DELAIN announces an exciting new creative transformation with an extraordinary cast of musicians and vocalists joining its new setup. One that opens its musical world to different voices, personalities and musical perspectives. Joining this new chapter are well-known musicians such as Marko Hietala, Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie), Anneke van Giersbergen, and more. The full list can be reviewed below.
These artists will contribute their own artistic identity, with several of them also joining DELAIN on stage. The first glimpse of this new era arrives today with the release of the first single “We Are Fire”, featuring Fabienne Erni, Noa Gruman and Paolo Ribaldini. At the same time, this marks the farewell of vocalist Diana Leah, who has decided to step away from DELAIN after many years with the band. While her departure naturally brings a sense of sadness, the band looks back with great gratitude on everything they have shared together.
At the heart of DELAIN is its founder, songwriter and keyboardist Martijn Westerholt. Alongside him, Ludovico Cioffi, Ronald Landa and Sander Zoer form the core of the project.
Martijn Westerholt adds: “‘We Are Fire’ is about the inner fire that keeps us moving forward, even when the path ahead is uncertain. It’s about daring to cross boundaries, and refusing to give up on what we believe in. To me, it captures the spirit of what DELAIN is becoming. A place where different voices and personalities can come together, each bringing something unique, while sharing the same fire.”
Watch the official music video for “We Are Fire”HERE:
Over the past months, DELAIN has been reflecting on its future and ultimately chose to embrace a new and exciting creative direction, bringing together a wide range of artists and musical perspectives. Rather than looking for a direct replacement for Diana, DELAINhas chosen to embrace collaboration on a much broader scale. Different voices, personalities and musical perspectives can now come together around the band, allowing each song and performance to take on its own character. Joining this new chapter are:
Marko Hietala* Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) Anneke van Giersbergen Fabienne Erni* (Eluveitie) Patty Gurdy Noa Gruman* (Sabaton’s legendary Orchestra) Paolo Ribaldini* Johanna Kurkela (Auri, Eye of Melian) Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) *Artists will also join Delain live on their February 2027 tour
Stay tuned for more news coming soon!
DELAIN Live 2027
DELAIN will take this new era on the road for the first time in February 2027, with shows in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. More international dates and countries will be announced soon. The tour will feature INFECTED RAIN as special guest and PERSEFONE as support. The tour will culminate on February 11 at 013 in Tilburg, one of the Netherlands’ most renowned live music venues.
DELAIN FEAT. MARKO HIETALA 2027 Special Guest: INFECTED RAIN Support: PERSEFONE 02.02.27 DE – Cologne / Live Music Hall 03.02.27 DE – Bremen / Modernes 04.02.27 DE – Berlin / Columbia Theater 05.02.27 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 06.02.27 DE – Karlsruhe / Substage 07.02.27 CH – Pratteln / Z7 08.02.27 DE – Munich / Backstage 09.02.27 DE – Frankfurt / Batschkapp 10.02.27 LU – Esch-sur-Alzette / Rockhal 11.02.27 NL – Tilburg / O13
Sunday night in Edinburgh, what can you do? The sensible option would probably involve getting ready for my long drive to Peterhead at 5:30 am in the morning. Fortunately, Erja Lyytinen’s birthday tour offered a far more appealing proposition. Work can wait. There are guitars to consider. Celebrating her 50th birthday and twenty years of … Continue reading Gig Review: Erja Lyytinen / Buffalo Gap – La Belle Angèle, Edinburgh (11th October 2026)
Children Of Bodom, Cryptopsy, Bodysnatcher and Celestial Sanctuary – four more names that will make up the upcoming edition of Mystic Festival, and with them, four different images of deadly metal.
Children of Bodom
1997 saw the birth of Children Of Bodom. The Finnish band developed the notion of melodic death metal in the vein of their own sen… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Neal Morse & The Resonance return with their highly anticipated second studio album, River of Light, a powerful and deeply personal progressive rock journey, set for release on November 27th, 2026.
On this new podcast, Neal Morse and singer Johnny Bisaha talk about the new album ‘River of Light’, how they wrote, the inspiration, the new band lineup and more.
When Neal Morse first announced Neal Morse & The Resonance in 2024, fans and critics were surprised to see the celebrated prog rock visionary collaborating with a group of exceptionally talented yet relatively unknown musicians. The resulting album, No Hill For A Climber, was met with overwhelming praise, showcasing a fresh creative chemistry that resonated strongly with audiences worldwide.
Now, just two years later, the band continues that journey with River of Light, an album that expands upon the musical and spiritual foundations established by its predecessor.
Reflecting on the project, Morse explains:
“Following the success of No Hill For A Climber and some really great live shows in the summer of 2025, we knew that we wanted to make more music together. We started kicking around ideas in October 2025 and ended up spending much more time on this record. At one point it looked like it might become a double album because we had so many ideas. Eventually, we trimmed it down to a single album, and I think it works great.”
At its core, River of Light is a concept album centered on a spiritual journey, a theme familiar to Morse’s longtime fans. This time, however, the inspiration comes from the often-overlooked biblical figure Terah, the father of Abraham.
“Terah signifies someone who begins a journey with God but gets tired and allows sadness and resignation to keep them from going all the way,” says Morse. “However, his son completes the journey.”
Musically, River of Light represents a true collaborative effort. While Morse remains the band’s creative anchor, the album highlights the significant contributions of guitarist Andre Madatian and vocalist Jonny Bisaha, whose influences bring a fresh energy and perspective to the material.
“On this album, you can really hear what these guys have brought to the table,” Morse says. “Partly because of their ages, they’re influenced by bands like Rush and 90s rock, which I think is really cool. We had so many ideas that simply fitting everything together and creating the right flow became a challenge in itself.”
River of Light will be available as a Limited 2CD Digipak (featuring a second disc of instrumentals), Standard CD Jewelcase & Digital Album.
The full track-listing is as follows:
1. Opening (River Of Light)
2. The Sorrow
3. The Ashes
4. The Movement
5. The Time (To Be Timeless)
6. The Second Movement
7. The Calling
8. Walk on Water
9. Shine Until Tomorrow
10. Haran (The Place Between)
11. Cascading Skies
12. River of Light
From the opening strains of Sister Christian or some Meat Loaf blasting through the PA to Hannah Greenwood emerging from a coffin and William Von Ghould surveying proceedings from a handcrafted gothic throne, the Off With Their Heads Tour arrived in London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town as the grandest Creeper production to date.
Filmed for posterity as part of a short UK run, the near-capacity O2 Forum Kentish Town witnessed a band performing with supreme confidence.
Ambitious stage shows are hardly new territory for Creeper, but something about the energy of this one pushed things even further. Every set piece, character appearance and theatrical flourish felt like another bite of a delicious meal, with songs strong enough to carry the weight of it all.
That connection between band and audience remains one of Creeper’s greatest strengths.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
At various points throughout the evening, Will stood almost stunned as hundreds of voices sang entire verses back at him. Fans had travelled from across the UK and beyond, with some flying in from the United States and others following multiple dates on the tour.
Grown adults and young children painted in the band’s iconic vampire makeup made the atmosphere feel less like a standard rock show and more like a gathering of a community that continues to grow with every passing year.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
For this writer, every London Creeper show has become essential viewing. Each tour adds another chapter to a story that began years ago and continues to evolve, while the world surrounding the band grows richer with every release. Audiences transcend gigs, stepping into a universe that exists far beyond the duration of a setlist.
As has become tradition in recent years, Creeper’s presence extended well beyond the venue itself. Camden effectively became Creeper’s lair for the day, with The Black Heart, Lost Souls Pizza and The Underworld each playing their part in the celebrations.
The Black Heart opened its doors early for the band’s pop-up shop, tattoo studio and themed cocktails. Bargain hunters delighted in heavily discounted merchandise, with shirts available for as little as £5 and hoodies reduced to £20.
Judging by the queues, plenty of fans arrived home with additions to their wardrobes before the evening had even begun.
A short walk away, Lost Souls Pizza embraced the occasion with Creeper-themed pizzas and cocktails. Few bands inspire enough devotion for fans to spend an afternoon eating black pizza before heading to a huge show, but few bands have cultivated a fanbase quite like Creeper’s.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
The music began with Atlanta’s Starbenders, who brought swagger, energy and a healthy dose of hard rock attitude. Opening with Blood Moon, the quartet tore through songs including TheBeast Goes On and Sex before closing with Saturday. A shirtless guitarist, punchy riffs and infectious enthusiasm made for an entertaining start to the evening.
London-based trio Calva Louise followed with a performance that repeatedly left onlookers wondering how frontwoman Jess Allanic was managing to sing, play guitar and handle keyboard duties seemingly all at once. Tracks including W.T.F showcased the band’s adventurous approach, while the international makeup of the group only added to their appeal. With members hailing from Venezuela, New Zealand and France, Calva Louise felt every bit the world-class act their growing reputation suggests.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
As the house lights dimmed for the main event, a voiceover echoed around the venue before a lone silhouette appeared against blood-red lighting. Closely followed by the arrival of the Mistress Of Death. An imposing force from the moment she stepped into the light, she commanded immediate attention, dispatching her first victim to the delight of the crowd before the curtain dropped and Creeper launched into Blood Magic.
The reaction was immediate. Voices bounced back towards the stage with astonishing volume as fans greeted every lyric, every riff and every dramatic gesture with unwavering enthusiasm. Material from Sanguivore and Sanguivore II understandably dominated the set, with songs from both records proving tailor-made for large stages and devoted audiences.
During Lovers Led Astray, Hannah emerged with outstretched arms, encouraging a sea of waving hands and foam headstones above the crowd. Parasite landed with equal force before Headstones provided one of several opportunities for Hannah’s vocals to shine.
For Black House, Will was presented with a rotary phone, singing directly into the mouthpiece before taking a seat upon his elaborate gothic throne.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
One of the evening’s standout sequences arrived with Razor Wire as two vampire familiars appeared carrying a coffin onto the stage. The lid creaked open, Hannah emerged to a deafening reception and delivered a haunting performance that perfectly captured the dark romanticism at the heart of Creeper’s identity. Around her, the stage resembled the set of a gothic horror film brought vividly to life.
Throughout the night, Will remained a magnetic presence. Whether directing crowd singalongs during Cry To Heaven, pouring emotion into More Than Death or simply watching the audience take ownership of a song, his ability to connect with people remains extraordinary.
The guillotine’s arrival towards the end of the set brought knowing cheers from every corner of the Forum.
Returning armed with her axe, the Mistress of Death stalked across the stage like Creeper’s own Ninth Wonder Of The World. Will’s theatrical decapitation prompted one of the loudest reactions of the night, with the severed trophy raised triumphantly overhead while fans roared their approval.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
The encore shifted gears slightly for the final three tracks. Hiding With The Boys provided a welcome nod to earlier chapters of the band’s catalogue and sparked another huge singalong from a crowd that had somehow found even more energy.
But Misery, a song that has gradually become something larger than Creeper themselves, proved the night’s ultimate triumph.
Before Will reached the first line, vast sections of the audience had already begun to murmur the lyrics. Friends threw arms around shoulders, strangers sang every word together, some smiled through tears while others simply stood absorbed by the occasion.
Will recognised what was happening and stepped away from centre stage, leaving the crowd to carry the song for him. Few frontmen can command attention quite like Will Gould, but recognising when a song belongs to the people in front of him may be an even rarer gift.
Creeper – O2 Forum Kentish Town – 9 October 2026. Photo: Jessica-Rose Lena
As the closing stretch approached, Will thanked the audience on behalf of the band before Creeper crashed headlong into a thunderous finale.
By the time the final notes rang out, black makeup and fake blood streaked countless faces throughout the venue. Whether caused by sweat, tears or a mixture of both scarcely mattered.
What remained was the feeling of having witnessed a band operating at the absolute peak of their powers.
Long after the final encore, Creeper’s grip on Camden continued. Fans drifted towards The Underworld, where Creeper Karaoke kept spirits high before members of the band took control of the decks themselves.
Those who stayed until the small hours were rewarded once again when Hannah grabbed the microphone and joined in singing along to Ice Nine Kills, Twisting The Knife, bringing an already memorable day to a fitting conclusion.
Most shows leave behind memories. Creeper leave chapters, and judging by the scenes inside the O2 Forum Kentish Town, plenty more pages remain to be written.
Symphonic metal collective Delain are debuting a brand new single/video, “We Are Fire”, featuring guest vocalists Fabienne Erni, Paolo Ribaldini and Noa Gruman. Produced and recorded by D.M. Westerholt, mixed by Jacob Hansen and mastered by Svante Forsback. “We Are Fire” serves as a first glimpse into the group’s next studio album. Read more…
Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of Berlin, Germany’s CHAOSBAY, welcoming one of the most forward-thinking bands in the modern metal landscape to the label’s international roster. To mark the beginning of the partnership, CHAOSBAY have also unleashed EGOSYSTEM, the third standalone single from their forthcoming new album due March 2027.
EGOSYSTEM follows July’s How Does It Make You Feel? and September’s The Lost Kids, offering another glimpse into the ambitious new direction CHAOSBAY is exploring on their upcoming full-length. The band states, “The idea of the track was to combine the Reggaeton feeling derived from hip hop and NuMetal with catchy metalcore hooks and riffs.”
Produced by CHAOSBAY frontman, Jan Listing, the track lifts the term Prog into the 2020s and shows how much genre bending is possible while always keeping it a catchy tune. EGOSYSTEM, like the previously released singles, feature what the band describes as their “soft versions,” an approach that explores the more melodic, atmospheric and emotionally nuanced side of metal while retaining the power and identity at the core of CHAOSBAY‘s sound. The “soft” version of EGOSYSTEM is a groovy indie take on the track; it incorporates themes from other songs with a touch of prog-rock flair, cleverly weaving them into the composition.
Blending progressive metal, metalcore, soaring melodies, crushing riffs and intricate musicianship, CHAOSBAY have steadily developed a distinctive identity within the modern heavy music landscape. Their music is ambitious without sacrificing immediacy, moving seamlessly between technical precision, atmospheric passages, massive hooks and moments of outright aggression. The band has also established itself as a formidable live act, performing at major festivals including Wacken Open Air while sharing stages with acts such as ERRA, Annisokay, Siamese, Vended and Emil Bulls.
Now, with Metal Blade Records behind them, CHAOSBAY are ready to take that evolution even further. “We’re incredibly happy to have been signed by such a renowned label as Metal Blade with our new material. A team that knows how to combine the classic roots of the genre with the modern world of metal and create something new from it is a perfect fit for a band like us.
We’re really looking forward to everything we’ll do together in the future and to all the songs that are still to come. It’s an honor to become part of the international heavy music scene, and we’ll give everything we have to push our sound forward and redefine what it can be.”
With EGOSYSTEM streaming now, CHAOSBAY are offering the latest preview of a record that promises to push the boundaries of their sound. The single and the forthcoming album represent a new chapter for the band, one where melody, atmosphere and vulnerability exist alongside the weight and intensity that have defined CHAOSBAY from the beginning.
CHAOSBAY will continue to build toward the release of their new album with further music and touring planned for 2027. See the band’s current live dates below.
11.03. HANNOVER @ Lux
12.03. BERLIN @ Bi Nuu
13.03. PRAGUE @ Café V Lese
16.03. FRANKFURT @ Das Bett
17.03. KÖLN @ Helios 37
19.03. LONDON @ Barfly Camden
20.03. MANCHESTER @ Deaf Institute
21.03. BRISTOL @ The Louisiana
22.03. SOUTHAMPTON @ Heartbreakers
24.03. HAMBURG @ Betty (Headcrash)
25.03. LEIPZIG @ Naumanns
27.03. OBERNDORF @ Easter Cross
31.03. WIEN @ Arena
01.04. NÜRNBERG @ Z-Bau
02.04. KASSEL @ Färberei
03.04. STUTTGART @ Club Zentral
CHAOSBAY is:
Jan Listing – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Alexander Langner – Guitars
Matthias Heising – Bass
Patrick Bernath – Drums
New York powerhouse vocalist Sari Schorr released her new album, Running Wild, via Provogue / Artone Label Group on October 9 in Europe and October 30 in the USA. The new 10-track album is a powerful and deeply personal record pulsing with defiance, resilience, and hope in dark times.
“Mr. In the Middle” opens the album with a punch. A roaring guitar riff, fast tempo, and powerful vocals delivered with attitude. The chorus brings that late 80s / early 90s high-octane hard rock vibe. The title track is somewhat mellower and slower, led by the crisp-sounding acoustic guitar. “Running Wild” brings more expressive singing by Sari, showcasing her full vocal range and different styles that have influenced her. The groove in “Monday Morning” is infectuous. Drawing inspiration from the classic rock n’ roll sound of The Rolling Stones, there’s also something quite gospely about the vocal arrangement in this feel-good tune.
What follows is a folky ballad, “Man On Fire,” with soulful vocal delivery, beautiful clean guitar parts, haunting backing vocals, and subtle brushes on the snare drum playing to the rhythm of a slow-moving train. This then gives way to another hard-hitting upbeat rock tune titled “Cool Hand Rider”. “Elevate” is your classic sunny day laid-back blues rock track, with Sari adding a bit more grit to her voice. The mood suddenly shifts with a Pink Floydesque slow number titled “Call It Freedom”. The guitar tone is otherworldly in this song and so is Sari Schorr’s singing – absolutely mind-blowing. Southern Rock style riff starts “Better Day”, a mean tune shifting to a half-time beat in the verses to add weight before pumping all the energy into the choruses. Heavy-treading shuffle drives “Afterglow”, a rock tune sprinkled with some psychedelia. The closing number of the album is a slow-burner “Finding My Way”, carrying the torch of hope.
Speaking about the new album Sari said: “I’ve reached a deeper understanding of who I am as an artist. I’m still searching and learning, but I trust my instincts more and follow each song to its emotional truth. These songs explore defiance, self-discovery, resilience and transformation. I hope they lift people above the weight of everyday life and remind them that brighter days are possible.”
Running Wild is a cohesive journey through different styles, moods, and rhythms. The production quality and songwriting are at the highest level throughout the record, and Sari delivers a true vocal masterclass. Great listen!
