Hellbirds,” dropped on October 19th of that year. On April 29th, 2024, the band released the cut “Criminals” and an accompanying music video. Both “Criminals” and “The Sub-Orbital Blues” appear on Rivers Of Nihil.

The new album’s first single of 2025, “House Of Light,” is a track that “encapsulates the nature of what it is that we do perfectly while offering a different perspective on the sound with the new lineup,” explains founding member/guitarist Brody Uttley, who also plays piano and does the programming in the band. “Everything that our fans have come to love about our sound is demonstrated in this song with the new addition of Andy singing and Biggs on main vocals. It has the riffs, it has the big chorus, it has the prog, it has the solos, it has the sax. Just a real classic example of what we do as a band in 2025.”

Rivers Of Nihil also showcases additional musicians, including Patrick Corona on alto saxophone, Stephan Lopez on banjo, McFarland on cello, and a slate of other guest vocalists. Despite the fresh approach on Rivers Of Nihil however, the album fits neatly into the band’s discography. With Where Owls Know My Name (2018), RIVERS OF NIHIL transcended all labels applied to them, and with its 2021 follow-up, The Work, they forged further into new territory with Metal Injection calling the latter album “the group’s most cohesive, ambitious, meditative, and varied effort, with greater uses of philosophical significance and transcendental respites.”

Later this month, RIVERS OF NIHIL will kick off their Aggressive Progressive EU/UK headlining tour with support from Cynic, Beyond Creation and labelmates, Dååth. In May, the band will return to North American stages for another month-long headliner with support provided by Holy Fawn, Inter Arma, and Glacial Tomb. Tickets and VIP packages are available now at https://ron.soundrink.com. See all confirmed dates below.

RIVERS OF NIHIL w/ Cynic, Beyond Creation, Dååth:
2/28/2025 Essigfabrik – Köln, DE
3/01/2025 Zappa – Antwerp, BE
3/02/2025 La Machine – Paris, FR
3/04/2025 Slay – Glasgow, GB
3/05/2025 Academy – Dublin, IE
3/06/2025 The Fleece- Bristol, GB
3/07/2025 Engine Rooms – Southampton, GB
3/08/2025 Club Academy – Manchester, GB
3/09/2025 Electric Ballroom – London, GB
3/10/2025 XOYO – Birmingham, GB
3/12/2025 Patronaat – Haarlem, NL
3/13/2025 Gruenspan – Hamburg, DE
3/14/2025 Fryshuset Klubben – Stockholm, SE
3/16/2025 Tavastia – Helsinki, FI
3/18/2025 John Dee – Oslo, NO
3/19/2025 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK
3/21/2025 Proxima – Warsaw, PL
3/22/2025 Columbia Theater – Berlin, DE
3/23/2025 Z-Bau – Nürnberg, DE
3/24/2025 Flex – Wien, AT
3/25/2025 Dürer Kert – Budapest, HU
3/26/2025 Backstage – München, DE
3/27/2025 Slaughter Club – Milan, IT
3/28/2025 Kiff – Aarau, CH
3/29/2025 Substage – Karlsruhe, DE

ALIEN WEAPONRY Takes Aim at Social Media on New Single “1000 Friends”

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Metal Planet Media

“Alien Weaponry are back with a vengeance…” – Revolver Magazine

New Zealand modern groove metal trio ALIEN WEAPONRY recently announced their heaviest, most powerful and mature offering to date, Te Rā, out March 28, 2025 via Napalm Records. In the hands of veteran producer/mixer Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God, Gojira, Megadeth) and featuring a guest vocal appearance from longtime ALIEN WEAPONRY champion Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Te Rā’s gnashing blend of groove, nu, math and thrash metal shines with anthemic choruses and refreshed technical skill.

Today, following the release of the album’s acclaimed first single, “Mau Moko” – a track Revolver, Metal Hammer, Heavy Consequence and others dubbed as one of the best new metal tracks upon release – the band returns again with second single, “1000 Friends”. Warning of the looming societal division and hidden dangers created by social media dependency, the track premieres alongside a brand new music video.

Frontman Lewis Raharuhi de Jong says about “1000 Friends”:
“‘1000 Friends’ encapsulates the shifting way we socialize today, and the impact it has on the human psyche. We can often feel disconnected from the outside world. The human mind wasn’t built to comprehend the world we are currently living in.”

Watch the official music video for “1000 Friends” here:

ALIEN WEAPONRY have solidified themselves as one of the greatest young metal bands of their generation with renewed musical tenacity and crucial messaging. Since releasing their acclaimed debut Tū (2018), the band have been lauded for their kinetic presence and sound, as well as their vital blend of culturally profound lyricism in both English and te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand.

With their third full-length album, ALIEN WEAPONRY expand on their hallmark messages of cultural, societal and environmental resilience while delivering their most massive-sounding, focused musical output ever. Te Rā is a bold, unwavering cry for a future in which we can all take part in the legacy of peoples like the Māori and others all around us – people who, if they aren’t seen, most certainly need to be heard! Taken as a whole, Te Rā grapples with what it’s like to be caught in the pull of divergent cultures – not just for the descendants of colonized people, but for all of us.

On Te Rā, listeners can hear the band doubling-down on the aggression in the verses before applying temperance, especially in the case of “Taniwha”, a death metal-leaning banger featuring the particularly raw aforementioned guest vocal from Randy Blythe. Lyrically, there’s a noticeable tilt towards despondency, hopelessness, and frustration on Te Rā. While bassist Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds’ lyrics in Māori on songs like “Tama-nui-te-rā” and “Ponaturi” draw from the themes of history, battle lore and mysticism that made the first two albums so rich, frontman/guitarist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong’s English-language lyrics illustrate the impact when culture collides with disenfranchisement day to day. “Crown” and “Hanging by a Thread” take us into the headspace where struggle pushes people to the brink of desperation, while on “Blackened Sky” and “1000 Friends”, Lewis addresses universal woes like the looming threat of World War III and the damaging effects of social media. On album closer “Te Kore”, Tūranga dives into primordial nothingness at the root of the Māori origin story, while on “Mau Moko”, he finds the middle ground between these perspectives. As the lyrics honor the traditional Māori practice of face tattooing, they also delve into the social costs of maintaining customs that are at-odds with dominant cultural norms.

Te Rā track listing:
1. Crown
2. Mau Moko
3. 1000 Friends
4. Hanging by a Thread
5. Tama-nui-te-rā
6. Myself to Blame
7. Taniwha (feat. Randy Blythe)
8. Blackened Sky
9. Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea
10. Ponaturi
11. Te Kore

ALIEN WEAPONRY are currently making waves in North America, on tour with metal icon Kerry King! After the tour, the band will headline a home country run of New Zealand. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.

Remaining dates – ALIEN WEAPONRY supporting Kerry King in North America:
w/ special guests Municipal Waste
02/19/25: Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater
02/21/25: Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
02/22/25: Las Vegas, NV @ HOB Vegas

ALIEN WEAPONRY Headlining New Zealand:
03/14/25: Kirikiriroa (Hamilton, NZ) @ Factory
03/15/25: Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington, NZ) @ Jim Beam Homegrown
03/20/25: Ngāmotu (New Plymouth, NZ) @ TSB Showplace
03/21/25: Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, NZ) @ Powerstation
03/22/25: Ōtautahi (Christchurch, NZ) @ James Hay Theatre
03/23/25: Tāhuna (Queenstown, NZ) @ AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre

ALIEN WEAPONRY is:
Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong – Drums, Backing vocals
Lewis Raharuhi de Jong – Guitars, Lead vocals
Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds – Bass, Backing vocals