Category: news

Out Now Better Noise Music Order HERE After chatting with In This Moment‘s guitarist Chris Howorth and feeling his enthusiasm about the band’s new album Witch, it would almost be rude of me not to give it a spin and share my thoughts. Described by frontwoman Maria Brink as a “declaration of inner transformation,” Witch […]

Posted on August 27th 2026, 4:48pm

A little over a year ago, my dear friend and roommate visited her home country of Norway for a month. Obviously, I insisted that she visit Neseblod Records, the infamous record store originally opened by Euronymous (as Helvete) back in the 90s, located in Oslo. While she was there, frightened by its certainly haunted basement section, she found physical copies of both The Road Less Traveled and The Heart of the Matter, Norwegian heavy/power metal troupe Triosphere’s prior two albums—and bought them for me at my enthusiastic request. Both of these records hold a special place in my catalog, memorializing an accidental discovery of what would quickly become one of my favorite power metal discographies ever, small though it is. 12 years since the release of The Heart of the Matter, which slots at #1 on my personal list of favorite power metal albums, I feared that nothing would be able to fill its shoes, even if it was penned by Triosphere themselves. In fact, I feared I would never hear another record like it in my lifetime. Mercifully, Oceans Above, Stars Below is soon upon us, and I couldn’t be happier with it.

Occupying a nifty space where Heart meets Symphony X and taking a few notes from Nevermore, Triosphere’s current sound feels like a significant evolution of what The Heart of the Matter offered, fortified by the same gutsy crunch The Road Less Traveled boasted. Ida Haukland, a criminally undersung power metal icon if there ever was one, delivers a fierce vocal performance here that blows her own past work out of the water. Simultaneously, she delivers lots of low-end bass beef behind T.O. Byberg’s hefty riffs and Marius Silver Bergesen’s screaming leads and inspired solos. Not to be outdone, drummer Kenneth Tårneby outputs a level of percussive ass-kickery hitherto unheard as his reliably excellent cymbal work somehow levels up again and his rhythmic muscularity reaches new PRs. This is a band at their pinnacle, supporting a sound that nobody else currently in the scene replicates, releasing an album of romantically inclined inspirations, soulful exuberance, and an execution so vibrant that it makes my heart and soul soar into the stratosphere.

The best part is that I don’t have to wait long before that skyborne launch sends me alight, and at no point does Oceans Above, Stars Below let me down. First track proper, “Of Tyrants,” is a massive triumph, replete with heavy riffs and a chorus that short-circuits my whole nervous system every time as Ida belts high notes with a brassy fullness no other vocalist in this category approaches. From that point, banger after banger fires out of Triosphere’s chamber. “Oceans Above, Stars Below,” “Monster’s Ball,” and “Through the Phantom Wall” in particular burn barns down to cinders with high-octane lead melodies, effervescent vocal lines, and satisfying chuggy crunches. Mid-album stingers “Lightning in a Bottle,” “Shorelines,” and “Embers” bring more upbeat verve and heart to the affair, while also reintroducing Marius’ trademark bluesy solos that bleed with an emotive quality few guitarists in this scene achieve. The hits keep coming, with closing duo “Orpheus’ Bane” and “Cadence of Chaos” pushing the limits of what I expect from Triosphere’s sound. In the former example, Nevermore’s influence is felt in its chromatic, staccato riffing and full-bodied tones, while the latter offers a tempo switch-up between verse and chorus that abnormally activates my salivatory glands like only the best prog-power writing can.

Memorable, immediate, and sticky, Oceans Above, Stars Below is more than just a collection of great songs. It transcends the standards set by the heavy/prog/power blueprint. Through the use of melodies that would feel at home on any 80s album, metal or otherwise, Triosphere nail the nostalgia that tugs the ears of those who pine for the ways of olde. With their soulful soloing, powerful vocal payloads, and tight transitions, Triosphere exude theatricality that attracts folks drawn to epic cinematics and righteous pyrotechnics. Clever layering and deceptively sophisticated complexities woven into familiar frameworks permit accessible entry points for audiences scouting for intelligent writing and extended staying power. Even the central ballad “Encore” and closer “Gjenklang,” a cello/violin-led instrumental reprisal finale, offer compelling contributions to the whole that those who crave music that touches the heart will surely appreciate.

Oceans Above, Stars Below has more than just something for everyone. If enough people listen and take notes, as they should, it possesses the power to shift the scene, to move the needle. Even if it somehow fails at that, it’s more than I could’ve asked for from one of the most anticipated follow-ups in my rotation. I was sure 12 years was too long to wait, and that nothing Triosphere offered would make me fall in love with them all over again. I was wrong, and I’ve never been happier to be wrong. An album this excellent, this passionately performed, this finely honed, deserves a universal audience. Forget the trappings of genre or category. Oceans Above, Stars Below is a record I’ll be recommending to anyone and everyone. It is the embodiment of everything I love about music, heavy or otherwise. By sharing it, I share a piece of my bleeding heart that Triosphere somehow captured in vivid detail. Thank you, Triosphere, for this gift. I will cherish it forever!

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Rating: Iconic!¹
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream HELL²
Label: Frontiers Records
Websites: Official | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 28th, 2026

The post Triosphere – Oceans Above, Stars Below Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Some albums revisit the past. Reminiscence presents itself as something recovered from it: a musical artefact left behind by a civilization that was at once prehistoric, extraterrestrial and far more advanced than humanity. Italian technical death/thrash metal quartet MISCREANCE are now streaming their sophomore album in full through Decibel Magazine, two days before its official […]

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A Dariusz Szermanowicz-directed music video for it has just arrived.

The post Amon Amarth Celebrate Odin’s Horse Sleipnir With New Track “Eight Legs Of Thunder” appeared first on Theprp.com.

In one month, Detroit post-punk greats Protomartyr return with Hotel Usona, the new album that they recorded with Dave Fridmann, a producer with a whole lot of classics under his belt. We already posted lead single “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” and now Protomartyr have a new one called “Feed The Sewer,” a supremely ugly skronk-rock freakout that manages to be oppressive and cathartic at the same damn time.

The post Protomartyr – “Feed The Sewer” appeared first on Stereogum.

On October 30th 2026, Greek black metal band Acherontas will release a new, 4-track EP dubbed For The Blood Of Tiamat – Praxis I – XXX Years Anniversary Of Magick And Metamorphosis. Additional details are disclosed below.
Read more…

The story of Frankenstein has survived countless retellings because the question at its heart remains unresolved: what separates a living being from something merely constructed? IRON SAVIOR revisit that mystery on “The Creature’s Tale,” approaching the familiar narrative from the perspective of the creation itself. Built around a heavy, relentless pulse, the new song favours […]

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I think everyone knows someone who, when they enter the room, starts to add color to the discussion. Not the primary color, Jackson Pollack splat of conspiracy or disproven theory, but the rich tint that binds various hues together into a well-formed montage. Nashvillian, by way of several points in the Deep South, Afton Wolfe […]

Fontaines D.C. at Reading

When: Friday, August 28, 2026
Time: 10:40pm BST
Watch FREE: Live on BBC One. The set will then be broadcast on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards
Watch from anywhere: Try Nord VPN 100% risk free

The annual Reading and Leeds Festivals kick off today (August 27) with Fontaines D.C. headlining Reading on Friday night. They’re joined on top of the bill by co-headliners Charli xcx, Florence And The Machine, Raye, Chase And Status and Dave.

The BBC are once again on-hand to bring us the action from Reading, and they’ll be broadcasting select headline sets over the course of the weekend on BBC One, with the footage set to be uploaded to BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards.

How to use a VPN

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If you’re going to be out of the country and want to watch the Fontaines D.C. set as soon as it hits iPlayer, you’ll need a VPN to help you.

Virtual Private Networks are used to change the location of your IP address, enabling you to watch Fontaines D.C. from anywhere. Nord VPN is Louder’s favourite. Here’s how to use a VPN:

1. Install a VPN: As we’ve mentioned above, Nord VPN is Louder’s favourite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN: If you’re currently outside the UK on holiday or on business and want to watch the set from the Reading Festival, just select ‘UK’ from the list, then log into your streaming service account.

3. Turn the volume up as loud as you’re able and relax: That’s it – you’re all set to watch the performance.

How to watch in the UK

Viewers in the UK will be able to watch Fontaines D.C. on BBC One, with the programme set to get underway at 10.40pm on Friday, August 28. If you miss the late-night coverage, you’ll be able to catch up through BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards, providing you have a valid TV licence.

If you’re a UK viewer away from home, a VPN such as Nord VPN will let you access your usual free stream from anywhere in the world.

How to watch in the US

If you’re in the US on holiday and want to watch Fontaines D.C. from the Reading Festival, you’ll be able to catch up on their set shortly after the main BBC One programme ends via BBC iPlayer. At the time of writing, no official time has been given.

A VPN like Nord VPNwill allow you to access your usual stream from overseas.

Fontaines D.C.’s Friday night headline set from the Reading Festival comes just a few days after the Irish group announced details of their fifth album, Dopamine Chamber. The follow-up to 2024’s Romance will arrive via XL Recordings on October 24.

You can watch the video for Marianne – the first single from the record – below.

Speaking about the new album, frontman Grian Chatten said: “The album itself is a dopamine chamber. You step inside, and we test these different mind or mood-altering pieces of music on you.”

Following Reading and Leeds, Fontaines D.C. will play the Stradbally Hall Electric Picnic in Ireland on August 30, before heading to the US for further live shows.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.