Long-running German thrash outfit EXUMER will release their new full-length, Death Mask Messiah, on August 28th through Metal Blade Records.
Death Mask Messiah, which marks the band’s first new studio output in seven years, further cements EXUMER‘s legacy as a dauntless thrash metal institution. A logical and compelling progression from the German legend’s three previous albums, the 11 ferocious songs, produced by Dominic Paraskevopoulos (Kreator, Caliban) and mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Soulfly, King Diamond), take a more brutal and direct musical approach.
“We are a lot more aggressive than on Hostile Defiance and are returning to a more ‘in your face’ style on Death Mask Messiah,” confirms co-founding vocalist Mem V. Stein. “We’re furthering the process that began with our first offering for Metal Blade, 2012′s Fire & Damnation, where we wanted to sound like a contemporary band while maintaining the spirit and our musical heritage of the 1980s.”
Photo by Morgenrot Visions
Recorded from December 2025 through January 2026, Death Mask Messiah is EXUMER‘s sixth album and fourth for Metal Blade. It’s also the first EXUMER LP recorded with the rhythm section of drummer Jerome Reil and bass player Alex Voss. “They have formidably integrated themselves as musicians and friends into the EXUMER tapestry,” Mem says. “You can feel their young energy, coupled with our trademark aggression and experience. The band sounds more focused and yet raw, thanks to their addition to the lineup.”
Death Mask Messiah also surprises: There’s a guest and a cover song: Nasty Ronnie from American metal legends Nasty Savage sings on EXUMER‘s version of his band’s track “Unchained Angel.” EXUMER supported the band in 1988 on their first European tour.
The record is inspired conceptually by US politics of the last decade, the pandemic, the use of misinformation to stir up cultural divides, and the like. Mem also mused on the 30-year anniversary of Waco, Texas and the standoff with the Branch Davidians. “David Koresh was a false prophet and wore a death mask, manipulating and leading his followers to certain death,” Mem says. “Each song on Death Mask Messiah picks up an individual theme of these two strains of thought.“
For instance, the title track and lead single brings everything together with the Waco raid/siege and Koresh as the main character but also paints a universal picture of charlatans who lead the United States to hell with their lust for power.
Mem further elaborates, “We deliberately chose this track as the first single, as the sonic assault of its main riff and the lyrical concept represent the totality of our intentions for this album. It marks a clear step toward elevating the band to the next level of our career, leaving nothing to the imagination and reinforcing our place as one of the most powerful forces in the entire genre.”
Death Mask Messiah, which features front art and layout by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations (Sodom, Vomitory), will be released on CD-Digipak and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180g Black
“Galaxy” Red/Black
“Saturn” Grey/Brown Ripple (Ltd. 250)
“Onyx” Black Ice w/ White Splatter (Ltd. 250)
EXUMER Live:
10/23/2026 Nuclear Winter Festival 2026 – Hirschaid, DE
11/21/2026 Alcatraz & Pluto Festival – Deinze, BE
2/20/2027 Endzeit Festival 2027 – Essen, DE
“EXUMER is a legendary powerhouse with history to crush any stage they play. There is great history from 1988 with Nasty Savage touring Europe and I am honored to be a part of this project!” — Nasty Ronnie, Nasty Savage
“This is like jumping into a time machine set for 1986! Good old hard-nosed yet catchy German thrash metal the way it was always meant to be. Thank you to EXUMER for making me feel like I am 21 again!” — Danny Lilker, Anthrax, Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, SOD, etc.
“With Death Mask Messiah, EXUMER have elevated their craft. Tight and incisive riffing, pummeling drums, and Mem’s vocal attack at full force – the band is in top form. An extremely satisfying listen.” — Jeff Matz, High On Fire
“Classic German thrash with all the spirit and energy of their early days, but more focused and precise. EXUMER are one of the very few ‘legacy’ bands where modern production clearly enhances the musical aggression, without detracting from any of the original metal message. Well done, boys!” — Brian “Mitts” Daniels, ex-Madball
EXUMER:
Mem V. Stein – vocals
Ray Mensh – guitars
Marc B. – guitars
Alex Voss – bass
Jerome Reil – drums
For Steve Harris, Iron Maiden’s 2025 gig at the London Stadium, home of his beloved West Ham United, was one of the pinnacles of their 50-year career as a live band.
“Some people have joked that it was the best performance ever seen at the stadium,” the bassist says with a grimace, referring to the fact that the Hammers have just been relegated from the Premier League after a disastrous season. “Which is cruel but fair,” he adds wryly.
Results aside, how the hell do they top that? With Eddfest, a monster two-day celebration of all things Maiden at Knebworth, site of fabled gigs by everyone from the Rolling Stones to Oasis. Taking place on Friday July 10 and Saturday July 11, the main bill features flamboyant rockers The Darkness, Mongolian folk metallers The Hu, Aussie crew Airbourne and Brit warhorses The Almighty, along with Maiden themselves.
It’s more than just a gig. An area of the festival dubbed Maidenville features Eddie’s Dive Bar and fairground rides, plus there’s the Infinite Dreams Experience, a collection of Maiden props and memorabilia from over the years. And the Friday night will see a bunch of Maiden alumni performing with their current groups on the Maidenville stage.
It’s a fitting way of continuing the 50th anniversary celebrations that have already taken in lavish hardback book Infinite Dreams and this year’s Burning Ambition documentary, as well as the ongoing Run For Your Lives tour, which will finally wrap up at the end of the year after an epic 91 gigs in 11 months. This stretch alone, which runs from May to the tour’s conclusion in Japan in November, will see them play to 2.5 million people.
“Has it made me reflect on things? Not really,” says of his band’s Golden Jubilee, as we sit in the lounge of his 10th floor hotel room in Sofia, Bulgaria. In a few hours, Maiden will take to the stage at the 43,000-capacity Vasil Levski National Stadium, a vast bowl of a venue where the Bulgarian football team usually play. “I only reflect on things when journalists like you bring it up. I suppose when you think of the numbers and how old we are, it’s incredible.”
Iron Maiden onstage in Athens, Greece on May 23, 2026 (Image credit: John McMurtrie)
An hour earlier and a few floors below, a customarily garrulous Bruce Dickinson is sitting in the hotel’s lounge bar. He’s just met up with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, whom he knows via his connections to the aviation world.
“He was the head of the Bulgarian air force – that Top Gun kind of guy,” Bruce says. “The next minute he became President. Now I meet him again and he’s Prime Minister.’”
Like his bandmate, Bruce is looking forward to Maiden holding their own festival, though he cheerfully admits he’s not sure of how it will all work.
“I think it’s like a big garden party,” he says. “It’s a bit of an experiment for us, because we’re planning various things, half of which I don’t fucking know about. I do know about the beer festival, though, which I’m very excited by.”
As always, the two of them are polar opposites. Steve is the pragmatic generalissimo who has kept the show on the road for half a century via a combination of hard work, stubbornness and sheer force of will. Bruce is the cavalier livewire with the hurricane-force personality who sometimes says things he knows he shouldn’t but goes ahead anyway. But today, as ever, they’re united by one thing: Iron Maiden itself.
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Whose idea was Eddfest? And who suggested holding it at Knebworth?
Steve Harris: “I think it was Rod [Smallwood, Maiden manager]. When he ran it past me, I said, ‘Yeah, that’s great’, because it’s something different. Playing the West Ham Stadium really captured people’s imaginations, and it was a very special thing for obvious reasons. But what do you do after that? We’ve done Knebworth before [headlining Sonisphere in 2010 and 2014], but it wasn’t our own show. We thought we could do something different with this one.”
Bruce Dickinson: “I just saw it on the poster and thought, ‘Knebworth – that sounds a bit like Knobworth.’”
Is Eddfest just another gig for you, or does it mean something bigger?
Steve: “I think it’ll be an event. There’s the exhibition [the Infinite Dreams Experience]. And we’ve talked about different things relating to the songs, which I don’t want to give too much away about. But it’s the same old thing – you talk about stuff, and then you have to actually put it into practice. You just hope it’s all going to work out. It usually does, but you never know, haha.’
Bruce: “We’re not trying to go out and have the biggest ever crowd anywhere. Doing London Stadium and selling it out – I think that got it out of everybody’s system: ‘Yeah, we can do big stadiums… big deal.’ If it’s just a pissing contest about who can do the biggest stadium, then that’s bollocks. It’s all about leaving people with something memorable.”
The Darkness are one of the support bands on the Saturday. That’s an unusual choice for Maiden.
Steve: “I personally chose The Darkness. I think they’re a great live band. I’ve seen them a couple of times on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, and they’re just really entertaining. It’s not the norm for us, and it’ll be interesting to see how they go down. I think they’ll win over a Maiden crowd. I hope they win over a Maiden crowd! Ha ha ha! And The Hu, too – they’re just a really unusual band.”
Friday night’s line-up features several ex-Iron Maiden members, including Blaze Bayley, ex-guitarist Dennis Stratton’s current group, and onetime keyboard player Tony Moore. Steve’s pre-Maiden band, Gypsy’s Kiss, are on the bill too. Any plans to get up and join them?
Steve: “No. I suppose I could get up with all of them – Gypsy’s Kiss, Blaze, whoever. But I’ll let them get on with it. If I get up, it’s just going to become a thing about me, and I don’t want that. I want them to have their time.”
Bruce, did you think about re-activating your very first band, Speed, for Eddfest?
Bruce: “Oh God, no. You can go down the rabbit hole, but eventually you get to the bottom.”
If Paul Di’Anno was still around, would he be on the bill?
Steve: “Yeah. Of course he would.”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
You’ve added Infinite Dreams to the setlist on this leg of the Run For Your Lives tour – the first time you’ve played it in 38 years. How on earth do you decide which songs to play and which songs to drop?
Steve: “A lot of it is governed by what Bruce wants to sing. He’s singing better than ever in my view, but none of us are getting any younger and it gets tougher. He really wanted to do Infinite Dreams. I wasn’t that bothered about it, even though it’s my song, but we did it and it sounded great. I’d have loved to have a couple of deep cuts on this tour, like Only The Good Die Young [a song that Maiden have never played live].”
What do you prefer: big gigs like this or smaller, more intimate gigs like Maiden played in the early days?
Steve: “People might think I have to say this, but I like both. Any gig is exciting to me. The only bugbear I’ve got with bigger gigs these days is the barrier and the distance from the crowd. I understand the health and safety stuff, it’s important, but it makes it a bit more difficult. Sometimes when I throw my wristband, I can’t even reach the crowd ’cos they’re standing so far away. But it’s worth putting up with at the end of the day,’cos what else can you do?”
Bruce: “Performing is performing. I don’t give extra because I’m in a little venue, and if I’m in a big venue, you get the same intensity and energy. There are things you do on a big stage that nobody will see, but if you do them on a small stage, everybody will see. In that sense, people have more of a connection with you in a small venue. Unless you’ve got a camera stuck in front of your face, in which case you’re not in the moment at all. But that’s another story.”
What’s your favourite ever Maiden tour?
Steve: “It’s difficult to say because I like different tours for different reasons. If you’re talking about audiences, it’s in South America. If you could rent a crowd from anywhere, it’s there. The downside is that they’re so crazy that you can’t really go out much when you’re down there, ’cos you just wouldn’t get very far. But when that passion transfers to the gig, it’s incredible. Greece is a good one too, and Italy, Spain, Portugal and France give them a run for their money.”
Bruce: “The Brave New World tour. Why? Because it was that lovely hybrid moment of yes, some old stuff, and yes, some great new stuff, with an energised band. Everybody was at the top of their game, and everybody loves a comeback story.”
What’s your all-time favourite Iron Maiden stage prop?
Steve: “The Somewhere In Time stage set was incredible, where the hands came up [either side of the drum riser] and I stood in the palm of the hand. And the Piece Of Mind one, where the eyes lit up, was a good one too, because it was one of the first ones.”
Bruce: “My two-fisted flamethrower. Sadly, there’s nowhere on this tour where it’s been appropriate.”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Have you had any ideas for props that have just been too mad to make?
Bruce: “I wanted to have a zip line from the PA tower to the stage, and that’s how I would enter the stage. It was just too fucking complicated. And it would also be really nice to levitate and fly and all that stuff, but we would only be told it’s too difficult and not to bother with it.”
Have you ever been onstage completely trolleyed?
Bruce: “Yes. In the early days of [his pre-Maiden band] Samson, we thought we’d play better when we were completely fucked up. We listened back to it a few days later with a degree of horror and went, ‘Oh fuck, it doesn’t work like that, does it?’”
Steve: “No, not really drunk. But we did ChicagoFest in ’82, which was a free festival. We were just hanging around getting a bit bored, and I had a few drinks before we went onstage. At the time, I was having a wonderful time, but I realised I didn’t play very well and I was really annoyed with myself. But I wasn’t trolleyed like some people I’ve seen in bands, mentioning no names. Some people thrive on it, but I just think, ‘God, how can you do it?’”
What’s the worst damage you’ve ever done to yourself onstage?
Steve: “Nothing major. I’ve tripped over in my own sweat. I was running across the stage and just slid. I managed to throw myself around and land on my shoulder so I didn’t do much damage. The most recent time was in Leeds. We were playing Stranger In A Strange Land, and there was a gap between the catwalks that wasn’t supposed to be there. I nearly went down this gap but I managed to throw myself sideways. That could have been nasty. I just got up really quick and got on with it. Is that embarrassing? You don’t have time to be embarrassed.”
Bruce: “I fucked up a disc in my neck on the Number Of The Beast tour [Beast On The Road, 1982], basically by shaking my head around and headbanging. Rattling my brain around made me feel good at the time, but it definitely didn’t make me feel good after a while. It hit me in America. I basically lost the use of my left arm because of it – I couldn’t feel three of my fingers, I had muscle spasms everywhere. I wore a neck collar during the daytime, took it off for the shows and basically faked it in terms of using my left arm.”
Have any support bands really lit a fire under your backsides and made you up your game?
Steve: “I thought [veteran Southern rockers] Blackfoot were great back in ’82. They’re still one of the best bands that ever supported us. I always say that it’s the support band’s job to go out and try to take the audience. They’ve got to go out, give it large, and make the main band work hard. But it’s sometimes hard with Maiden because our fans are so partisan. I’ve seen it a couple of times where I’ve felt sorry for the support band. They can’t bottle it. The audience can smell fear.”
Bruce: “Back in the day, the toughest support act we ever had was Guns N’ Roses in America [in 1988]. They’d just released their first album and were reaching this huge wave of popularity. They were full of angst and venom, where Maiden were a bit proggy – it was around Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son.”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Are there any live bands out there that are better than Iron Maiden?
Steve: “That’s a difficult question because there are so many great bands out there. AC/DC are a great live band. Slade back in the day. But as to whether Iron Maiden are one of the best in the business, we must be up there.”
Bruce: “We’re not out there to emulate anybody or beat anybody. Like I say, it’s not a pissing contest. We’re just trying to be the best version of us.”
Maiden are finally getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame later this year. Did you have any discussions about turning it down?
Steve: “No, there have only been comments from a couple of members of the band here and there. Bruce has his own strong feelings about it, which is his opinion. It’s never really bothered me one way or the other, because awards aren’t what we do this for. But in a weird way I’m glad it’s happened so the Americans will stop banging on about it. To me, if you get offered something, you say, ‘Thank you very much.’ But did I lose sleep over getting it or not getting it? No.”
Bruce: “I can’t even summon the energy to be vitriolic about it. I appreciate that a significant number of people are happy for us. That’s nice. It’s not something we’re bothered about.”
If you weren’t on tour in Australia at the time, would you go to the ceremony?
Bruce: “No.”
Steve: “I don’t do those sort of things. I didn’t even go to the recent red carpet thing for the documentary. It’s not me.”
Can we expect a big, Live Aid-style singalong at the end of Iron Maiden’s set, with all the current and former members onstage?
Steve: [Looking pained] “No. That’d just be cheesy.”
Bruce: “No. Those kind of things make some people feel, ‘Oh great, what an event’, but musically usually it’s a mess. I absolutely don’t have any problem with Blaze or any of those other guys on the bill – I love Blaze, he’s a fantastic guy. But we’re not planning on having Nicko playing three drums during the show or anything like that. No, people have paid money to see this incarnation of Iron Maiden. It will be an Iron Maiden set. This is the band, this is what you get.”
Any plans to start work on a new Maiden album?
Bruce: “Would I like to do a new Iron Maiden album now? Yes. Would I like to do one starting next year? Yes. So over to you, Steve.”
Steve: “No. We haven’t had a band discussion about it yet. I know Bruce wants to do one. He said in an interview that I didn’t want to do one, which is not true. When he told me about it, I just said, ‘Yeah, maybe, we’ll see.’ At the moment it’s more important that we focus on playing live. Plus, Bruce is doing stuff with his solo project next year, so we’ll see.
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
What keeps you touring and playing so intensively at this point in your lives? You could be at home with your feet up…
Bruce: “I could be at home, you’re absolutely right. But it’s a very simple thing; when I walk out onstage, it’s one of the few moments during my life when the rest of the world can go to hell. On a really good night, you completely lose yourself in some weird higher power that takes you over. You inhabit the song, your voice just seems to anticipate everything, and that’s why I do it. Simple as that.”
Steve: “It’s the love of playing and the feeling you get being in front of an audience. I don’t care about the size of that audience – I’ll happily go out and play with British Lion in front of a few hundred people. I love it all. You have to keep going as long as you can. Maybe I’ll do a Tommy Cooper [British comedian who died onstage on live TV] one day and just go out right on a football pitch or at a gig, I don’t know. Until then, I’ll just carry on playing.”
Iron Maiden are on the cover of the brand new issue of Metal Hammer – which comes with an exclusive Maiden Eddfest water bottle! Order your copy online here and have it delivered straight to your door. You can also get an alternate cover version of the magazine with a glow-in-the-dark Maiden shirt in an exclusive bundle here.
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BEYOND DEFIANCE UNLEASHES DEBUT ALBUM “UTOPIA” ON AUGUST 14
Swedish Melodic Death Metal Newcomers Channel the Spirit of Gothenburg with Crushing Riffs, Dynamic Melodies, and Relentless Aggression
FFO: Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Sylosis
Sweden’s newest force in melodic death metal, Beyond Defiance , is set to unleash its highly anticipated debut album, “Utopia,” on August 14, 2026 . Independently released, Utopia introduces a powerful new voice in modern melodic death metal, combining blistering aggression with soaring melodies, layered harmonies, and uncompromising intensity.
Founded in the spring of 2025 by Lars Karlsen , Torbjörn Andersson , and Sven Erik Fritiofsson , Beyond Defiance was built on a simple but ambitious vision: to create music that is brutally heavy while remaining melodic, dynamic, and emotionally engaging. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Gothenburg sound while incorporating elements of thrash and black metal, the band delivers an explosive debut that honors the genre’s roots while forging its own identity.
Utopia showcases crushing guitar work, ferocious growls, memorable melodic vocal passages, and atmospheric songwriting that balances brutality with depth. Every track reflects the band’s commitment to crafting songs that are both technically engaging and emotionally impactful.
Building anticipation ahead of the album release, Beyond Defiance will premiere the official music video for “Cry” on July 24 , followed by a second video for “Imposter” , arriving alongside the full album on August 14 .
Speaking about the production of the record, the band shared:
“The album was recorded at the band members’ own home studios, mixed and mastered by Sven Erik Fritiofsson under strict supervision from the other guys.”
Despite being independently produced, Utopia delivers a polished and powerful sound that rivals major label releases, capturing the energy and precision that melodic death metal fans demand.
Produced entirely by Beyond Defiance and mixed and mastered by Sven Erik Fritiofsson , Utopia represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter for a band poised to make its mark on the international metal scene.
Release Information
Artist: Beyond Defiance
Album: Utopia
Release Date: August 14, 2026
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
For Fans Of: Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Sylosis
Label: Independent
Production Credits
Produced by Beyond Defiance
Mixed & Mastered by Sven Erik Fritiofsson
Anthology of Sombre Reflections is an expansive and comprehensive collection of the early and much-celebrated works of the Doom Gods, from the formative deathly rawness of the revered Towards the Sinister demo, God is Alone 7” tracks and subsequent debut album, As the Flower Withers, through to the gothic-tinged funereal seductive delights of 1996’s highlight, Like Gods of the Sun
With the addition of all-time genre classic opuses ‘Turn Loose the Swans’, and ‘The Angel and the Dark River’ also representing My Dying Bride’s much-loved early to mid-90’s period, the band’s three cult EPs are also featured in this deluxe eight-vinyl boxset, with each record presented on 180gm heavyweight black vinyl. The four studio albums themselves have also been treated to new half-speed masters courtesy of Air Studios.
Accompanying the audio is a 48-page book featuring photographs and artwork, plus new interviews with Andrew Craighan and Aaron Stainthorpe conducted in 2025 exploring some of the influences and thought-processes behind the creation of such cherished works of the 90s, as well as reflections of their output over this period.
Anthology of Sombre Reflections also contains 2 large posters depicting the ‘Turn Loose the Swans’ CD artwork image, plus the original poster included in ‘As the Flower Withers’. A selection of photo prints of the band from this era are also included.
After a career spanning over thirty-five years, from UK underground upstarts and outliers, to major success on the international stage – including tours with UK icons Iron Maiden and genre legends Dio – My Dying Bride have themselves become a firmly established pillar of metal history with a refined and influential brand of Death/Doom metal. With enduring popularity across subsequent decades, My Dying Bride remains a productive and captivating vessel for tragedy and despair, with their studio output spanning fourteen full-length albums to date.
As part of the Peaceville Three, along with fellow countrymen Paradise Lost and Anathema, My Dying Bride truly became a primary force in highlighting Britain as an epicentre of this Doom revolution of the time, creating a highly distinguishable sound assisted by the inclusion of violin & a more poetic approach to the delivery of morbid and salacious topics, lending an additional air of eccentricity and eloquence to the darkness.
Getdown Services just get it. They get that music can be funny and sad. It can be a way to vent about your shitty pub job or the latest depressive episode, or how you love crisps, quiche and a good night’s rest. “Cha Cha Slide,” the latest single from their forthcoming album Massive Champion, might be one of their strongest songs yet. Not only does the accompanying visual embrace the Minions revolution and nod to the artistic genius of WordArt fonts from the ’90s, but the song itself captures the scary isolation and routine of the child mind that never leaves us.
Tech death is a saturated field crowded with artists determined to out-noodle each other. It can be great fun, but the density of artists that overpopulate the scene often make it difficult to find something interesting or novel. As cookie-cutter album after cookie-cutter album whooshes overhead, a curious little gem by Québécois one-man tech death act Volubilis1 caught my periphery. Entitled Theasterion, Volubilis’ debut LP entered development prior to the band’s own establishment. Mastermind Miguel Marcheterre-Pina penned content that would end up a part of Theasterion as early as 2016 (earliest known use of the Volubilis name is registered in 2023). That’s a long time for a debut to percolate, but does such an extended incubation period result in stronger spawn?
Theasterion is an exemplary argument in favor of “quality over quantity,” boasting 33 minutes of the most fun and exciting straight-up technical death metal I’ve heard all year so far. Imagine if Equipoise was much more minimalist (“Ashes & Embers,” “Unukhalai Supernova”), but infused First Fragment’s epic sweeps (“Homo Cumulus”), Obscura’s and Nawabs of Destruction’s dramatic melodicism (“Le Flamboiement Stellaire,” “The Prism”), and Scumbag’s vicious groove (“Theasterion,” “Unukhalai Supernova”), and you have the overarching breadth of Volubilis’ sound. Compelling songwriting backed by a crystalline but not overly polished mix allows these various traits to meld in colorful synchronicity, creating a cohesive and effortless listening experience that is as boisterous as it is rewarding to revisit.
To scaffold his riff-laden, exuberant compositions, Marcheterre-Pina wisely recruited talent from across the Canadian metal scene with a meticulous ear. I in particular appreciate that nobody in his lineup is a household name in the tech scene,2 but everyone performs here as if their careers depended on it. André Dubien absolutely destroys his mic with an explosive combination of monstrous roars and screeching high rasps. Jacob Collins’ percussive attack is multifaceted and energetic, exhibiting an infectious predilection for machine-gun double-bass runs (“Le Flamboiement Stellaire”). Shawn Hillman acquits himself with aplomb on the low end as well, his bass noodling and compact counterpoint contrasting wonderfully with Marcheterre-Pina’s crushing riffs and oscillating lead work (“Theasterion”). Guest guitar solos from Alexis Rioux fit right at home on tracks one and three, camouflaging themselves inside of their respective songs while sparkling and shimmering with bright tones and expressive phrases. So too do Michelle Gao’s strings on the closing track, adding a lushness that feels appropriate to elevate Theasterion’s final moments.
If the performances aren’t argument enough in support of Theasterion’s claim to greatness, the songwriting alone carries. Every track has something of substance to take home, and while a couple of items shine more brightly than others (especially “Theasterion” and “Homo Cumulus”), none feel lackluster by comparison in any category. Smart editing across the runtime allows a per-song average that totals above five minutes to feel justified, and the high-octane pace maintained throughout even the longest tracks (“Theasterion,” “Unukhalai Supernova” at 6-and-a-half minutes each) shrinks time around them. Mid-song transitions involving piano, acoustic reprisals of Marcheterre-Pina’s leads, and tumbling percussive fills smooth the canyons carved by deeply layered meltdowns and punishing swings (“Ashes & Embers”). Every decision made to construct, perform, and engineer Theasterion seems tailored to deliver the most bang for the buck. This, in turn, leaves very little opportunity for flaws to creep in.
With enough spins, though, a couple of flaws do creep. The primary of these is the abrupt manner in which some songs end. While none are wholly disruptive, and the subsequent launch of neighboring tracks routinely offers a thematic through-line to help hold Theasterion aloft, a bit of extra silence—or a gentler fade-out on occasion—would soften these overly sharp departures. Secondly, while I do enjoy Theasterion’s mix and master, I think moving André’s vocals back a half step would balance things out a bit more without threatening his well-earned spotlight. Otherwise, there’s very little to complain about here. Volubilis came out swinging with a killer underground tech-death debut. You best move out of their way lest you get your face smashed.
Rating: Great! DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: Self Released Website:Bandcamp Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026
(written by Islander) Not for the first time, an extreme metal band has used excerpts from The Passion of Joan of Arc to illustrate one of their songs. This time it is the Croatian black/death metal band Defiant, who commemorated their 20th year of existence in 2025 with the release of their fifth album, Mammon […]
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NORCVLT Announces New Single “Celestial Tearfall”
Indigenous Atmospheric Black Metal project continues the journey toward sophomore full-length album
Southern California (Occupied Tongva & Chumash Territories) – NORCVLT returns with a powerful new offering, “Celestial Tearfall,” set for release on July 9, 2026 via Red Nebula.
Born from isolation, identity, and spiritual resonance, NORCVLT continues to carve its own path through the underground with a sound that fuses cold atmospheric black metal, ritualistic ambience, and emotionally charged intensity rooted in Indigenous perspective.
“Celestial Tearfall” serves as the second single from the forthcoming sophomore full-length album, further expanding the project’s evolving sonic mythology while deepening its thematic core.
Sound and Direction
“Celestial Tearfall” drifts through vast atmospheric landscapes while maintaining the sharp edge of modern black metal. The track leans into a cinematic and emotional pull, echoing the frostbitten grandeur of artists such as Uada , Yaotl Mictlan , Grima , and Agalloch while remaining firmly grounded in NORCVLT’s own distinct spiritual and narrative vision.
This is black metal that feels both ancient and forward-moving, like something carried through wind, memory, and time itself.
Artist Statement
“Celestial Tearfall” is the second single track release from the forthcoming sophomore album debuting later this year.
Truly excited to share this next single with you all as we continue to step further into the grander journey ahead. Ta’bintió.
As blackness fades… ancient splendor pours forth.
Creative Credits
All instruments, composition, recording, mixing, mastering, and production were handled by NORCVLT. Artwork by G.C. Logan (@oswta.okwali). Management: NORCVLT / Red Nebula.
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NORCVLT continues to push deeper into its own mythos with every release, building something that feels less like a project and more like a living current moving through the underground.
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Tñuu Dau / The Black Rain norcvltofficial@gmail.com
When Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein announced plans for an IFC sketch comedy show called Portlandia way back in 2010, the idea seemed slightly far-fetched. The two had already been baking online shorts as ThunderAnt for a few years, but Brownstein was still primarily a musician, even though Sleater-Kinney were on hiatus at the time. Also, could Portland culture and its endless ’90s dream really support that much comedy? Well, it turned out, yeah. Portlandia lasted for eight seasons and 77 episodes. Now, Armisen and Brownstein are taking us back with a brand new Portlandia rewatch podcast.
The Rolling Stones have spoken about the experience of recording their forthcoming album Foreign Tongues, and expressed their love, respect and admiration for their late friend and bandmate Charlie Watts, who makes a posthumous appearance on the record.
Although Watts passed, aged 80, away in 2021, his drumming – taped at one of his final studio sessions with the group he joined in 1963 – powers new album track Hit Me In The Head, and his old friends suggest that his spirit hovered over their most recent sessions with producer Andrew Watt at London’s Metropolis studios.
In a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood pay tribute to American producer Watt for his passion and enthusiasm for the project, and acknowledge his pivotal role in encouraging their band to play and record songs together in one room, unshackled from the rigid structures imposed by modern digital recording.
“Everyone has their own idea of the basic structure,” explains guitarist Wood, “but as long as it came back to that, it’s fine. You could do anything you wanted.”
“If the only thing you’re fighting is the room and the song, you’re okay,” adds fellow guitarist Keith Richards, “as long as you’re not fighting each other. It was fun to make. Everybody was right on it, [including] Steve Jordan and Darryl Jones, the ‘new’ rhythm section. I’m sure Charlie Watts was beaming down on us, so I feel good about that.”
When Zane Lowe tells Ronnie Wood that he finds it “moving” hearing Charlie Watts on the record, the guitarist reveals that the band have still got “a few beats of his in the bag”, recorded in Paris, for potential future use.
Mick Jagger tells Lowe that the drum track for Hit Me In The Head was actually recorded with producer Don Was at Henson Studios in Los Angeles, during pre-production for the band’s 2023 album Hackney Diamonds.
“If I ask you what did you love about the way Charlie plays drums, what would you say?” Lowe asks the singer.
“Whatever style he played always had swing,” Jagger replies. “It wasn’t like a loud powerful drummer, he was a more subtle, he was a jazz drummer really, that played rock very well… Steve’s very loud in the room compared to Charlie.”
“The albums are getting more and more energetic, punchy, and we’re still raising the bar,” says Ronnie Wood. “That’s the evolution of the band. you know, it’s got that new youth and the new kick in it. Maybe Charlie is overlooking us and giving us some more inspiration.”
You can watch the full Apple Music interview below.
Tech death is a saturated field crowded with artists determined to out-noodle each other. It can be great fun, but the density of artists that overpopulate the scene often make it difficult to find something interesting or novel. As cookie-cutter album after cookie-cutter album whooshes overhead, a curious little gem by Québécois one-man tech death act Volubilis