Julien Baker is one of this era’s defining songwriters, but she hasn’t released a solo album in a long time. Little Oblivions, Baker’s third solo LP, came out back in early 2021. Since then, Baker blew up as a member of boygenius. Last year, she and Torres got together to release the collaborative country experiment Send A Prayer My Way and canceled the corresponding tour to focus on her health. Baker has continued to help out on other people’s records. She’s on her boygenius bandmate Phoebe Bridgers’ new Lost Weekend, for instance, as well as Turnstile’s remixes-and-covers collection Never Enough: Versions. And now, she might just be gearing up to release something of her own.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is bringing back their holiday spectacle for 2026, marking 30 years of 'The Ghosts of Christmas Eve' with over 50 cities on the tour. Continue reading…
Danish metal outfit, Grandience, is pleased to unveil their video for “Agony.” The track comes off the band’s debut full-length, Anomaly, out now on Metal Blade Records. Comments guitarist/vocalist Jakob Lærke Harris, “People who know us by now should be aware that we like to mix things up and see what we can make work. ‘Agony’ is… Continue Reading →
Against the Current have announced the details of their long-awaited new full-length album, and it will be yours very soon indeed.
The record will be called ‘Till Death & Back’ and will be released on October 30. It’s the band’s first album since 2018’s ‘Past Lives’ and their first as an independent band too.
Vocalist Chrissy Costanza had this to say about the record:
“Fate is the thread running through every song on this album, the belief that what’s meant for you is bound to you across time. The cost is the fire, the fight, the version of yourself you don’t get back. Till Death & Back is the promise that no matter how far you go, the thread never breaks, not even in death.”
The artwork looks like this:
It will feature previous singles ‘Heavenly’, ‘Dead Man Walking’ and ‘Always You & I’, as well as newly unleashed track ‘Protégé’. An atmospheric, beautifully constructed, spine-tingling track full of heart, soul and earnest feeling. All of the things that the band show off so brilliantly in everything they do.
The band will be kicking off a UK/EU tour on the day of the album’s release. Here are all the dates they will be playing:
OCTOBER
30 – GLASGOW SWG3 (TV Studio) 31 – LEEDS Leeds Beckett Students Union
NOVEMBER
01 – MANCHESTER Academy 03 – BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute 04 – LONDON O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire 06 – PARIS Le Trianon 07 – SAARBRÜCKEN Garage 08 – BRUSSELS Ancienne Belgique 11 – KÖLN E-Werk 12 – UTRECHT TivoliVredenburg 13 – HAMBURG Grosse Freiheit 36 14 – BERLIN Metropol 16 – VIENNA Simm City 17 – MUNICH Muffathalle 19 – ZURICH Komplex 457 20 – STUTTGART LKA Longhorn 21 – WIESBADEN Schlachthof
Finland’s melodic death metal veterans Insomnium have a new album waiting in the wings. Netherworlds is set for release on October 16, 2026, via Century Media. The band has now unveiled another track, “Arch of the Sky,” and you can check out the video right here: https://youtu.be/61RjgbXhsLc?si=GMSfzF_xhznJ-njf Tracklist:
They’re back! Finally! The great Philadelphia hardcore expressionists Soul Glo made a huge leap with the release of their breakout album Diaspora Problems, one of the best of 2022. That was almost five years ago. Since then, Soul Glo have played tons of sick shows. They released the one-off single “If I Speak (Shut The Fuck Up).” They started the first Tiny Desk moshpit. Frontman Pierce Jordan rapped on an Armand Hammer record and launched the side project Commitment, whose debut album Fear Of came out earlier this year. Now, at long last, Soul Glo have another LP on the way.
The battle-hardened Gloryhammer expand their complex universe with a new single. “Warriors of Auchtermuchty” is set in the hometown of the main antagonist, Zargothrax, and focuses on the region’s eponymous warriors, who swear allegiance to the emperor. Driven by choirs and rousing melodies, Gloryhammer make the story even more thrilling and enhance this epic power… Continue Reading →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLUSMINUSZERO ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ILLUSIONS OF LIFE DUE OCTOBER 16 VIA DOWNFALL RECORDS
Finnish Hard Rock / Metal Outfit Returns to Its Heavy Roots After Decades of Musical Experience
HELSINKI, FINLAND | SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 | Finnish hard rock and metal band PlusMinusZero are set to release their new full-length album, Illusions of Life , on October 16, 2026 , via Downfall Records .
Formed in Helsinki in 2025, PlusMinusZero may be a relatively new name, but the musicians behind the band bring decades of experience, a history of recording and touring together, and a lifelong connection to heavy music.
Illusions of Life features 10 tracks of melodic hard rock and metal , combining catchy songwriting with a strong musical foundation and the experience of musicians who have already spent years on stages and in recording studios across Finland.
The album follows the release of the singles “Runner’s High,” “Wasted,” and “Tears of Fire,” offering an introduction to the sound of PlusMinusZero ahead of the full album’s arrival.
FROM OLD FRIENDS TO A NEW BEGINNING
The story of PlusMinusZero begins long before the band’s formation.
In the early 2000s, the musicians were already making music together, releasing three full-length albums with a previous band and touring steadily throughout Finland. Their experience took them from small bars and clubs to some of the biggest festivals of the era, with their live activity further supported by radio airplay and television appearances.
That chapter came to an end around 2005 when the lineup disbanded.
But the desire to make music never disappeared.
Dr. Sundström and Iledelay continued playing together, exploring different musical styles and experimenting with various lineups. In 2010, they released another full-length album with a new band. The lead single from that Finnish-language album received attention on television, and the project would eventually become part of the path that led to PlusMinusZero.
Through the years, vocalists and drummers changed, musical styles evolved, and different projects came and went.
The core duo remained.
Eventually, Dr. Sundström and Iledelay began asking themselves a bigger question: why keep moving away from the music that first inspired them?
The answer was waiting where it had always been.
Metal.
BACK TO THE ROOTS
The musical direction increasingly returned to the heavy music that had made such an impact on them when they were younger.
Iron Maiden. Black Sabbath. Dio. Helloween. Scorpions.
The classic metal bands that once filled record collections and appeared across the back patches of denim jackets became the signposts for a new chapter.
As the band puts it:
“Metal was, and still is, the answer.”
In the summer of 2025, PlusMinusZero consisted of Dr. Sundström, Iledelay, and little more than a name and the desire to create something new.
Then came two important coincidences.
Pete joined as vocalist, followed by Janne on drums. Both were already familiar to the founding duo through previous projects and were available to jump into a new musical adventure.
The lineup was complete.
Since the fall of 2025, PlusMinusZero have been independently recording and mixing their upcoming material, putting their years of experience into a new collection of songs built around strong foundations, memorable melodies, and their renewed love for hard rock and metal.
ILLUSIONS OF LIFE
The result is Illusions of Life , a 10-track album that represents both a new beginning and a return to familiar territory.
The album includes the previously released “Runner’s High,” along with nine additional tracks that explore the band’s melodic hard rock and metal sound.
With Illusions of Life , PlusMinusZero aren’t trying to pretend they are newcomers discovering heavy music for the first time.
They’ve already been there.
They’ve released albums. They’ve toured Finland. They’ve played clubs and major festivals. They’ve experienced radio and television exposure. They’ve explored different musical directions and spent years developing their craft.
Now they’re bringing all of that experience together for something new.
“Expect catchy songs built on a strong foundation and years of experience — ready to deliver something new and our very best to everyone!”
Illusions of Life will be released Friday, October 16, 2026 , via Downfall Records .
For PlusMinusZero, the name may represent a new beginning.
The music represents everything that came before it.
And after all these years, the answer remains the same:
Metal is still the answer.
PLUSMINUSZERO
Album: Illusions of Life Release Date: October 16, 2026 Label: Downfall Records Catalog: FALLCD066 Genre: Hard Rock / Metal Origin: Helsinki, Finland Formed: 2025
LINEUP
Pete – Vocals Dr. Sundström – Guitar Iledelay – Bass Janne – Drums
Press Contact: mike@downfallrecords.com
Pre order here: https://downfallrecords.bandcamp.com/album/illusion-of-life
