Category: news

  • BALASHTOTH Releases Debut Full-Length Album Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will – @thebeast

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    BALASHTOTH Releases Debut Full-Length Album Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will

    Melodic Death/Thrash Metal Project Completes the Anti-Life Equation Saga With Its Most Ambitious Release Yet

    June 12, 2026 marks the arrival of BalashToth’s highly anticipated debut full-length album, Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will , a powerful and thought-provoking journey through melodic death metal, thrash, and existential reflection.
    For fans of At the Gates, Dimension Zero, The Haunted, Carcass, and Dismember , Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will delivers a relentless blend of aggression, melody, atmosphere, and introspective lyricism while honoring the classic Swedish death metal sound that helped define the genre.
    BalashToth is the solo project of Balazs Toth , former guitarist of the Hungarian melodic death metal band Casketgarden . After relocating to Ireland in 2012 and studying music production and mixing, Toth gradually transformed the BalashToth name from a YouTube channel dedicated to riff challenges, covers, song recreations, gear reviews, and mixing tutorials into a fully realized recording project.
    Following the acclaimed 2023 EP Anti-Life , the 2024 EP =Equation= , and the =Anti-Life/Equation= compilation CD, BalashToth now arrives at its first full-length release. The previous EPs were met with strong underground recognition, with Anti-Life being named among the top Irish-based metal EPs of 2023 and the 2024 compilation appearing on several Hungarian year-end lists. The album also follows the 2025 Paradise Lost cover single, Mortals Watch the Day .
    “Equation II – The Antithesis of Life and Free Will completes the Anti-Life Equation thread introduced on the earlier releases. Across eight full tracks and an atmospheric intermission built entirely around viola, the album explores different shades of melodic death metal, from the 280 BPM attack of ‘+Fear + Despair’ to the old-school death metal feel of ‘Self = Dark Side’ and the doomy closing track ‘x Judgement,’ which features Adam Toth (Kajgün, ex-The Dethroners, Art of Dethronement) on viola. Lyrically, the record continues the themes of the previous EPs, but from a more personal and close-up perspective rather than the broader, catastrophic view of earlier material.”
    The album showcases a wide range of influences and moods while maintaining a cohesive vision. Blistering speed, crushing grooves, melodic leads, and haunting atmosphere combine to create a record that feels both familiar and uniquely personal.
    The first single, “÷ Misunderstanding,” embraces a traditional melodic death metal approach, blending uneasy timing shifts, bleak atmospheres, and emotionally charged vocal performances from Deathmetalvoicer . The collaboration emerged through previous full-band cover projects on the BalashToth YouTube channel, where the duo tackled material from The Haunted, Dimension Zero, Gates of Ishtar, Entombed, and Iron Maiden.
    The second single, “Self = Dark Side,” takes a more groove-oriented, old-school approach while delivering a memorable melodic death metal chorus. Lyrically, the song explores the collapse of identity through endless desire, portraying a cycle of consumption, illusion, and decay where satisfaction only deepens the void.
    Track Listing



    +Fear + Despair
    +Self-Worth ÷ Mockery
    x Guilt
    Love = Lies
    Life = Death
    Self = Dark Side
    n = y (Instrumental)
    ÷ Misunderstanding
    x Judgement

    Album Artwork

    The photographs used for the cover artwork were captured by Péter Jakab , former vocalist of the Hungarian brutal death metal band Depths of Depravity . The stark and evocative imagery reflects the album’s themes of identity, free will, inner conflict, and existential collapse.
    Line-Up

    BalashToth


    Balazs Toth – Guitars
    Deathmetalvoicer – Vocals

    Recording Information

    Studio: Not-Even-A-Studio


    Produced by Balazs Toth
    Mixed by Balazs Toth
    Mastered by Balazs Toth

    Release Information

    Album: Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will
    Release Date: June 12, 2026
    Genre: Melodic Death Metal / Thrash Metal
    For Fans Of

    At the Gates • Dimension Zero • The Haunted • Carcass • Dismember
    Pre-Save / Stream

    https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/balashtoth/equation-ii-the-antithesis-of-life-and-free-will
    About BalashToth

    BalashToth is the creative outlet of Hungarian-born guitarist, songwriter, producer, and mixer Balazs Toth. Drawing inspiration from the melodic death metal traditions of Sweden while incorporating philosophical and personal themes, the project has steadily built momentum through a series of acclaimed releases since 2023. With Equation II: The Antithesis of Life and Free Will , BalashToth delivers its most expansive and accomplished work to date, completing a conceptual trilogy that examines humanity’s relationship with identity, desire, mortality, and free will.
    Check out the videos:





    Connect: 
    Linktree: https://linktr.ee/balashtoth
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BalashToth
    Bandcamp: https://balashtoth.bandcamp.com/
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/63rnrwdAKh5v1pnBZLpHC5?si=ZkEqs9QRSg6-_zpdWDCEWQ
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalashToth
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balashtoth/
    Contact: casketgarden666@gmail.com
  • Yer Metal is Olde: Warning – Watching from a Distance

    It’s not that often that I’ll have difficulty talking about an album that’s hitting its 20 year anniversary soon. In the case of Watching from a Distance, the second (and at the time, final) album from UK doom metal (then-) trio Warning, giving words to the atmosphere, the weight, and the aching hurt emanating from these five songs proved to be more than daunting. It’s not that often that you come across an album that feels like a sonic gutpunch that just doesn’t stop punching you into emotional submission, and guitarist/vocalist/mainman Patrick Walker did so effortlessly. It’s hard to not feel something while listening to the album, then or now. It’s this encapsulation of utter sadness and yearning that would influence many since, and what better time than now to induct Watching from a Distance into the Halls of the Olde?

    Warning didn’t come from the more Gothic sounds of their contemporaries (and fellow YMIO inductees) Anathema, My Dying Bride, or Paradise Lost. Lyrically, they also couldn’t be more different. Whereas not many people could sing about fighting the gods like Darren White did, nor can we all take Aaron Stainthorpe’s hand or do we all have the ability to opaque the dissident establishment that we all suffer like Nick Holmes,1 we’ve all encountered the aftermath of a break-up or losing a loved one. If you haven’t, rest assured it’s coming, and no one can articulate the sheer crushing feeling that comes with that like Walker does here, and it’s especially not at the level of maturity he exhibited. No fingers pointed, no blame assigned, no good/bad person(s) to smear… just the aftermath, the pain that comes with it, and the knowledge (or lack thereof) of what to do next to move on.

    Take the devastatingly heartbreaking “Bridges,” in which there’s very little variation between riffs and percussive patterns, and that’s on purpose: the rhythm section of bassist Marcus Hatfield and drummer Stuart Springthorpe knew to keep things plodding and controlled by design, further accentuating the repetitive riffs and lyrics of Walker’s. Speaking of, each verse ends with Walker achingly bellowing “I wish you were here with me tonight,” with each passing verse more dire and heartwrenching than the last, with the final pass preceded by “Can someone feel too much?” Tear-inducing on its own, but when it’s immediately followed by Walker harmoniously bellowing towards the end, those who are unprepared2 will be reduced to a quivering pile of sobs. Emotionally decimating.


    The other four songs also float by with the grace and delicacy of a cinder block thrown right at your heart and emotions. The closing combo of “Faces” and “Echoes” do a fine job of further bringing the sorrow and pain, with the former lamenting a sense of normalcy amongst the crumble of a failed relationship, while the latter recalls pleasant memories of what was, but will never be again. However, it’s the opening one-two suckerpunch of the title track and “Footsteps” that everyone remembers, and with good reason. The title track feels like a moment in time where Walker sees the wreckage of a the relationship and sees what he remembers are the good qualities, but it’s far too late to turn back the clock and repair the damage. And “Footsteps”… man, fuck “Footsteps” so much. At first a bit more upbeat than “Watching from a Distance,” all seemingly feels almost uplifting when suddenly Walker bares all in the song’s final few minutes, complete with a desperate delivery, complete with an emotionally charged voice that cracks and warbles in a broken manner that I made the mistake of listening to it the first time on my way home from work, and I had to pull over to partake in the ugliest of purging crying sessions. It’s ultra-rare that doom metal can make me feel that way, and Walker and company succeeded in accomplishing this in spades.

    It was a sad time when Walker disbanded Warning in 2009, due to the simplest of reasons: artistic integrity and keeping his vision intact, forming the formidable 40 Watt Sun, an acoustic continuation of what Warning achieved. However, with their influence driving the likes of Pallbearer and Khemmis (among others), it was only a matter of time before Warning would return with Hatfield in tow, and now with their long-awaited third album, Rituals of Shame, on the horizon, it’s only fitting to induct Watching from a Distance in the Halls of the Olde. Give this a listen, but bring tissues.

    The post Yer Metal is Olde: Warning – Watching from a Distance appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

  • Listening Now : theJLM – Guillotine

    theJLM’s Guillotine is an inventive fusion of instrumental hip-hop and experimental electronica, built upon a foundation of adventurous production and rhythmic precision. The track weaves together layered electronic textures, dynamic beats, and unexpected sonic details, creating a listening experience that feels both immersive and unpredictable. Drawing from electronic, downtempo, and beat-driven influences, Guillotine maintains a strong sense of momentum while allowing space for experimentation and atmosphere. Its carefully crafted sound design reveals new details with each listen, rewarding attentive audiences.

    Guillotine showcases theJLM’s creative versatility and ability to blur genre boundaries, resulting in a compelling and distinctive instrumental work.

    Connect:

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  • Matt Proxy Announces Debut Album Trojan Horse Feat. fakemink, Current Joys, & Grimes

    A few months ago, Matt Proxy, a 19-year-old rapper/producer from Minneapolis, went viral for his closing verse on the 2026 Underground Sound cypher, a kind of summit meeting of extremely-online rage-rap kids. This summer, Proxy will tour with JPEGMAFIA. He’ll also release his debut album Trojan Hose, which is set to feature some prominent guests.

    The post Matt Proxy Announces Debut Album <em>Trojan Horse</em> Feat. fakemink, Current Joys, & Grimes appeared first on Stereogum.

  • Elles Bailey Releases Standalone Single ‘Back To You’

    Originally featured exclusively on the deluxe CD zine edition of her acclaimed album ‘Can’t Take My Story Away‘ (review here), ‘Back To You‘ is now available on all digital platforms – here A Song That Stands on Its Own ‘Back To You‘ was written alongside Danny Addison, Amy Yon, and Luke Potashnick, who also produced […]

    The post Elles Bailey Releases Standalone Single ‘Back To You’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

  • ‘Banana Man’ Has a Message for End It Over Concert Attack

    The concert fan known as 'Banana Man' has shared what he would say to End It after they ordered his suit to be shredded by fans during a recent Toronto show. Continue reading…