“Bury me in a shallow grave/ Out behind the warehouse rave/ And while you’re having a smoke back there/ You can think of me while you fix your hair.” I tell you what: This John Darnielle guy can write. That quote is the opening line from a jaunty, brightly orchestrated tune called “Shallow Grave,” the latest of the hundreds upon hundreds of vivid and precise songs that Darnielle has written.
(written by Islander) Some metal albums are essentially collections of singles, songs that don’t have any thematic connection to each other. Others are “concept” albums, in which the songs have their place in some unifying pre-conceived vision by the artist(s), whether lyrical or musical or both. Such concepts might be relatively simple or not terribly […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
METAL DEVASTATION RADIO AND PR CRUSH PAST 28.5 MILLION VIEWS AFTER MASSIVE MAY SURGE
The underground metal movement continues its relentless ascent.
Metal Devastation Radio and Metal Devastation PR have shattered another major milestone, blasting past 28.5 million total views following a monster performance in May that saw record-breaking engagement, increased search visibility, and nearly 2 million views in a single month.
Built without corporate backing, industry gatekeepers, or mainstream support, Metal Devastation continues proving that authentic underground metal can thrive on its own terms.
MAY DELIVERED ANOTHER DEVASTATING BLOW
The numbers from May speak for themselves:
• 240,000 active users engaged across the platform • 239,000 new users discovering underground metal • 1,971,204 total views generated during the month • 4.9 million tracked events including streams, clicks, submissions, and interactions • 1.89 million Google Search impressions • 24,500 clicks from Google Search results
Combined with previous growth, these numbers have pushed Metal Devastation’s all-time view count from 25,008,428 to an incredible 28,577,773 total views.
That’s nearly 3.6 million additional views added in just two months.
This isn’t a temporary spike.
It’s momentum.
FROM THE FRONTLINES
“It’s absolutely insane watching these numbers continue to climb,” says Zach Moonshine.
“Every view represents somebody discovering a band, reading an interview, checking out a festival, tuning into the radio station, or supporting the underground scene. We built this platform to help real metal bands get exposure, and seeing nearly two million views in May alone shows that people are hungry for authentic heavy music. The underground is stronger than ever.”
POWERED BY THE METAL COMMUNITY
Behind every statistic is a global network of dedicated supporters:
• Independent bands creating uncompromising heavy music • Labels, promoters, and publicists pushing the scene forward • Media outlets and zines amplifying underground voices • Fans sharing, streaming, and supporting artists worldwide • DJs and staff keeping Metal Devastation Radio running around the clock • Tennessee Metal Devastation Music Fest bringing the community together in the real world
Every stream, every submission, every article, every share, and every listener contributes to the continued growth of the movement.
SEARCH VISIBILITY REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
One of the most impressive milestones from May was the platform’s search performance.
With 1.89 million Google Search impressions and more than 24,500 clicks from search traffic, Metal Devastation continues expanding its reach and introducing underground artists to new audiences around the world.
The demand for independent metal content has never been stronger.
THE MISSION CONTINUES
Breaking 28.5 million views isn’t a finish line.
It’s fuel.
Metal Devastation Radio and PR remain committed to supporting underground artists, promoting new releases, covering the global metal scene, and helping bands connect with fans who genuinely care about heavy music.
“We’re grateful for every band, every listener, every supporter, and every member of the Metal Devastation family,” Moonshine adds.
“This community keeps proving that underground metal isn’t just surviving. It’s growing louder, reaching farther, and making a bigger impact every year.”
THANK YOU
This milestone belongs to every artist, fan, label, promoter, DJ, journalist, and supporter who continues to keep underground metal alive.
The underground has never needed permission.
And it’s only getting bigger.
About Metal Devastation Radio and PR
Founded in 2013, Metal Devastation Radio and Metal Devastation PR have become leading forces in the global underground metal community. Through 24/7 radio programming, promotional campaigns, festival events, interviews, news coverage, and worldwide artist support, they continue helping independent metal thrive across the globe.
Contact: zach@metaldevastationradio.com
Butcher Babies have released “Blame It on the Wind,” the fourth single from their forthcoming album via Judge & Jury Records, produced by Howard Benson. The track arrives as the band wraps a run of Japan dates this month, following an extensive global touring campaign across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe.
“Blame It on the Wind” is a hard rock track that shifts from a slow burn to a high-energy tempo, with comparisons drawn to In This Moment meeting Jinjer. The song was inspired by a 2012 late-night encounter in Los Angeles — a one-night stand that evolved into a lingering emotional connection vocalist Heidi Shepherd describes as one she couldn’t fully shake for years.
Shepherd said in a statement: “There are certain nights, certain moments, and certain connections you never fully shake. ‘Blame It on the Wind’ came from one of those nights that should have disappeared in the morning. In 2012, what started as a one-night stand morphed into a connection that would haunt me for years. A moment that we both knew was off-limits; however, the forbidden fruit continually pulled us back into that first night. I remember it so vividly; his scent, the way he said my name, his bootcut jeans, the balcony in his Santa Monica loft, and that very first touch. This song is about a lust you can’t leave, a denial of accountability, and a laundry list of excuses for following the white rabbit. I think sometimes we blame the setting for the choices we make because it’s easier than admitting someone genuinely got under our skin. That’s what this song is about for me.”
The forthcoming album, for which four singles have now been released, functions as a deeply personal love letter to Shepherd’s past — reflecting on experiences, relationships, heartbreaks, and hard-earned lessons spanning 25 years. It is, per the band, a record rooted in self-reflection and growth, honoring where she’s been while embracing the clarity of who she has become.
Butcher Babies upcoming dates:
June 6 — DEVIFEST 2026 — Osaka, Japan
June 7 — YOKOHAMA ReNY Beta — Yokohama, Japan
July 18 — Rock Fest — Cadott, Wis.
Sept. 18 — Louder Than Life — Louisville, Ky.
Butcher Babies, formed in Las Vegas in 2009, have built their catalog around the albums Goliath (2013), Uncovered (2014), Take It Like a Man (2015), Lilith (2017) and the 2023 double album Eye for an Eye / ’Til the World’s Blind. Judge & Jury Records was co-founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson and Neil Sanderson, drummer and songwriter for Three Days Grace.
GB is Gustav Berntsen, the newest signee to AD 93. He hails from Copenhagen, whence so much of the world’s best experimental pop music currently emanates. After debuting for his new label with “Adrenaline” in the spring, he’s back today with another track and details of his new album.
“The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – ‘Incursion‘” is the new single release from progressive extreme metal project ANNIHILUS MUNDI. The track offers a further taste of the band’s forthcoming sophomore album, The Dead Sea Scrolls, scheduled for independent release on November 6, 2026.
Loosely following the story of the 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, “The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – ‘Incursion’” opens with a flashback to the Katsuragi expedition. On the album, “The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. I” and “Mvt. II” combine to form an epic 13-minute opus. While the former delves into project mastermind Daniel Saillant’s personal experiences, the latter focuses on fictional examples from Evangelion.
“The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – ‘Incursion’” describes a society who has constructed their goals based on face-value interpretations of the words of ancient civilizations, leading to their mutual destruction.
Lyrically, Composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant explains, “the opening verses about the Katsuragi expedition detail how the titular Dead Sea Scrolls led to the discovery of Adam, the First Angel in Antarctica. Future verses describe how the Angels’ mission to reunite with Adam is motivated by clandestine knowledge given to them by their God, which exists entirely in the shadows. Both the humans and Angels alike operate under the directive of ancient religious knowledge, and in both cases, countless lives are lost and endless destruction is wrought across the planet.”
ANNIHILUS MUNDI traverse an amalgamation of styles across “The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – ‘Incursion’”. The track opens with clean tones of acoustic guitar melodies, vocal harmonies, and an enveloping somber mood. Obliterating harsh tones strike through the atmosphere with thunderous impact, and the song features a guitar solo by Andrew Matarazzo (PERENNIAL QUEST). Orchestral strings bring an otherworldly power alongside aggressive harsh vocals and ferocious riffs. The dramatic interplay of light and shade pervades throughout the instrumental arrangements of “The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – ‘Incursion’”.
The Dead Sea Scrolls explores the personal lived experiences of composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant. In a fusion of genres and artforms, ANNIHILUSMUNDI presents the central concepts through the lens of Hideaki Anno’s notorious 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and its subsequent 1997 film The End of Evangelion.
The Dead Sea Scrolls – Track List:
1. Second Impact (Overture) 2. Absolute Terror 3. A Hedgehog’s Dilemma 4. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. I – “Reminiscence” 5. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – “Incursion” 6. Black Moon 7. King of Thorns 8. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. I – “Do you love me?” 9. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. II – “Take care of yourself.” 10. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. III – “Love is destructive.” 11. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. IV – “I need you.” 12. Silent Planet 13. Human Instrumentality
The Dead Sea Scrolls was produced, mixed and mastered, and engineered by Daniel Saillant at Wailing Pines Productions. The album’s artwork was created by Chris at Misanthropic Designs.
About ANNIHILUS MUNDI:
Formed in 2018, ANNIHILUS MUNDI is the creation of Daniel Saillant, blending elements of death metal, shoegaze, and progressive rock. His 2019 debut album Grief and subsequent releases have positioned him as a distinctive voice in the underground metal scene. Inspired by bands such as CYNIC, DEAFHEAVEN, and DREAM THEATER, Saillant continues to push musical boundaries, combining harsh and clean vocals, complex guitar arrangements, and introspective lyrics.
Rush really are switching up their setlists on their reunion tour. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, the two surviving members of the pioneering Canadian prog-rock trio, recently headed out on their first run of dates since drummer Neil Peart died in 2020. Sunday’s tour opener at LA’s Kia Forum included lots of live rarities, as well as appearances from Aimee Mann, Paul Rudd, and Jason Segel. Last night, for the second gig of the tour, Rush played all of “2112” for the first time since 1997.
Taken from the recently announced expanded 20th anniversary edition of ‘Kiss Of Death‘, the Lowlands Festival performance of ‘Be My Baby’ is taken from the previously unreleased radio broadcast of Motörhead’s 2007 performance at the hallowed Dutch festival. Originally released in 2006, ‘Kiss Of Death‘ is a ferocious reminder of Motörhead’s uncompromising, no-frills spirit—and a […]
