Category: news
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Review CLAWFINGER “Before We All Die”
Hailing from Sweden, Clawfinger are widely regarded as one of the true greats of 1990s crossover. Their first two albums, in particular, were milestone releases that left a lasting mark on the entire genre. However, as the new millennium began, interest in the band gradually faded, eventually leading to their break-up in 2013. However, it… Continue Reading → -
Heavy Metal Textbooks 2026-02-19 04:27:00
STUFF I MISSED FROM 2025(Part 3)Here’s another album from 2025 that should have been high in my rankings:OTU: YOU’LL GET THROUGH THIS
Now here’s one that I didn’t really miss; I bought it back in May, but didn’t really recognize how great it is until the new year. I liked it, but for whatever reason didn’t play it much. Recently I decided to revisit it, and realized what an absolute guitar legend Otu is on this album. All twelve tunes have their own distinct feel, but each of them is sneakily completely bad-ass. Here are two that might help get your attention, but all of them are worth your while if you like your music heavy.Otu is a musical phenom, singlehandedly writing, playing and producing everything he puts out. Perhaps you’ve seen some of his “If _________ Wrote ________” tunes on YouTube; they are phenomenal. To say that he nails every artist he attempts to sound like is an understatement, and now I am just starting to appreciate his own original songwriting.
Check out Otu on YouTube and on Bandcamp -
Heavy Metal Textbooks 2026-02-19 04:27:00
STUFF I MISSED FROM 2025(Part 3)Here’s another album from 2025 that should have been high in my rankings:OTU: YOU’LL GET THROUGH THISNow here’s one that I didn’t really miss; I bought it back in May, but didn’t really recognize how great it is until the new year. I liked it, but for whatever reason didn’t play it much. Recently I decided to revisit it, and realized what an absolute guitar legend Otu is on this album. All twelve tunes have their own distinct feel, but each of them is sneakily completely bad-ass. Here are two that might help get your attention, but all of them are worth your while if you like your music heavy.Otu is a musical phenom, singlehandedly writing, playing and producing everything he puts out. Perhaps you’ve seen some of his “If _________ Wrote ________” tunes on YouTube; they are phenomenal. To say that he nails every artist he attempts to sound like is an understatement, and now I am just starting to appreciate his own original songwriting.
Check out Otu on YouTube and on Bandcamp -
HEAVY DIGIMAG #442
VIEW HEAVY DIGIMAG #442 HERE This week’s DigiMag is ready to roll, and what a bumper issue it is! With Born Of Osiris set to hit Australia in March for the first time in 6 years, HEAVY nailed down the band to find out what mischievous delights they have in store for us. We also […] -
Listening Now : Xela Zander – Punk Ducks
With Punk Ducks, Xela Zander delivers a mellow instrumental that drifts between hazy shoegaze textures and loose post punk attitude, letting reverb-soaked guitars and steady rhythms do all the talking; it’s the kind of track built for motion without urgency, equally at home soundtracking a late skate session, a sun-faded pool hang, or a solitary headphones moment, balancing dreamy atmosphere with just enough edge to keep it from floating away completely, proving that sometimes vibe alone is enough to carry a song.
Connect:
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VAJRA UNVEILS “SET THE CONTROLS FOR THE HEART OF THE SUN (POMPEII REIMAGINING)” — A HYPNOTIC LATE-NIGHT JOURNEY – @thebeast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VAJRA UNVEILS “SET THE CONTROLS FOR THE HEART OF THE SUN (POMPEII REIMAGINING)” — A HYPNOTIC LATE-NIGHT JOURNEY
New York City’s Vajra returns with a mesmerizing reinterpretation of the Pink Floyd classic, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” available March 20, 2026. Inspired by the stark, elemental atmosphere of Live at Pompeii, Vajra’s reimagining is a slow-burn exploration of tension, release, and transcendence—designed for deep listening, late-night reflection, and altered perception.
Layered guitars, ritualistic rhythms, and Annamaria Pinna’s ethereal vocals create a hypnotic soundscape that transforms the original composition into an immersive, cinematic experience. Rather than replicate, Vajra expands the track’s architecture, inviting listeners into a meditative journey where control meets collapse, and discipline gives way to transcendence.
The single is available for streaming and pre-save:
Spotify Hyperfollow: https://show.co/tbEhjOH
Full Streaming & Purchase: https://found.ee/vajra-set-the-controls
https://vajraofficial.bandcamp.com/track/set-the-controls-for-the-heart-of-the-sun-pompeii-reimagining
Vajra has built a reputation for bridging progressive, gothic, and alternative metal realms with ethereal intensity. Previous singles like “Truth Has Many Lies” premiered on Revolver and charted #2 on Mediabase Activator, while their video for “Love Is a Battlefield” made waves on MTV Live’s Metal Thrashing Madness. Fans of Tool, Pink Floyd, and A Perfect Circle will find themselves drawn into Vajra’s hypnotic, ritualistic sonic world once again.
About Vajra:
Led by Annamaria Pinna and guitarist Dave Sussman, Vajra is a New York City-based gothic-prog project blending cinematic textures, ethereal vocals, and intricate instrumentation. Their music explores the intersection of heaviness and reflection, crafting immersive experiences that linger long after the last note fades.
For press inquiries, interviews, or review copies, please contact: zach@metaldevastationradio.com
Connect:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GZkiezbrxn2yCuBfRgS6y
https://www.facebook.com/vajratemple
https://instagram.com/vajra_music_official
https://youtube.com/VajraOfficial
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/vajra/80747373
https://vajraofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/1070584
Contact: vajratemple@gmail.com -
Listening Now : Western Union Hall – The Right Way
Portland-based project Western Union Hall returns with The Right Way, a reflective second single that leans into emotional clarity rather than grand gestures; built on thoughtful songwriting and collaborative textures, the track unfolds with understated warmth, circling the realization that self-love isn’t a cliché but a prerequisite, that you can’t offer something you haven’t cultivated within yourself, and in a music landscape obsessed with noise and “content,” Western Union Hall stays deliberately quiet, letting the message breathe through sincere vocals and restrained instrumentation, proving once again that intention can be louder than volume.
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BARREN PATH (Gridlink, Maruta) Announce West Coast U.S. Tour | GIGAN on Select Dates
BARREN PATH (Gridlink, Maruta), the new force in grindcore, will embark on the West Coast MMXXVI tour at the end of April for a seven-date jaunt. Willowtip label-mates, GIGAN, will appear on four of those dates. The tour wraps up in Seattle at Northwest Terror Fest.
Tour dates are as follows:
April 30 – San Diego, CA – The Banshee*
May 1 – Long Beach, CA – Que Sera*
May 2 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
May 3 – Atascadero, CA – Dark Nectar
May 4 – Sacramento, CA – Cafe Colonial*
May 5 – Oakland, CA – Thee Stork Club*
May 9 – Seattle, WA – Nuemos (Northwest Terror Fest)*Dates with GIGAN
Willowtip Records released BARREN PATH debut album, Grieving, last year on Halloween. The album is available on CD, vinyl, and digital formats. Stream/Purchase below:
willowtip.com/bands/details/barren-path.aspx
barrenpath.bandcamp.com/album/grieving
music.apple.com/us/album/grieving/1829019761
open.spotify.com/artist/7AWIZP1bhOIz8UCMkv28Uf
Track Listing:
1. Whimpering Echo
2. Subversion record
3. Primordial Black
4. No Geneva
5. Isolation Wound
6. The Insufferable Weight[Video]
7. Relinquish
8. The Unreliable Narrator
9. Celestial Bleeding
10. Lunar Tear
11. Horizonless [Video]
12. In the End… The Gift is Death [Video]
BARREN PATH:
Takafumi Matsubara: Guitar
Bryan Fajardo: Drums
Mitchell Luna: Vocals
Rory Kobzina: Guitar
Mauro Cordoba: Bass—————————————
More Barren Path:
facebook.com/people/Barren-Path/61579110541664
Willowtip links:
Source: ClawHammer PR
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Listening Now : Juno Goes to Jupiter – Juno Goes to Jupiter
Swedish newcomer Juno Goes to Jupiter introduces their sonic identity with a debut that feels fully formed, self-titled and self-assured; built on shadowy synth layers, steady pulse-driven rhythms, and an intimate vocal delivery that hovers between detachment and vulnerability, Juno Goes to Jupiter thrives in late-night isolation, designed for headphones, dim rooms, and introspective drift, establishing a moody, atmospheric aesthetic that signals this project isn’t chasing brightness but depth, marking a confident first step into dark synthpop territory where emotion simmers beneath cool electronic restraint.
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Divisive Echoes Ascend With New Melodic Power Metal Epic, From the Depths to the Stars – @thebeast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Divisive Echoes Ascend With New Melodic Power Metal Epic, From the Depths to the Stars
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Genre: Melodic Power Metal
Label: Independent / Unsigned
Listen & Download: https://divisiveechoes.bandcamp.com/
January 20, 2026 — Independent melodic power metal force Divisive Echoes is proud to announce the release of their ambitious new concept album, From the Depths to the Stars . Spanning 10 tracks, this album takes listeners on a thrilling sonic voyage inspired by the imaginative worlds of Jules Verne, blending soaring vocals, intricate guitar work, and cinematic orchestration into a sweeping metal adventure.
Fans of Helloween, Stratovarius, and Twilight Force will feel right at home, as From the Depths to the Stars channels the spirit of classic power metal while pushing it into uncharted territory with modern production and atmospheric storytelling.
Building on the success of their previous release, Wings of the Forgotten , which earned acclaim from Powerplay Magazine UK , Divisive Echoes continue to cement their reputation for combining narrative depth with musical prowess.
From the Depths to the Stars is available now for streaming and purchase at Divisive Echoes Bandcamp . Prepare to embark on a journey where metal meets the cosmos, and every note tells a story.
Connect:
https://www.divisiveechoes.eu/
Contact: divisiveechoes@seznam.cz
