Category: news

Canadian black metal one-man band Encasement will release self-titled debut LP on September 4th, 2026 through I, Voidhanger Records and Hypaethral Records. For a preview, check out two new songs via Decibel Magazine portal.
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Chilean thrashers Critical Defiance and Finnish blackened speed metal unit DET will team up for ‘European Blodsurge’ tour in October and November.
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VIEW HEAVY AUSTRALIAN CONTENT DIGIMAG #278 HERE VIEW HEAVY AUSTRALIAN CONTENT DIGIMAG #278 HERE

This is where it all started. The groundwork had already been laid with the musical cross-pollination of Faith No More, the rap-rock polemic of Rage Against The Machine and the concrete-heavy grooves of Helmet and Prong, among others. For good or ill though, the movement that would come to be known as nu metal was birthed with the release of Korn’s monstrous first single and debut album opener Blind.

The sinister, skittering cymbals, that jagged, repeated slash of guitar and its counterpoint riff. Frontman Jonathan Davis growling, ‘Are you ready?’ like an invitation to a riot – which in a way it was. The song launched Korn and a thousand follow-the-leader wannabes into the musical mainstream, but its genesis goes back a little further.

A version of Blind had been written and played live in the clubs in the early 90s by Davis’ pre-Korn outfit SexArt. The band also featured guitarist Ryan Shuck who would go on to co-found Orgy and play with Julien-K and Dead By Sunrise – the latter with Chester Bennington.

“When my first band broke up, I asked my friend Ryan, who went on to join Orgy, if I could keep the song. The way we did it was completely different to the original version anyway,” Davis added. “What was I going for lyrically? I have no fucking idea, brother! This was just a stream-of-consciousness thing; it was all over the place. I think it’s about being blind to your reality; blocking the shit out that you don’t want to see or hear.”

“The riff came from Jonathan’s old band, SexArt,” guitarist Munky told Metal Hammer in 2020. “Head and I saw them play at some little club and I remember thinking the riff was pretty cool – it was in a different key, but still really heavy. It felt like new territory; like something I’d never heard before.”

How much of the song was actually rewritten and how freely it was given to Korn remains a matter of debate. The main songwriter in SexArt was drummer Dennis Shinn and neither he nor Shuck were originally credited for Blind (or Daddy, which also originated with SexArt) when it appeared as the opening track on Korn’s self-titled debut album, released in October 1994.

In a 2006 interview with God Is In The TV under his pseudonym Menace, Shinn alleged that Davis “had actually stolen the songs that I had written in SexArt”. It was only after the pair took legal action that they were credited on Korn’s Greatest Hits Vol. 1 a decade later, as well as all subsequent releases featuring the songs.

“Despite the old drama, egomaniacs and their politics brought forth, I am always very proud of what I wrote, and thankful for Korn, doing such a great job representing the music for all these years,” wrote Shinn on Instagram.

For his part, guitarist Head claims the song had “many writers”, while acknowledging that Shinn and Shuck wrote the original before Korn changed it up. “We came in with the cymbal part, and Munky came up with the ‘Dan-a-nan-na,’ then we decided after it kicked in we were going to bring it all right down. That was all Korn rewriting it,” he told Head told Metal Hammer.

And whatever the exactitudes of the original composition of the song, there’s no doubting that it was Korn’s delivery – along with the eerie-to-hulking sonics captured by producer Ross Robinson – that made Blind such a visceral gut-punch of a song.

According to Davis, the demo version of Blind was recorded using a purloined guitar belonging to hair metal/shock rock troupe W.A.S.P. “When we were doing the demos, I think it was W.A.S.P. was doing their record or some shit,” the singer told Rolling Stone. “So when W.A.S.P. went home at night, we’d sneak in and use their shit, so we’d be up all night. And [Robinson] gave us wheatgrass to keep us up. Yeah, the demo of ‘Blind was one of Blackie Lawless’ guitars, I believe. Fucking funny, huh?”

The recording process as the band moved onto the debut album was unconventional. Davis has said he recorded Ball Tongue while high on crystal meth and his breakdown at the end of Daddy was genuine – with Robinson having motioned at the rest of the band to keep jamming as the singer wept.

“He’s a fucking sadistic bastard, that motherfucker,” Davis told Rolling Stone as they looked back on the 20th anniversary of the album. “I love him, though; don’t get me wrong. But yeah, I think it gets him off. He had his way and was digging in to me and pulling shit out. I was already writing stuff about it, but to get the performance out, he really just poured salt on the wound.”

The version of Blind that made the album, ushering in one of the most impactful debuts in metal history, as well as serving as the lead single, was reworked once more from the cut on the Neidermeyer’s Mind demo. It was also a slowburner. Initially released as a promo single, it never bothered the charts and the album never rose above No.72 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It made a big noise in the underground, however, and served as an introduction to Korn and their new breed of metal.

“It was a powerhouse, that was such an important song for us, we started playing it around Los Angeles, and we always opened with that song, because we were saying, ‘Get ready, because this is a new thing, this is a new sound, you’re going to be seeing some freaky looking dudes going nuts onstage!’” Head recalled.

By the time the end of the century approached, Korn were global stars who transcended the metal ghetto and Blind had taken on its own monstrous life. The band’s set at the infamously chaotic Woodstock ’99 event was one of the weekend’s highlights, providing a safety valve outlet for an increasingly agitated crowd. It was one of the moments that didn’t descend into outright anarchy but the energy was immense throughout – starting with the response to that instantly recognisable intro.

“I remember the intro,” Davis said on the Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 documentary. “We’re walking out, I come walking out and I see that fucking crowd. I’m like, ‘What the flying fuck?’”

Speaking of the sheer volume and energy of the crowd, he continued: “When you see it with your own eyes it’s just 10 times more shocking… I look over and I see just waves as the sound travelled all the way to the back… there’s no drug, there’s no nothing on this planet that can give you that fucking feeling of having a crowd in your hand like that.”

More than two decades on from that. and three from its original conception, Blind still stands as an all-time classic and a seminal moment in metal history.

To celebrate 20 years of existence, Germans Van Canto have shared a brand new song called ”Stand”. On October 30th, 2026, to celebrate this occasion, the band will perform a special show in Aschaffenburg, Germany. This will be their only club show in 2026.
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So far in their eleven-year recording career, Kris Barras and his band have been a fairly consistent bunch, and to their credit, a prolific one. Album number five, Monsters We Made, is the latest chapter in their story. 

Kris Barras Band – Monsters We Made

Release Date: 14 August 2026

Words: Brian Boyle

I had the pleasure of seeing Kris Barras in Manchester back in February when the former MMA fighter and his gang supported Smith/Kotzen at the rather splendid O2 Ritz venue. 

Now, I have no problem admitting that my trip over from Dublin was mainly to see Iron Maiden man Adrian Smith and his virtuosic wingman Richie Kotzen. But the Torquay native was a proper head-turner that night, a proper old-school smash-and-grab set.

And the fact that he had to pull out of the tour from a throat infection and being just days away from a big London show must have been like receiving one of the many bruising thumps to the gut he has regularly dished out himself.

So he deserves a big chunk of good luck, and the behemoth title and opening track may just be the catalyst. In comparison, the following track, Beautiful Lie, is a slight drop in momentum, but he is back in the saddle on the relentless jab of Riot Of One, a track drenched in hard-hitting melodies, something that Barras continues to deliver with relative ease.

As a self-confessed lover of a classic power ballad, it is hard to admit that the days of the bouffant-haired, ciggie lighter in the air variety appear to have passed. But if a ballad of the surrendering quality of Unspoken is the level from here on in, then there is zero to get wistful about. 

Elsewhere, there is plenty with enough flavour for an immediate re-spin. All Falls Down is an all-action wrecking ball, and Otherside delights with a harmonious blend of sentiment and power. 

Fake is not bad either, a more pop-vibed affair that once again triumphs in the chorus department. Rewind is a much different proposition, leaning more towards a Nu-Metal direction, but not a bit formulaic. 

Genres, melodies and choruses aside, Barras’ guitar display on this album is exemplary. Not that we should be surprised, but there is a sense that he has found a few extra gears lying around. 

Closing track and possibly the finest on the album, the instantly lovable Levitate proves this album at the very least deserves to match the number five UK chart position achieved by 2022’s Halo Effect.

And not to pour scorn on another band’s status, but when you see a band like Shinedown, whose product is not a million miles away from what is here, doing extremely good business in most places, you would have hoped Barras and co would be further up the ladder by now.

But we all know the music business is as fair as a Trump/Infantino World Cup these days. Griping aside, Monsters We Made is a colossus of a rock album that demands your attention.

And another thing. Despite being tatted up to his eyeballs and ripped like a Greek god, I still cannot picture Kris Barras in the octagon. That is because he is a rocker, for god’s sake. One who just happens to know how to execute a double-leg takedown.

Kris Barras Band release Monsters We Made on 14 August 2026 via Earache Records. For more details, visit earache.com/collections/kris-barras-band

Monsters We Made In-Store Dates

• 14 August, 1pm – Leeds – Crash
• 14 August, 7pm – Bury – Wax And Beans
• 15 August, 1pm – Glasgow – Assai
• 15 August, 6pm – Edinburgh – Assai
• 16 August, 6pm – London – Rough Trade East
• 17 August, 1pm – Gosport – A Slice Of Vinyl
• 17 August, 7pm – Kingston – Fighting Cocks
• 18 August, 6.30pm – Bristol – Rough Trade
• 19 August, 6pm – Nottingham – Rough Trade
• 20 August, 7pm – Liverpool – Jacaranda

The post Kris Barras Band – Monsters We Made Is A Colossus Of A Rock Album first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

[Cover artwork by Stiv]

Life is a grind – survival is a never-ending struggle; uphill both ways, our all-too-brief march toward the finality of death. And in that briefness, life is grind, as well – it’s a burst of screaming and chaos that’s over before we want it to be, often before we really had time to understand it at all.

To the former point, the tale of Sisyphus is the archetypal description. Forced to roll a rock uphill every day forever, only to have it roll back to the bottom as soon as it gets there, his struggle is literally eternal and eternally for naught, and… well, don’t we all feel like that, oh, let’s say, right about every Monday at 9AM…? Up and to the right we must always go. No matter what, the spice must flow.

And to the latter point, I present Suffering Quota, which, in its name alone, is another metaphor for modern life. These grinding Dutchmen have been around for fifteen years now, with Sisyphean Life being their fourth full-length, not too far removed from 2023’s quite enjoyable bashing, Collide. Based on the myth of Sisyphus, and fueled by the frustrations and futility of everyday existence in these trying times, Sisyphean Life builds upon the same framework as earlier Suffering Quotas – relentless blastbeats, Gerald Timmermans’ alternating shrieks and bellows (with more emphasis on the former), René Beukers’ angular and chaotic riffing – but adds an even deeper layer of oppressive sonics and pounding repetition, mimicking the titular character’s torment in its bursts of dizzying fury interspersed with fleeting seconds of release. “Overpowering Weight” demonstrates by opening ferociously, and dragging itself to a trudging close; “Slope” follows a similar path, pounding itself to a close at a powerviolence pace. “Change Course” offers a rare and short moment of respite before the pounding begins anew; “Torment” rages with a swinging, hardcore energy.

By the band’s own admission, the album “pursues density and repetition, allowing volume and heaviness to drain the air from the room,” and that may be its greatest strength and its only real flaw, albeit a minor one, especially considering that this is, after all, a grindcore album. It’s definitely oppressive, unrelenting, a maelstrom, but in being all of that, Sisyphean Life does require some repeated listens to unravel, to get past the sheer momentum and the reliance upon repetition of tempo, riff, and overall feel to get its point across, even if the point itself is largely one of life’s endless circular track. Still, it’s an effective attack, especially once some dedicated listening allows the band’s craft to unfold beneath their more immediately distinctive rage.

Wake up, go to work, do what you can to survive, find whatever peace and beauty you can amongst the rubble of our modern lives. Most all of us are pushing rocks until we’re pushing daisies, kids – enjoy it as best you can while you can, and when you’re pissed off, when your rocks get too heavy, pick up some energy and blow off some steam with your favorite loud-fast-ugly music. Suffering Quota certainly fits that bill, and Sisyphean Life is another strong outing.

The post Suffering Quota – Sisyphean Life Review appeared first on Last Rites.

At the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany, we got the chance to interview lead singer Julia Sanina of the band The Hardkiss, after their show at the Louder stage.

Benedetta

I’m here with the amazing Julia from The Hardkiss. How are you doing today?

Julia Sanina

Oh, great. Yeah, we just played our show at Wacken Open Air, Louder stage, like the big one. It was huge, massive. I mean, the audience was so cool and so supportive. I was nervous a bit before doing the first step on the stage. But, yeah, I relaxed, like, at once when I saw their eyes, that they were ready to drive the energy.

Benedetta

How does it feel to play in Wacken on the anniversary edition?

Julia Sanina

Crazy. We’ve been here last year for the first time ever. And we played last year the acoustic performance in the Metal Church. And, of course, we dreamed about the full performance with the band on the big stage. This year we are lucky, it’s the anniversary. I’m the same age as Wacken. So, yeah, I can’t imagine, that when I was a little girl, this festival already has been legendary. It’s a big honor for us to be here.

Benedetta

Since you have a lot of experience in live shows, but also in recording music, do you think that the artistic life is a lonely life?

Julia Sanina

I don’t know, because we’ve made the band with my beloved Val. He is the love of my life. So, I’m never alone. We are 24/7 together. And we are laughing that we are discussing the band, the music, all the time, from morning till night. So, I can’t imagine myself without him. I guess this connection, these singles of different characters, it is the hard case itself. So, yeah, I’m lucky to have my soulmate with me. Maybe for the others, it’s quite a lonely life. But I’m an introvert. I enjoy sitting at home. So, I enjoy performing on the stage or being at home, creating something new.

Benedetta

Do you think that we will ever have equality between men and women in the metal world?

Julia Sanina

You know, it’s different in Ukraine and in Europe. We are new in European market now. So, we just learn the rules here. We just see how it works here. And, of course, here there are much more bands with female front women or female playing the instruments. I see more and more of that and it’s really enjoyable to see. So, I’m lucky to be here when the business is changing. And I have the opportunity to feel comfortable and proudly present the music that everyone enjoys on a great level. In my band, I was always like the leader so, I don’t know how it feels like when you’re not. It was always important for us to play with and to work with people respectfully to everyone. So, yeah. We picked every person in our band, in our community, thinking of that human comfort to work with. So, yeah.

Benedetta

Has it ever happened to you that someone treated you differently than Val or the other guys in the band?

Julia Sanina

I’ve been to other bands before The Hardkiss, where my opinion was not counted. I was young, like 17, 16 years old. And I was the girl. So, it was sometimes like, “Keep your opinion“. But, again, I had this courage to just go, to just leave that kind of community, that kind of band. And, yeah, The Hardkiss is the dream team for me. Unfortunately, we have not so many girls in our community. So, we have a manager, but it’s not on purpose, you know. There are lots of photographers who we work with. Amazing women. Some specialists that we are working with, they are amazing women with amazing talent. We always look on talent offers.

Benedetta

On a scale from 1 to 10, how technological would you say that you are? 

Julia Sanina

I guess 6 out of 10. I cannot build a computer. But I can pay bills through the internet, you know. I do all that boring stuff. So, yeah, I hate emails. I love more WhatsApp or Telegram. I’m doing our social medias. I’m the queen of our Instagram. That’s my world. I make all these photos, videos, posts, reels, it’s truly mine. Yeah, I mean, Val is more responsible for, for example, when we shoot something. He’s like the director, he knows everything about cameras, photos, and everything. I just put my ideas, like the creative side of that. That’s it.

Benedetta

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me. Is there anything else that you want to add to our readers and viewers?

Julia Sanina

We just want to share that we’ve just released the album, Grey Hound. That’s why I’m in a grey suit now. So, please listen to the album. And, of course, we are inviting everyone to our autumn tour. We also have an anniversary tour. The Hardkiss is 15 years this year. So, we have the big tour in Europe, you can choose any city. We have the tour in North America next year. You can find everything on thehardkiss.com. So, yeah, we would love to see everyone there.

The post “It’s really enjoyable to see more bands with female members” – interview with The Hardkiss first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Save Us have given us another taste of their upcoming new album ‘Death To Something’, and it’s one of the most devastating tunes you’ll hear today.

It’s called ‘Far’, and it’s a relentless, emotionally gutting blend of metalcore bite and soaring alt. rock melodies. Overflowing with raw feeling and with a chorus so cathartic it’s just begging to be belted out by thousands of voices in unison, it’s another fantastic taste of their latest chapter.

Vocalist Miguel Owls had this to say about it:

“‘Far’ will always hold a special place in my heart. It came to life right at the halfway point of being away from home while making the album, when the homesickness really started to hit. I was restless, missing everything familiar, and it was the longest I’d ever been away from my wife. This song dives into that feeling, chasing something you’ve always dreamed of, while carrying the weight of being far from the person you love most. It’s that push and pull between purpose and pain.”

The band’s new album ‘Death To Something’ is set to be released on October 16 via Solid State Records.

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:

1. Chains
2. Last Of Me
3. Mente Fragmentada
4. No Holding Back
5. Seraphim
6. Far
7. Runaway
8. Bruised
9. Cry
10. Numb
11. Death To Something
12. Stasis

Here is how the previously released title track is sounding:

And if that wasn’t enough, the band are going to be joining Saosin on the Self Titled 20th anniversary tour later this year.

Here are the dates:

OCTOBER 2026

23 – ANAHEIM House of Blues Anaheim
24 – TEMPE Marquee Theatre
25 – ALBUQUERQUE Sunshine Theater
27 – SAN ANTONIO Vibes Event Center
28 – DALLAS House of Blues Dallas
29 – HOUSTON House of Blues Houston
30 – NEW ORLEANS House of Blues New Orleans
31 – PENSACOLA Vinyl Music Hall

NOVEMBER 2026

01 – ORLANDO House of Blues Restaurant & Bar
03 – NASHVILLE Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
04 – RALEIGH The Ritz
06 – SAYREVILLE Starland Ballroom
07 – NEW YORK Webster Hall
08 – WORCESTER Palladium
10 – PHILADELPHIA Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia
11 – BALTIMORE Nevermore Hall
13 – BUFFALO Town Ballroom
14 – DETROIT The Majestic Theatre
15 – CHICAGO House of Blues Chicago
17 – MILWAUKEE The Rave / Eagles Club
18 – MINNEAPOLIS The Fillmore Minneapolis
20 – DENVER Summit Music Hall
21 – SALT LAKE CITY The Complex
22 – BOISE Knitting Factory
24 – SEATTLE Showbox SoDo
25 – PORTLAND Roseland Theater
27 – LOS ANGELES The Novo
28 – SAN DIEGO SOMA

The post Save Us Drop Crushing New Track ‘Far’ appeared first on Rock Sound.