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Welcome to Metal Planet Media — Your Home for Heavy Music
If you’ve found your way here, you probably already know that mainstream music media doesn’t cut it when it comes to heavy music. The charts don’t care about the underground. The algorithms bury the best bands. That’s exactly why Metal Planet Media exists.
Who We Are
Metal Planet Media is an independent online publication dedicated entirely to the world of heavy music — metal, hard rock, alternative, and everything in between. We cover the giants of the genre and the underground acts that deserve way more attention than they get. No corporate agenda. No filler. Just honest coverage from people who actually love this music.
We’re here to connect the global rock and metal community — fans, artists, and everyone who lives and breathes heavy music.
What You’ll Find Here
Whether you’re a die-hard who knows every riff on every B-side or someone just discovering what heavy music can do, there’s something here for you:
- The Blog — News, reviews, features, and opinions from the front lines of heavy music.
- Recommendations — Our picks for what you should be listening to right now.
- The Radio Show — Deep cuts, heavy hits, and everything in between.
- Contact — Got a tip, a band to recommend, or just want to talk metal? Get in touch.
Tune Into Whiplash Radio
We’re proud partners with Whiplash Radio — a live station that keeps the heavy music playing around the clock. You can listen directly from our homepage. No playlist shuffling. No algorithm deciding what mood you’re in. Just real, relentless heavy music, live.
Built for the Community
Metal Planet Media isn’t a brand. It’s not a content farm. It’s a platform built by fans, for fans — one that takes the music seriously because the music deserves to be taken seriously. Every emerging artist we spotlight, every album we cover, every show we talk about exists because someone in this community made it happen.
We’re here to make sure their work gets heard.
Get Into It
Explore the site. Read the blog. Fire up Whiplash Radio. And if you know a band that deserves a spotlight — tell us about them.
The scene stays alive because people like you keep showing up. Welcome to Metal Planet Media.
Symphonic Power Metal Opera Sensations LIVA Sign With Wormholedeath
| Wormholedeath is proud to announce the signing of Canada’s premier Symphonic Power Metal Opera force, LIVA, for the worldwide reissue of their masterful album, Ecce Mundus, due for release on May 29, 2026. Ten years after their previous release, Liva returns with a new album, Ecce Mundus (“This is the world”). According to composer Pier Carlo Liva, this is his most ambitious work since Requiem (2002). The album pushes the band’s signature blend of power metal and classical music even further. Expansive sonic exploration and detailed orchestration open up a broader instrumental scope. Liva also returns to Latin texts, drawing from medieval sources and themes rooted in Antiquity. The record explores the glory of Rome, the story of Samson and Delilah, and enduring human flaws such as greed, corruption, and hypocrisy—issues that remain unchanged from ancient times to today. Known for its symphonic power metal opera approach, Liva is among the first Canadian acts to merge classical music and metal in this format. The lineup on the new album features Nadine Guertin (soprano), Pier Carlo Liva (death and tenor vocals, guitars, electronics), Martin Tremblay (bass), and Claude Lacroix (drums). Following the recording, Philippe Leblanc joined the band as the new drummer. Liva’s back catalog includes Requiem (2002), a heavy metal interpretation of the Latin requiem mass; De Insulis (2007), based on the Latin texts of 12th-century theologian Alain de Lille; and Human Abstract (2013). In March 2002, the band performed live with a 13-piece chamber orchestra for a Radio-Canada broadcast. The following year, they received the MIMI award for “artiste le plus avant-gardiste” (most avant-garde artist), recognizing their fusion of classical and metal. Over the years, Liva has shared the stage with acts such as Voivod, Gorguts, Nightwish, Kataklysm, and Therion. The album also features key collaborators. Christophe Pilon contributed orchestrations, while Christophe Viau created the album artwork. Long-time collaborator Patrick Bouchard, who has worked with the band since 2002, handled the graphic design. Ecce Mundus was recorded and mixed by Pier Carlo Liva at Magic Forest Studio. Mastering was completed by Maxime Lacroix at House of Gain Studio. |
| Experience the power and grandeur of Ecce Mundus through the video for “Samson & Dalila, Pt. 1″: |
BATTLEGRAVE’s “Enslavement” Out Now
The new album from Australian death/thrash duo BATTLEGRAVE is out now!
Order or download Enslavement at battlegrave.bandcamp.com/album/enslavement.
Stream the album on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
Watch the official music videos for album tracks “Bonesaw” and “Venom” on YouTube.
The band’s most devastating full-length release to date, Enslavement delivers 10 tracks of unbridled and vitriolic, death-laden thrash metal. This relentless barrage of calculated venom, intense riffing, and punishing rhythmic precision further cements the band’s reputation for uncompromising extremity.
Lyrically tied to themes of violence and aggression, Enslavement weaves an interlocking narrative of a subterranean demon harvesting human souls to satiate its unending hunger. This conceptual core adds a sinister layer beneath the album’s sonic brutality.
The album was recorded by Clint Patzel of BATTLEGRAVE, mixed by Tim Shearman and mastered by Logan Mader. Session drums by Robin Stone.
Praise for BATTLEGRAVE
Cavernous Depths sounds like Morbid Saint, Demolition Hammer & Oxygen Destroyer were each run across a table saw and had their constituent parts randomly and brutally sewn together – Angry Metal Guy
The most notable thing about the band is their genre bending noise. The cross over of both Thrash & Death Metal, along with subtle hints of Black Metal added in for effect, is perfectly done – Metal Epidemic
‘Relentless’ is a howling killing machine – an adrenaline fuelled torrent of obliterating percussion, riotous and roiling riffage and throat shredding vocal intensity – No Clean Singing
BATTLEGRAVE are a two-piece death/thrash project from Melbourne, Australia, formed in 2017 following the release of their debut demo track, “Mortar Fire,” which quickly generated strong underground buzz.
The duo followed with the EP To Hell with War (2017) and full-length albums Relics of a Dead Earth (2018) and Cavernous Depths (2022, via Bitter Loss Records), establishing a reputation for blending savage thrash intensity with punishing death metal weight. Their releases have received consistent acclaim across the global metal press and airplay on international radio platforms.
While primarily a studio-driven force, BATTLEGRAVE have also brought their music to the stage, recruiting respected musicians from Melbourne’s metal scene to deliver their blistering sound in a live setting.
Throughout their discography, the project has collaborated with world-class drummers including Kevin Talley, 66Samus, and most recently Robin Stone, further reinforcing the precision and power behind the band’s extreme sonic identity.
Kansas City Thrash Crew HELLEVATE to Return with “Killicon Valley”
Kansas City thrash masters HELLEVATE will unleash their sixth assault this spring!
Killicon Valley is relentless in execution. Eleven tracks of the bullshit-free, ‘thrash-or-be-thrashed’ attitude the band has cultivated over their nearly 20 years of existence. Today, that fury has escalated beyond the breaking point. The result is an album that true fans of old-school thrash can blast with pride.
Guitarist Dan Whitmer comments on Killicon Valley, “We couldn’t be more excited about this release! It’s the result of the last few years of a concentrated effort to expand our songwriting capabilities and deliver something for every kind of metal fan there is. Sonically, we’re going to places we haven’t been to before, and we’re trying out a lot of different approaches, sounds, and songwriting angles in our mission to make heads bang worldwide! Everyone involved has pushed themselves physically and mentally in their performances, and it’s all come together in a unique blend of melody and aggression, tackling every subject from our anger at the injustices in the world, to velociraptor attacks and Japanese spider demons. Grab a brace, because this album will make you wreck your neck!”
Get your first taste of Killicon Valley with the album’s lead single, “In the Long Grass.” Check out the official video at youtu.be/4pvJtJcOrvo.
Killicon Valley is set for release on May 22. Pre-order the album at hellevate.bandcamp.com/album/killicon-valley
HELLEVATE will mark the release of Killicon Valley with an album release show at Warehouse on Broadway in Kansas City, MO. Support will come from Jackson Country 5, Meat Shank, and Bloodscent
HELLEVATE is a thrash metal band from Kansas City, MO, known for their
unique blend of melodic thrash, extreme metal, and power metal influences.
Formed in the late 2000s by guitarist Dan Whitmer, HELLEVATE maintains
a commitment to writing unforgettable music that hits hard and leaves a
lasting impression.
Lyrically, the band continues to deliver powerful messages
with directness and intensity. Together, they have crafted a sound that is both
expansive and undeniably thrash, incorporating influences from speed metal,
power metal, death metal, and hardcore to create something truly unique.
HELLEVATE’s discography includes their debut self-titled album (2012),
Kill Confirmed (2014), Weapons Against Their Will (2016), The Purpose Is
Cruelty (2023), and their newest album Killicon Valley (2026).
Since their debut in 2012, HELLEVATE has built a reputation for delivering electrifying live performances, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in metal, including EXODUS, KREATOR, ACCEPT, OVERKILL, DESTRUCTION, HAMMERFALL, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, GHOUL,
VENOM INC., and DANZIG, among others.
VOIDCHASER Brings Prog-Metal Excellence with Release of ‘Interstellar I’ Album!
Montreal (QC) / Stockholm (SE) – Progressive Metal trio, Voidchaser, have released Interstellar I, the band’s second full-length album!
“Excellent sense of timing, synergy and balance, as well as outstanding musicianship. It’s a progressive metal album that both deep enthusiasts and newcomers alike will enjoy.” (8.5/10)
– Dead Rhetoric
“Above all, Voidchaser showcase a keen sense of songcraft.“
– Consequence
“Voidchaser stands in a realm all their own.”
– Black Angel Promotions
Interstellar I depicts themes of technological overreach, mass corruption and personal struggles related to identity, love and survival, unfolding within a vast, lore infused deep space universe. This release balances a dense and layered wall of sound, high energy choruses and memorable melodies, where every second serves the storytelling.
The album features guest appearances by Charlie Griffiths (ex-Haken, Tiktaalika) on the track “Hyperconverter,” Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) on the closing piece “Renew,” as well as narration by Roger Craig Smith (known for Sonic the Hedgehog, Batman, and Ezio in Assassin’s Creed) on the opening track, “The Grand Design.”
Musically, the album brings to mind the style of Devin Townsend’s Ziltoid the Omniscient and Dream Theater’s Systematic Chaos, while reinterpreting those influences through Voidchaser’s own modern and distinctive sound, also drawing from classic foundations found in Deep Purple’s Machine Head and Black Sabbath’s Paranoid.
On April 10th at Piranha Bar in Montreal, QC, Canada, Voidchaser will launch their new album, Interstellar I, performing it in its entirety in an exclusive live set, along with additional material. Omnivide and Jovian Storms will perform as special guests. More details at voidchaser.net
Based in Montreal and Stockholm, Voidchaser is a progressive metal band that quickly established itself as a band worth watching on both local and international stages. Formed in 2023, the band rapidly gained momentum through a steady stream of releases, earning attention from niche outlets such as The ProgSpace, Prog Magazine and Prog Sphere, alongside coverage from major metal media, including Metal Injection and Decibel Magazine.
In 2024, Voidchaser released their debut EP, Odyssey, followed by two standalone singles and their debut full-length album, Solace. Written as a single continuous 30-minute composition, Solace is a concept album set in an orbital dystopia, exploring themes of power, uncertainty and love. The release charted among the top metal albums on Apple Music and iTunes in Canada, Sweden, Norway and several other countries.
The band continued its momentum in 2025 with the release of Trust, an EP featuring guest appearances from Jim Grey of Caligula’s Horse and members of The Anchoret. That same year, the band embarked on its first international tour, performing 12 dates across Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden, and sharing the stage with acts such as Vulkan, Threshold, Kingcrow, Nospūn, Omnivide and Ok Goodnight. Highlights included appearances at ProgPower Europe in the Netherlands and the inaugural ProgStorm Festival in
Montréal, Canada.
Southern Rockers Chris Horses & The Slow Smoke Announce New Album; First Single Out Now
Italian country/southern rock band Chris Horses & The Slow Smoke will release their highly anticipated new album Nowhere Bound this coming September via Devil’s Fork Records. The first single, “White Flag”, is out now and available on all streaming platforms: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/chrishorsesandtheslowsmoke/white-flag
Chris Horses comments on the single:
“Feels like I have been here before, just like I had to come back for more”.
More info will be unveiled soon!
Strong roots, a free heart, and eyes set on the horizon: Chris Horses & The Slow Smoke are the voice of those who seek truth in the dust of the roads—among worn-out dreams and beers shared under starry skies. Born from the meeting of four musicians united by their passion for Americana, Country Rock, and Southern Rock, the band blends evocative atmospheres with a genuine spirit, heir to the great American musical tradition.
The project takes shape around Cristian Secco, known as Chris Horses—a singer and guitarist from Veneto whose honest, straightforward songwriting tells stories that smell of wood, dust, and melancholy. By his side stand three solid, inspired musicians: Gianluca Zanibellato on guitar, a true sound architect who shifts from gritty riffs to bluesy phrasing; Andrea Vanacore, a bassist with a deep, steady groove, and Federico Patarnello, a drummer with an essential yet driving style, holding everything together with both elegance and strength.
In 2024, they released their first record, Sad Songs & Dark Beer, under the independent label Devil’s Fork Records. The album is both a musical and storytelling journey, blending intimate, heartfelt songs with southern-flavored electric rides—all written by Chris Horses. The influences are clear but never imitative: from Neil Young to The Allman Brothers, through Jason Isbell, Blackberry Smoke, and Willie Nelson, Chris Horses & The Slow Smoke absorb and reinterpret these sounds, crafting something personal, vivid, and authentic.
With a repertoire that comes alive both on record and—most of all—on stage, the band stands out for its ability to create a warm, engaging atmosphere at every performance. The stage is their natural habitat: between instrumental jams, acoustic ballads, and explosive moments, each concert turns into a shared story.
During the past few months, the Slow Smoke recorded their new album that will come out in 2026 via Devil’s Fork Records: “Nowhere Bound”. 9 brand-new songs about love, heartbreak and everyday life recorded between the “True Colours Studio” in Padova (Italy) with the precious help of the studio engineer Francesco “Franz” Fabiano and “The Kitchen Sink” in Santa Fe (New Mexico, USA), where the mastering process has been finalized by Jono Manson (Blues Traveler, Warren Haynes).
Chris Horses & The Slow Smoke are a band that knows where they’re going, because they know exactly where they come from. And as their songsflowlike a slow river through small-town stories, American dreams, and inner escapes, all that’s left to do is let yourself be carried away by the slow smoke and the rough, soulful voice of their musical world.
Rockshots Records – HELLFOX Release Official Video for “Water On The Ceiling”
Italian all-female metal band HELLFOX have unveiled the brand new official video for “Water On The Ceiling”, one of the standout tracks from their latest album “The Spectrum Of Human Gravity“, released last June 6th, 2025 via Rockshots Records.
A song born from the suffocating sensation of insomnia, “Water On The Ceiling” captures the eerie stillness of endless nights when eyes remain wide open as reality blurs into a waking dream. The track blends haunting melodies, distorted synths and Hellfox’s trademark dual female vocals to convey the claustrophobic feeling of staring at a ceiling that turns into water—suffocating, oppressive and inescapable.
The video adds a new visual dimension to the song’s atmosphere, portraying the emotional weight of sleeplessness and the surreal imagery that inspired the lyrics. It represents yet another chapter in the band’s journey of exploring the depths of human emotion through music and imagery.
“The Spectrum Of Human Gravity” has already gained recognition for its unique fusion of Nordic melodic death metal roots, pop-inspired clean vocals, and modern electronic textures. With singles like “Seaweed Braids” and “Atlas”, Hellfox set the stage for an album that confronts loneliness, mental struggle,s and the search for identity without resorting to clichés. “Water On The Ceiling” continues this narrative, offering a vivid metaphor for psychological weight and restless nights.
Recorded at Eden Studio by Alessio Lucatti and mixed/mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, the album showcases the band’s fearless approach to songwriting and their growth since their 2022 debut.
For fans of Amorphis, In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity, Hellfox’s new video is not just a performance but a visceral dive into the emotions that define “The Spectrum Of Human Gravity“.
Watch “Water On The Ceiling” official video
HELLFOX is an ALL FEMALE alternative metal (alt-metal) band with melodic death tendencies. Despite the four completely different musical backgrounds, we share a common inspiration to Amorphis, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity as far as composition is concerned, while for the choice of sounds we intended to move away from the Symphonic, recognizably feminine scenario to include acid and distorted synths so that we could create modern atmospheres that more closely met our tastes and better married the pop timbre of the melodic vocals. The dualism of HELLFOX is not meant to be understood on a conflicting level, it is instead the result of different voices within the human soul, different faces if you will, that mingle and generate the person itself, in its entirety, that although they seem to struggle, they coexist and create harmony and balance. We don’t use masks to conform to a mass, nor do we want to stand out at all costs, we just want to be ourselves in a society where normality is only a surface, the abyss instead is made up of so many facets of personality, both for the group and especially for the individual human being. Ours is a message within everyone’s reach, in which one can recognize oneself: that little voice in the head that either draws you in or drives you away… Because for us, nothing is normal, nothing is different.
AEPHANEMER Unleashes New Video Single “Le Cimetière Marin”
October 31, 2025 will see French melodic death metal frontrunners, AEPHANEMER, release their much-awaited, new studio offering Utopie through Napalm Records.
Blending ferocious melodic death metal with cinematic grandeur, Utopie sees the band unleash an ambitious, razor-sharp assault of epic melodies, relentless speed, and philosophical depth, pushing their sound into bold new territory. Led by the commanding presence of Marion Bascoul, AEPHANEMER delivers a fiercely technical and emotionally immersive record — lyrically exploring the uniquely mythic urgency of modern times.
In support of Utopie, the band will embark on a European tour in early November, with special guests VALHALORE, DARK OATH and WALDGEFLÜSTER. Find all upcoming live dates listed below!
Following the previously released, blistering album opening track “La Règle du Jeu”, today, the trio has unveiled a music video for their latest single “Le Cimetière Marin”
“Le Cimetière Marin” offers an intricate guitar tapestry beneath a scathing vocal assault, crafting a track that‘s both graceful and menacing. It powerfully blends progressive metal complexity and emotional intensity, showcasing AEPHANEMER’s ability to balance technical proficiency with deeply resonant atmospheres.
The accompanying music video takes viewers into the band‘s rehearsal space, offering a thrilling performance of the track with eye-catching visual cues that amplify it‘s intensity. Watch the video now premiering here:
The band comments:
“Le Cimetière Marin is one of the most distinctive tracks on the album. We aimed to create a truly heroic piece – not in a modern way, but inspired by the way heroism was expressed in classical music centuries ago. Fueled by bold elements from both classical traditions and melodic death metal, it carries a strong, almost epic energy. We‘re really eager to bring it to the stage!”
Following the roaring success of their latest album A Dream Of Wilderness (2021), the Toulouse-based melodic death metal powerhouse strikes again with their fourth studio offering. With Utopie, AEPHANEMER recalibrates their formula, surging with heavier classical influences, blistering riffage, majestic orchestrations, and Slavic folk undertones — etching a sound equally ancient and futuristic.
“With Utopie, we set out to create a sound that brings together the elements we‘ve always loved — the intensity of melodic death metal and the depth of classical music,” AEPHANEMER recently said. “We spent a lot of time shaping melodies, drawing inspiration from polyphonic writing, and building orchestral arrangements that feel both powerful and natural to us. It was a challenging but fulfilling process, and we sincerely hope listeners will connect with what we‘ve crafted.”
Lyrically, the record engages with the concept of utopia not as escape, but as confrontation — dissecting philosophical ideals with their refined sonic scalpel, and pushing for a world of harmony between living beings.
Actively bucking genre conventions, AEPHANEMER continues to reinvent their path in the melodic death metal landscape. Utopie is more than just an album — it‘s a storm of sound, an ideological reckoning, and a powerful new chapter from one of Europe‘s most vital and visionary metal bands.
Greek Death/Thrash Metal Project Cremate Signs With Wormholedeath
| Wormholedeath Records proudly welcomes CREMATE, the legendary Athens-based death/thrash metal act, to their roster. The band is set to release their much-anticipated EP Ready To Fight on November 7, 2025, marking a fierce return that bridges their cult 1990s roots with a fresh, modern sonic assault.Formed in 1991 in Alimos, Athens by high school friends Christos (guitar/vocals) and Leonidas (drums), CREMATE quickly carved out a raw and aggressive niche blending death and thrash metal—drawing inspiration from titans like Kreator and Sodom. Their 1993 demo End of Time garnered international acclaim through critical reviews, radio play, and devoted underground support.Following lineup changes and relentless live shows praised by Metal Hammer and other media, CREMATE released the 7″ EP Enchanting Black Recess in 1995 via Dark Side Records. However, a full-length album never materialized as the band disbanded soon after.In 2021, founder Christos reignited CREMATE alongside drummer George and longtime collaborator Akis Pastras (Dexter Ward, Damon Systema, Nightfall). Revisiting their seminal demo, Christos re-envisioned the material by infusing dark synthesized atmospheres, samples, and new arrangements that intensify the band’s signature 90s death/thrash fury.The result is Ready To Fight, a 4-track EP embodying raw energy through a contemporary production lens. It features three reworked classics—“Another Pain Born” reborn as “Human,” “Die as You Lived” enhanced with haunting violin by Lusty Apricot—and the brand-new title track showcasing a blistering solo from Marios Iliopoulos (Nightrage). Recorded and mixed by Akis Pastras and mastered by George Nerantzis (Abbath, Rotting Christ, Gus G.), the EP delivers an uncompromising fusion of vintage aggression and modern dark textures.Ready To Fight symbolizes CREMATE’s powerful rebirth, honoring their 1993 cult demo while boldly pushing forward. The EP is a must-listen for fans of authentic death/thrash metal with an atmospheric edge—heavy, relentless, and uniquely dynamic. |
| Watch the official video for the title track Ready To Fight here: |
