Category: news

Bloodstock 2026: Thursday Review – Ronnie James Dio Stage

6th August 2026
Words: Dan Barnes
Photos: Tim Finch

How time flies! It barely feels any time at all since we were all here watching Gojira and Obituary bringing the curtain down on Bloodstock Open Air 2025, and now we’re back at Catton Park for the festival’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations.

And, in honour of that quarter of a century milestone, Bloodstock have opened the main arena for the first time on a Thursday evening, splitting the pre-show across two stages, and hosting something for all ages.

Opening up the Ronnie James Dio for 2026 is Heavysaurus, four dinosaurs and one dragon whose family-friendly brand of metal is squarely aimed at the younger section of the crowd. Laser Ninja is such an earworm that it’s going to be with me until Cryptopsy; Millie the triceratops proves girls can rock as hard as the boys and reinforces the band’s sense of unity; a bass-playing stegosaurus blasts out Seven Nation Army, taking the dinos into a melody that includes snippets of Highway to Hell, The Final Countdown, We Will Rock You, Enter Sandman, and Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing. They even paraphrase Churchill’s speech before cranking into some Bloodstock-approves power metal. By this stage I’m starting to think Heavysaurus might not be real dinosaurs; but I’m no Palaeontologist, so what would I know? It’s inoffensive fun to get the weekend off to a rockin’ start.

Having damn-near become the Bloodstock house band over the years, it seemed impossible to conceive these twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations would go off without Evil Scarecrow making an appearance. Having made their way from the New Blood stage to the S.O.P.H.I.E. and onto the Ronnie James Dio over the years, the band is the epitome of Bloodstock’s mission to promote and nurture the future of the genre. They have brought with them a dedicated and growing fan base who turn out in numbers for these shows, today being no exception. The Nottingham crew have songs about mythical sea beasts, when to put your green bin out and even build toilet breaks into the set. A large inflatable spider scuttles its way across the heads of the crowd and who were led to believe is Avril Lavigne pops out of a bin at one point – more convinced by those dinosaurs, to be honest – but it’s all part of the fun. The Ballad of Brother Pain seamlessly adds an extra syllable to Antarctica, Shoptimous Prime rages against the capitalist model of society and comes with a reminder to check out the band’s merchandise, Hurricanado and End Level Boss are lapped up by the crowd and it all comes to a close with Crabulon, which sees the crowd skuttling to the left and then to the right, hands like pincers, for the inevitable set closer.

Returning to headline Bloodstock for the first time since they closed out the inaugural show at the Assembly Rooms back in 2001, NWoBHM stalwarts, Saxon, hit the stage ready to deliver a heavy metal masterclass and set the standard against which all else will be judged. Fifty-years of doing this thing has honed Saxon into a devastating music machine, the introduction of Diamond Head’s Brian Tatler back in 2023 giving them an additional spark; but Saxon have been together for so long and have enough miles beneath their feet to take Bloodstock 2026 in their stride.

Opening with Hell, Fire and Damnation from the 2024 album of the same name, the show feels like it’s hit the ground running., then it’s straight back to 1983 for Power and the Glory. Biff is in a good mood as he announces Saxon can play as long as they like due to being headliners; Dogs of War proves they never deviated from the path, no matter what the pressures of the industry during the Nineties threw at them; Never Surrender comes along next and should be Saxon’s signature song.

Madame Guillotine, Sacrifice and an ever-popular Motorcycle Man have come and gone before the arrival of the eagle lighting rig dropping from the ceiling, eyes blazing red and wings of blazing white brilliance, proving Saxon have the theatricality of their contemporaries. The triple-whammy of Strong Arm of the Law tunes hit like a combination of deadly punches: Heavy Metal Thunder, Dallas 1pm and the title track; 747 (Strangers in the Night), Denim and Leather and Wheels of Steel bring the set to a close and sees Biff taking to social media and live streaming the singalong. He reminds Bloodstock that the footage can be seen as far afield as London, Wacken and Barnsley.

Encores of Crusader, Solid Ball of Rock and And the Bands Played On – which was one of the first singles I bought with my own money back in 1981 – prove Biff to have been correct in saying the band can play for as long as they want; but all good things must come to an end and the inevitable Princess of the Night brings the set and the stage to a close. Biff suggests Bloodstock should keep the two-stage Thursday idea going into next year, and I’m inclined to agree with him. He even suggested Saxon come back in a couple of years and do it all again, and I definitely agree with him on that!

Photo credits: Tim Finch

For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

The post Bloodstock 2026: Thursday Review – Ronnie James Dio Stage appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

Bloodstock 2026: Thursday Gallery – Ronnie James Dio Stage

6th August 2026
Photos: Tim Finch

Saxon

Evil Scarecrow

Heavysaurus

Photo credits: Tim Finch

For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

The post Bloodstock 2026: Thursday Gallery – Ronnie James Dio Stage appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

Nuclear Winter Records is proud to announce the release of River of Slumber, the debut album from Greek death metal band CASKET DWELLER, set for release on October 22nd, 2026 on CD format (LP and tape version to follow later).

The first single “Voodoo Incants” is streaming at THIS LOCATION.

Hailing from Athens, Greece, CASKET DWELLER deliver a deeply rooted take on traditional death metal. Formed in 2022, the band quickly established itself within the Greek underground through a series of live appearances across the country.

From the beginning, CASKET DWELLER have built their identity around more than just music: their visual aesthetic draws heavily from classic horror cinema of the 1940s and gothic literature, influences that also permeate the atmosphere of River of Slumber, creating a world where darkness, decay and heavy riffs come together.

The band’s debut album is a tribute to the foundations of death metal while maintaining a strong sense of personality. Built around memorable, riff-driven compositions, River of Slumber showcases a band with a clear understanding of the genre’s traditions and the ability to transform those influences into songs that flow naturally from start to finish.

While the production carries the unmistakable imprint of the Swedish death metal school, the album’s musical DNA reaches further, incorporating elements from the classic Florida scene and the heavier Dutch tradition. Echoes of bands such as Death, Pestilence and Asphyx can be found throughout the record, not through imitation but through a shared appreciation for powerful riffs, dynamic arrangements and songwriting that puts the song at the center.

With a careful balance between crushing passages, darker atmospheres and more melodic moments, River of Slumber presents CASKET DWELLER as a new force within the contemporary old school death metal movement. A band focused on the essentials: memorable riffs, strong compositions and the timeless appeal of death metal.

Track-list:

1. Chapters
2. Dust Off the Shovel
3. He Rows
4. Fangs of the Vampire
5. Creatures of the Night
6. Embalming Slime
7. Burnt at the Stake
8. Voodoo Incants
9. Requiem

Line-up:

George Karvouniaris – Guitars
Chris Pallas – Bass
Vangelis Deligiorgis – Drums/Vocals

CASKET DWELLER:

https://www.facebook.com/CasketDweller666/

https://www.instagram.com/casketdwellerDM

Nuclear Winter Records:

https://nuclearwinterrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://nuclearwinterrecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/martyrdoomproductions/

https://www.instagram.com/nuclearwinterrecords/

Swedish heavy metal band Ram will release their new full-length, Against, on October 9 via Metal Blade Records. The album is the band’s first in nearly seven years, following The Throne Within, and arrives alongside the debut of lead single and music video “Ghost Emperor.”

Against is thematically focused on the experience of being pushed beyond reasonable limits and refusing to comply — “that fire of defiance,” as the band collectively states, “which ultimately defines its title and message.” Sonically, the record draws on the early works of Dio, MSG and Sweet in pursuit of an honest, unpolished approach to classic heavy metal. In a music landscape increasingly divided into subgenres, the band positions itself deliberately outside categorization.

For the production, Ram reunited with longtime collaborator Johan Reiven, who previously worked with the band on Lightbringer (2009), recording at Studio Recordia in Varberg, Sweden. Vocalist Oscar Carlquist described the sessions: “At first, I wasn’t really comfortable not being in my own domain. But Johan is a far better sound tech than me and he did a wonderful job. We recorded the solos in a cool new way, as we set up two amps, one wet with a lot of effects and one dry with no effects. They were both mic’d up separately and they played into the enormous recording room in Recordia that is 150 square meters, where we placed two room mics (left and right).”

On where Ram stand in relation to the current metal landscape, Carlquist was blunt: “We do not give a f**k about all these new strange subgenres popping up. We try to play heavy metal in its purest form. We try to hang on to the center of that energy, and we are completely uninterested in 99% of the metal scene.”

Of the lead single, Carlquist said: “This is the opener of the album, a straightforward classic heavy metal song and pure Ram. Lyrically, it deals with how our power structures exist to conceal the true rulers, the ones we will never see or know, pulling the strings behind the curtain and controlling us all.”

Against has drawn advance praise from Erik Danielsson of Watain, who calls the album “passionate, Luciferian, antagonistic, and musically overpowering,” Sebastian Ramstedt of Necrophobic and Nifelheim, who declares it “elite” and Ram “the only band in Sweden making classic heavy metal without it sounding like a pastiche,” and Christian Lindell of Portrait, who calls the album the band’s strongest material to date.

Against will be available on CD, digital and vinyl. LP color variants include 180g Black, Clear Lilac Marbled, Purple Melt (limited to 300), Crystal Clear Blackdust (limited to 300) and Silver Black Splatter (limited to 250). Preorders are available at Metal Blade’s official store.

Ram upcoming live dates:

• Sept. 12, 2026 — Candelabrum Metalfest — León, MX
• Oct. 9, 2026 — TBA — Gothenburg, SE (Release Show)
• Dec. 4, 2026 — Spectrum — Murcia, ES
• Dec. 5, 2026 — Peter Rock — Valencia, ES
• Dec. 6, 2026 — Upload — Barcelona, ES
• Dec. 7, 2026 — Urban — Vitoria, ES
• March 12–13, 2027 — Heavy Metal Thunder Fest — Pisek, CZ
• May 20–22, 2027 — Iron Fest — Ohmbachsee, DE

Ram is:

Oscar Carlquist / Vocals
Morgan Pettersson / Drums
Harry Granroth / Guitar
Martin Jonsson / Guitar
Tobias Petterson / Bass

The post RAM Announces New Album “Against” & Shares Music Video For New Single “Ghost Emperor” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

British psych rock outfit Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats have shared a music video for “House By The Grave,” the opening track from their forthcoming album Shapes Of Midnight. The band describes the clip as a ‘high-fidelity videotape.’ The album arrives Sept. 18 via Killer Candy Records.

Speaking about the track, mastermind Kevin Starrs said: “This is one of my favourite songs that we’ve ever done and the perfect way to open up the album. ‘Yonder stands the sinner!’ really sums it all up.”

Shapes Of Midnight is a conceptual album partially inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s 1842 short story “The Masque Of The Red Death.” It was recorded at the esteemed Abbey Road Studios in London.

Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats will support the release with a 24-date North American tour alongside Messa, launching Sept. 8 in Charlotte, North Carolina:

• Sept. 8 — Charlotte, NC — Neighborhood Theatre
• Sept. 9 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade
• Sept. 10 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
• Sept. 12 — Dallas, TX — Studio at The Bomb Factory
• Sept. 13 — Austin, TX — Levitation Festival
• Sept. 15 — Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine Theatre
• Sept. 16 — Tucson, AZ — La Rosa
• Sept. 18 — Las Vegas, NV — The Portal at Area 15
• Sept. 19 — San Diego, CA — Observatory North Park
• Sept. 20 — Los Angeles, CA — The Bellwether
• Sept. 21 — San Francisco, CA — Regency Ballroom
• Sept. 24 — Boise, ID — Knitting Factory
• Sept. 25 — Portland, OR — Roseland Theater
• Sept. 26 — Seattle, WA — The Showbox
• Sept. 29 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Complex
• Sept. 30 — Denver, CO — Gothic Theatre
• Oct. 2 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater
• Oct. 3 — Omaha, NE — Slowdown
• Oct. 4 — Chicago, IL — Concord Music Hall
• Oct. 6 — Toronto, ON — Danforth Music Hall
• Oct. 7 — Montreal, QC — Théâtre Benfield
• Oct. 8 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium
• Oct. 9 — Baltimore, MD — Nevermore Hall
• Oct. 11 — New York, NY — Irving Plaza

The post UNCLE ACID AND THE DEADBEATS Share Music Video For New Single “House By The Grave” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Gina Gleason fronts the group.

The post Ecliptor (Baroness) Announce Fall Mini-Tour With Witching appeared first on Theprp.com.

“…it wasn’t true when TMZ posted it.”

The post Guitarist Jim Root & More Walk Back Their Initial Comments On Slipknot Firing Sid Wilson: “At The Time I Wrote It… I Didn’t Know What To Believe” appeared first on Theprp.com.

Posted on August 15th 2026, 7:30pm

And they recruited a tenured metal video director for them.

The post Darkest Hour Finished Filming Four New Music Videos This Week appeared first on Theprp.com.

MY DYING BRIDE will release Anthology of Sombre Reflections, an extensive eight-LP collection documenting the English doom metal pioneers’ formative years, on August 21 through Peaceville Records. The deluxe set combines early demos, singles, EPs and the band’s first four studio albums with a new book, posters and archival prints. Spanning recordings from the beginning […]

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