Category: news

Twice Grammy-nominated band August Burns Red — Jake Luhrs (vocals); JB Brubaker (guitar); Brent Rambler (guitar); Dustin Davidson (bass); and Matt Grenier (drums) — will drop their new album SEASON OF SURRENDER, on June 5 via Fearless Records, the label to which they recently returned.

Now, they share the video for Sonic Salvation, featuring Jamie Hails of Polaris.

With pit-stirring breakdowns, fist-in-the-air, “Hey! Hey! Hey!” singalong choruses, and chunky riffs, it’s a cathartic anthem that speaks directly and forthrightly to the frustrated and disaffected, and serves as the powerful connective tissue between the band and its fans.

“Sonic Salvation was the first song I wrote for Season of Surrender,” says Brubaker. “I set out to write a song that created more space for Jake vocally and leaned a little more into our hardcore influences. I love how this song came out and Jamie’s guest vocal really takes it over the top for me.”

Luhrs says, “Sonic Salvation is about finding power and strength in music. The fact that music can bring us back to a memory, help us decompress from the outside world and how music is what has created our world that is the metal scene.”

The video also features fans singing and playing along to the song — a tip of the cap to ABR’s loyal and dedicated fanbase and the unifying nature of music in general.

Season of Surrender features additional guest appearances from The Devil Wears Prada‘s Mike Hranica and Make Them Suffer.

ABR are currently on a co-headline run with The Amity Affliction in North America, and will return to Australia and New Zealand this September and October for a headline run, supported by Bloom and I Promised The World.

SONIC SALVATION FEAT. JAMIE HAILS – OUT NOW
https://agstbrnsrd.ffm.to/sonic_salvation

SEASON OF SURRENDER – OUT JUNE 5
http://seasonofsurrender.net/

The post August Burns Red Share ‘Sonic Salvation’ (Feat. Jamie Hails Of Polaris) Video appeared first on The Rockpit.

Australian pop icons Bachelor Girl return with the second taste of their forthcoming redux album, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions, today unveiling a hypnotic reimagining of Blind, featuring the unmistakable vocals of internationally celebrated Australian artist, Darren Hayes.

Following the acclaimed release of Treat Me Good with Jessica Mauboy, Blind takes a bold sonic turn, transforming the original into brooding, atmospheric electro pop; layered with tension, restraint and emotional depth.

“Blind might just be the most transformed tune from its original big sister on Waiting for the Day,” shares Tania Doko. “I just love the haunting electro vibe James has produced, and it inspired what we coined ‘the girl in the cupboard’ out of me… I’m restrained, a bit tormented and sing/whisper deep betrayal almost through my teeth. It’s all about space and minimalism. Perhaps it’s a metaphor for not needing to shout to be heard (anymore), sometimes saying less, with conviction, is powerful enough.”

A deeply personal and long-awaited collaboration, the track unites Bachelor Girl with Hayes, a friendship forged over decades of shared experiences in music.

“We were hell bent on including our fellow artist buddy Darren Hayes onto the ‘Artist Sessions’ album – our history and friendship spanning decades through shared experiences of being in duos, and our touring together,” Doko continues. “When I sent the new Blind to Darren with just my vocals, he called me immediately, enamoured with it. He recorded his parts in his LA studio, and his MJ-esque adlibs are in my top 3 moments of this entire record!”

Hayes says the decision to join the project was instant and rare. “I get invitations to collaborate with other artists and most of the time, whether it’s timing or simply that I don’t feel like I can bring anything to the project, I politely decline,” says Hayes. “When Tania sent through the demo of their re-imagined version of ‘Blind’, I called her up immediately. And I’m not a phone person. The song was so exciting and inspiring I had to be a part of it. I think the track is incredibly modern and meticulously produced. As a genuine fan of the band, it’s surreal to be a part of this recording.”

Doko adds that Hayes’ contribution elevates the track far beyond a reinterpretation. “His fresh interpretation is unmistakably Darren, where he doesn’t just sing existing parts, but also creates ‘insatiable’ new hooks people won’t be able to forget. More evidence of why Darren is the internationally acclaimed artist and songwriter he is. Lucky us.”

Set for release this June, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions is a bold reimagining of Bachelor Girl’s double Platinum debut, featuring an all-star lineup of collaborators across its 15 tracks.

“We (somewhat audaciously!) began to ask some of our favourite Aussie artists and friends if they would lend their voices and/or instrument to our bucket list project,” says Doko. “What started with one, became 14 artists on this 15 track Redux album, and we could not be more chuffed they enthusiastically said yes.”

With Blind, Bachelor Girl continue to push their legacy forward, reinterpreting beloved songs through a contemporary lens while deepening their emotional impact for both longtime fans and a whole new generation.

The duo will be hitting the road for their Waiting For The Day Redux tour which will kick off in their home town of Melbourne at Brunswick Ballroom on August 8, before moving through Brisbane, Adelaide and finishing off in Sydney at The Factory Theatre on October 18. Tickets are on sale now from www.bachelorgirl.com.

Blind featuring Darren Hayes is out now.
Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions is set for release in June.

STREAM: BLIND FEATURING DARREN HAYES

The post BACHELOR GIRL Unveil Hypnotic New Single ‘BLIND’ Feat. DARREN HAYES, Second Taste of ‘WAITING FOR THE DAY: ARTIST SESSIONS’ appeared first on The Rockpit.

The Necronomicon Return Metal Fest will take place on June 6 at the renowned Garaje Beat Club in Murcia, bringing together a strong selection of bands for a night dedicated to heavy metal.

The festival features a high-level lineup led by Injector, one of the most prominent bands in the Spanish thrash metal scene, who will deliver a special set focused on Metallica covers from the iconic album “Kill ’Em All”.

The event will also mark the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Cain’s Dinasty, who will perform a special set reviewing their musical career. Completing the lineup are Acronica and Bukera, adding further intensity and variety to the bill.

In addition, the festival will include a special guest appearance by Mogo, a renowned illustrator who has worked for Marvel and DC, contributing a cultural and artistic dimension to the event.

The spirit of Necronomicon originated in New York, where its first edition brought together several local and national metal bands, laying the foundations for what would later evolve into an international project.

The festival later arrived in Spain with an edition held at Sala Gamma in Murcia, featuring seven bands and establishing its presence within the national metal scene. Now, 13 years later, it returns under the name Necronomicon Return Metal Fest, reaffirming its place within the underground metal circuit.

Doors will open at 7:30 PM, with tickets available at www.rockingticket.com.

• Necronomicon
• Rose Mack

The post Necronomicon Return Metal Fest returns to Murcia on June 6 with a top-tier lineup first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

With their seventh studio album VINDICATE available in two weeks, Black Veil Brides are back with a collaboration the metal world never saw coming.

Revenger featuring Machine Head is the latest song (the seventh if you are keeping score) from the Spinefarm debut out on May 8th. The track frames vengeance as fantasy and delusion, following a self-styled avenger convinced that retribution could deliver justice. Revenger featuring Machine Head further showcases the versatility of the band comprised of vocalist Andy Biersack, guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinxx, bassist Lonny Eagleton, and drummer Christian Coma.

“I have always been interested in the sort of ethical dilemma that we have culturally of cheering for justice. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to write lyrics from the perspective of someone who is trying to seek out the ultimate form of justice. Because I was writing from someone else’s voice, this felt like the kind of song that would be best served by having someone else’s voice on the song. So, we brought in Robb Flynn of Machine Head. The reason he came to mind first was of course his voice, tonality and style I thought was perfect for this. He is also someone who was one of the first real defenders of Black Veil Brides. In the early days when we were getting absolutely shit on by every other metal band, Robb Flynn and Machine Head stood up for us and said positive things about us and has maintained that for years and years. I think it’s one of my favorite songs on the record.”

The band recently made headlines when the track Woe & Pain from VINDICATE was used in the hype package between Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for Wrestlemania 42.

The official hype video can be seen here: https://youtu.be/Jn-jzX-wejk?si=SNi4LiRBroxZUJF3.

With anticipation building at every turn, Black Veil Brides have announced their highly anticipated seventh studio album, Vindicate. The record will be released worldwide on May 8 via Spinefarm. From the opening organ introduction and dramatic soliloquy of Invocation To The Muse to the emotive finale of Eschaton, the band deliver one of the most ambitious chapters of their career. Previously released singles including Bleeders, Hallelujah, Certainty and Vindicate have already showcased the band’s continued musical evolution while maintaining the theatrical intensity that has defined their sound.

In support of the new album, Black Veil Brides will embark on their first North American headline tour of 2026. The 24-city run kicks off April 25 in Riverside and concludes May 30 in Worcester. Along the way, the tour will make stops in Seattle (April 28), Houston (May 5), Detroit (May 17), and New York (May 28), among others.

Support on the tour will come from From Ashes To New, TX2, and As December Falls.

VINDICATE – OUT MAY 8
https://BlackVeilBrides.lnk.to/vindicatepreorder

The post Black Veil Brides Release ‘Revenger’ Feat Machine Head From Their Upcoming Album ‘VINDICATE’ Available Worldwide On May 8 appeared first on The Rockpit.

Interview by Kris Peters THE NARRATOR were founded in 2017 in Essen, Germany and have since established themselves in the German metalcore scene with energetic songwriting and electrifying live performances. After successful tours and festival appearances, THE NARRATOR released their highly anticipated debut album, Lore, in September 2024, which has now accumulated over 11 million […]

Some records announce themselves with a bang. Vincent Neil Emerson’s Blue Stars does something tougher. It settles in, tells the truth, and lets the weight of the songs do the heavy lifting. That makes it a natural fit beside Guy Clark’s Old No. 1, a record that helped define how Texas songwriting could be plain, precise, and quietly devastating. Beyond sound or geography, the connection is a shared belief that the smallest details often carry the biggest truths.

Almost no one understands what made speed metal great, looking from the outside-in as any time after the era tends to do, nor what made those transitional bands like Slayer, Rigor Mortis, and Destruction so powerful.

These bands used the tremolo strum like death metal instead of the palm-muted percussive riffing that Metallica and Exodus made famous, and this technique requires different song structures to support it, something that Mortuary understood on their first album and carry through to the present.

These songs incorporate more of the bounce from Destruction and Testament, but all of the Slayer and Morbid Angel speed thrills in fast featherstrum riffs that soar above the trudging rhythms of speed metal and give these songs a quality like a darkened angel soaring over a burning Earth.

Souls of Diotima are officially back, signaling the start of a mysterious and bold new chapter. The band is thrilled to announce the release of their brand-new single, “Run Away,” arriving on Friday, June 5th. The single serves as the first glimpse into “Arcade,” the band’s upcoming fifth studio album, set for worldwide release on October 2nd, 2026, via Diotima Records.

As previously hinted by the band, “Arcade” marks the beginning of a “new era.” Souls of Diotima have undergone a significant directional change, a bold evolution that the members have chosen to keep under wraps. The true nature of this sonic transformation will remain a secret until the first single officially drops.

To capture this new vision, the band headed to Sweden to record at the legendary Studio Bohus in Kungälv. The album was fully produced by Oscar Nilsson, Thomas “Plec” Johansson, and Mikko Viitala.

The visual identity of “Arcade” is just as striking, featuring cover art by Rhett Padersoo, which is being unveiled today alongside the official tracklist.

“Arcade” Track-list:

1. Warning!
2. Revenge
3. Deadline
4. Black Rose
5. Run Away
6. Time is a Flame
7. A Child
8. Senza Rancore
9. Head Up, Guard Up
10. Cage
11. Nocturnal Vibe

https://linktr.ee/soulsofdiotimaofficial

Source: Diotima Records Music Management Ltd.

Interview by Kris Peters REXORIA returns with their signature Royal Metal sound on the brand‑new album Fallen Dimension – out May 8 via Black Lodge – delivering towering choruses, vivid storytelling, emotional depth, and raw, commanding vocals. Formed in 2016 in Småland, Sweden, REXORIA quickly evolved into something distinct within the metal landscape, embarking on […]

The Myddle Class traveled to Snyder’s Lake, near Troy, New York, to play two weekends, October 14, 15 & 16, and 21, 22 & 23 at the Excelsior House nightclub, which was then attracting college (and younger, presumably) students four to five nights a week to see acts like the Critters, the Liverpool Set and the Knickerbockers.

I was astonished to find 11 snapshots taken during their time at the club, along with autographs collected from each. Hilariously, Charles Larkey is noted as “Tony” on the album pages, though he signed his autograph correctly as Charlie Larkey.

The Excelsior House ran ads regularly for their shows. For the Myddle Class, some were spelled correctly, but a couple others billed them as the Middle Class.