This year, Swedish melodic death/groove metal outfit Orbit Culture have a lot of touring to do. With so many days out on the road, there are plenty of opportunities for new and old fans to experience the tumultuous nature of their live show.
To help you get an idea of what it’s like, they released the official music video for “The Storm” featuring some intense live footage filmed during last winter’s European tour.
“This video for ‘The Storm’ documents our last headline tour. Most of the footage was shot in Gothenburg, close to where we come from. Watching it now brings us back to a night that carried real weight — intense, focused, and honest. It was a defining moment for us, and ‘The Storm’ reflects that feeling without needing to explain it.”
The track is featured on the band’s most recent album Death Above Life, which guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Niklas Karlsson says is one of the most important releases of Orbit Culture’s career.
“The album represents change, a new beginning. It brings up a lot of good and bad emotions but it’s a big change for the better. It feels like a rebirth.”
If you’d like to see just how wild an Orbit Culture show is from the comfort of your couch, feel free to do so by hitting play on the video below. If you want to see it live for yourself, check out the list of tour dates a little further down the page and get your tickets today.
ORBIT CULTURE ON TOUR: WITH OV SULFUR + ATLAS:
2/18 — Roseville, CA — Goldfield Trading Post 2/19 — Portland, OR — Star Theater 2/20 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon 2/22 — Vancouver, BC — Rickshaw Theater 2/24 — Calgary, AB — Palace Theatre 2/25 — Edmonton, AB — Midway Music Hall 2/27 — Saskatoon, SK — Louis’ 2/28 — Winnipeg, MB — Park Theater 3/03 — Toronto, ON — Opera House 3/05 — Montreal, QC — Beanfield Theatre 3/06 — Ottawa, ON — The Bronson 3/07 — Buffalo, NY — Electric City 3/09 — Allentown, PA — Archer Music Hall 3/10 — Silver Spring, MD — Fillmore Silver Spring 3/11 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater 3/13 — New Haven, CT — Toad’s 3/14 — Worcester, MA — Palladium 3/16 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues Cleveland 3/17 — Pittsburgh, PA — Preserving Underground 3/18 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues Chicago 3/20 — Milwaukee, WI — The Rave II 3/21 — Detroit, MI — El Club 3/23 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall 3/24 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade 3/25 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground 3/27 — Orlando, FL — House of Blues Orlando 3/28 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live 3/30 — Houston, TX — House of Blues 3/31 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall 4/01 — Oklahoma City, OK — Diamond Ballroom 4/03 — Denver, CO — Gothic Theatre 4/05 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Grand at The Complex 4/06 — Las Vegas, NV — Brooklyn Bowl 4/07 — Mesa, AZ — The Nile 4/09 — Santa Ana, CA — The Observatory 4/10 — Los Angeles, CA — Regent Theater
ORBIT CULTURE UK TOUR: WITH AMON AMARTH + SOILWORK: 10/9 — Manchester, England — O2 Apollo 10/10 — London, England — Eventim Apollo 10/11 — Wolverhampton, England — Civic Hall 10/13 — Paris, France — Zenith 10/14 — Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg — Rockhal 10/16 — Stuttgart, Germany — Schleyer-Halle 10/17 — Frankfurt, Germany — Festhalle 10/18 — Antwerp, Belgium — Lotto Hall 10/20 — Den Bosch, Netherlands — Mainstage 10/21 — Hamburg, Germany — Sporthalle 10/23 — Gothenburg, Sweden — Scandinavium 10/24 — Stockholm, Sweden — Hovet 10/26 — Helsinki, Finland — Ice Hall 10/27 — Tallin, Estonia — Unibet Arena 10/29 — Gliwice, Poland — PreZero Arena Gliwice 10/30 — Leipzig, Germany — Quarterback Immobilien Arena 10/31 — Oberhausen, Germany — Rudolf Weber Arena 11/2 — Budapest, Hungary — Barba Negra 11/3 — Vienna, Austria — Gasometer 11/4 — Bamberg, Germany — Brose Arena 11/6 — Prague, Czech Republic — O2 Universum 11/7 — Berlin, Germany — Velodrom 11/8 — Munich, Germany — Zenith 11/10 — Milan, Italy — Alcatraz 11/11 — Zurich, Switzerland — The Hall 11/13 — Barcelona, Spain — Sant Jordi Club 11/14 — Madrid, Spain — Vistalegre 11/15 — Lisbon, Portugal — Sala Tejo
INTERVIEW WITH COUNTING HOURS Counting Hours is one of the doom-oriented metal bands emerging from Finland. Formed in 2015, the band has released two full-length […]
This is the debut album from Swiss post-metal band De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube. De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube play post-metal that’s laced with elements taken from post-rock and blackgaze, alongside ritualistic influences. Think a mix of bands such as Alcest, Amenra, Vermilia, and Year of No Light, and you’ll be part of the way there. Across … Continue reading “De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube – Rituel : Initiation (Review)”
Sometimes, you don’t need a whole lot of time to tell an authoritarian regime to fuck right off. We’ve all been watching the steady backslide America’s been taking into fascist authoritarianism and Frozen Soul ain’t taking it anymore. Hence the release of their latest track “Absolute Zero.”
Clocking in at just under one minute, the track makes their stance completely known. It’s zero bullshit from start to finish, with frontman Chad Green explaining what pushed the band to put the track and its accompanying music video together.
“More relevant than the day written – with all of the chaos happening in our country, with ICE killing and ripping apart families, ‘Absolute Zero’ comes as our stance against authoritarianism and the monsters that are enforcing it. I went and got the biggest sledgehammer I could find, and Sam [bassist] carved ‘icebreaker’ into it. We wrote a little message to the world on it—then I froze a skull I painted in my freezer, put it on a cinder block, and obliterated it. The best ice is crushed ice.”
We tend to agree with you, Chad. Fuck ICE.
If you’d like to support this based as fuck band, you can do so by checking them out at any of the live shows listed below.
Frozen Soul Live Dates:
UK, EU
Feb 20: London, UK – Electric Ballroom Feb 21: Bristol, UK – Bristol Electric Feb 22: Glasgow, UK – Garage Feb 23: Birmingham, UK – XOYO Feb 24: Dublin, IRE – The Academy Feb 25: Manchester, UK – Academy Feb 27: Hamburg, GER – Inselpark Arena Feb 28: Cologne, GER – Palladium Mar 01: Tilburg, NET – 013 Mar 03: Lyon, FRA – Transbordeur Mar 04: Paris, FRA – Élysée Montmartre Mar 05: Brussels, BEL – Ancienne Belgique Mar 06: Stuttgart, GER – Porsche-Arena Mar 07: Wiesbaden, GER – Schlachthof Mar 08: Zurich, SWI – Halle 622 Mar 10: Milan, ITA – Live Club Mar 11: Esch-sur-Alzette, LUX – Rockhal Mar 13: Berlin, GER – Columbiahalle Mar 14: Jena, GER – SPK-Arena Jena Mar 15: Brno, CZE – Sono Centrum Mar 17: Budapest, HUN – Barba Negra Red Stage Mar 18: Krakow, POL – Klub Studio Mar 19: Vienna, AUT – Gasometer Mar 20: Dresden, GER – Messe Dresden Mar 21: Munich, GER – Zenith
Feb 20 – Feb 25 w/ Heaven Shall Burn & The Black Dahlia Murder Feb 27 – Mar 21 w/ Heaven Shall Burn, The Halo Effect & The Black Dahlia Murder
US
Apr 16: Sacramento, CA – Channel 24 Apr 17: Los Angeles, CA – Novo Apr 19: Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater Apr 20: Albuquerque, NM – Revel Apr 22: San Antonio, TX – Aztec Apr 23: Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Apr 25: Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha Apr 26: Des Moines, IA – Val Air Apr 28: Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall Apr 29: Moline, IL – The Rust Belt Apr 30: Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe May 01: Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Club Stage May 02: Fort Wayne, IN – The Clyde May 04: Huntsville, AL – VBC Mars Music Hall May 05: Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle May 06: Knoxville, TN – Mill & Mine May 07: Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues May 10: Raleigh, NC – The Ritz May 12: Richmond, VA – The National May 13: Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall May 15: New York, NY – Palladium Times Square May 16: Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Riverworks May 19: Wallingford, CT – The Dome May 20: Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino
If you live for heavy atmosphere, velvet screams, and riffs that feel like weather, start here.
Bands like Deftones sort into three lanes. For the closest sonic match, start with Loathe, Fleshwater and Thornhill, who build the same pretty-to-violent whiplash into their songwriting. For Chino Moreno’s own voice in different settings, go to Crosses, Team Sleep and Palms. And for the modern wave that grew out of the same DNA, try Wisp, Moodring and Narrow Head, with Hum, Nothing, Superheaven and Sleep Token filling in the edges. If you only hear one record off this list, make it Loathe’s I Let It In And It Took Everything.
Deftones fans are wired a little differently. You’re not chasing heavy. You’re chasing feeling — that tension between beauty and violence, calm and chaos, intimacy and impact.
Which is exactly why most lists like this get it wrong. They hand you nu-metal contemporaries and call it a day. Nobody wants another band that shared a festival bill in 1998. They want the thing Deftones actually do.
So this isn’t a list of clones. It’s thirteen artists who understand that mood hits as hard as a breakdown, and that the most crushing moment in a song is sometimes the one that barely raises its voice.
Counting down.
13. Hum
If you love Deftones, you owe Hum a thank-you card.
Hum sit at the crossroads of space rock, shoegaze, and alt-metal heft, and their influence quietly bleeds into so much of the modern “heavy-but-dreamy” world. You’d Prefer An Astronaut is the classic, Downward Is Heavenward is the deep-dive masterpiece, and their comeback Inlet proves they can still make huge, immersive music.
Start Here: “Stars,” then Downward Is Heavenward when you’re ready to levitate This is essential listening, period.
12. Nothing
Nothing are a cornerstone of modern shoegaze that still remembers how to be ugly when it needs to be.
There’s a punk spine underneath the haze, and that contrast makes them hit harder than a lot of “pretty” gazey bands. Guilty Of Everything is a classic entry point, and if you want something more spacious and worn-in, The Great Dismal is a mood.
Start Here: “Bent Nail,” “Dig,” then go album-deep For Deftones fans who like their beauty bruised.
Narrow Head are like a love letter to 90s alt heaviness with modern shoegaze texture baked in.
They’ve got that chunky, down-tuned satisfaction Deftones fans crave, but with a more direct “band in a room” punch. Their songwriting is hookier than people expect, which means you’ll catch yourself humming riffs like it’s normal.
Start Here:Moments Of Clarity This one lives in the “grungegaze” pocket and it rules.
10. Palms
Palms is what you get when Chino links up with former Isis members and decides to build something patient, cinematic, and enormous.
It’s post-metal with shoegaze glow and long-form atmosphere, and it’s perfect for Deftones fans who love when songs feel like they’re expanding instead of just “starting and stopping.” The lineup alone tells you it’s serious: Chino Moreno plus three members of Isis.
Start Here: The self-titled Palms album Put it on loud and let it swallow the room.
9. Team Sleep
Team Sleep is Deftones-adjacent in the most intoxicating way: it’s Chino in a dream-state, leaning into trip-hop textures, sleepy guitars, and that half-awake emotional haze.
The self-titled album is the core text. It’s not heavy in the “metal” sense, but it’s heavy in the “this makes me feel something I can’t name” sense.
Start Here: “Blvd. Nights,” “Ever” This is for the Deftones fans who worship the vibe.
8. Crosses
Crosses is the “Chino goes neon” universe: darkwave gloss, electronic pulse, and that unmistakable voice sitting right in the center of it all.
It’s not Deftones, but it absolutely feeds the same fan brain that loves sensual gloom and emotional tension. Their 2023 album Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. is a big, modern statement and the best argument for why Crosses aren’t just a side quest anymore.
Start Here: “Invisible Hand,” then the full album front-to-back If you love Deftones for mood more than riffs, Crosses will get you.
7. Moodring
Moodring don’t hide the influence. They lean into it and then push somewhere else.
The Florida quartet’s debut Stargazer arrived on UNFD in 2022 and got compared to Deftones by basically everyone who reviewed it — which normally kills a band, but Moodring had enough of their own ideas to survive the comparison. Frontman Hunter Young produced it himself, and you can hear the intent: grunge, nu-metal, shoegaze and hardcore all sitting in one record without any of them winning outright.
“SYNC.wav” is the track that’ll land first for Deftones fans, all chugging guitars and that push-pull between crushing and weightless. “Novocaine Bones” goes the other way — pure shoegaze trance. “Xeno (Foreign Love)” closes the album with drums fighting the vocal for space and a build that pays off exactly when it should.
They followed it with Your Light Fades Away, which most of their audience will tell you is the better record.
Start Here: “SYNC.wav,” “Novocaine Bones,” “Xeno (Foreign Love)” Calm and chaos in the same song, which is the whole reason you’re on this page.
6. Superheaven
Superheaven sit in that beautiful, blurry space Deftones fans instinctively gravitate toward — thick, emotionally loaded riffs wrapped in atmosphere.
They emerged under the name Daylight before rebranding, and built their reputation on a sound that feels both nostalgic and timeless. There’s clear 90s DNA running through it, but it never comes across as revival cosplay. It’s heavy, warm and hauntingly melodic.
Their breakout album Jar is essential — not because it mimics Deftones, but because it taps the same emotional tension. Fuzzy, weighty guitars. Melancholy-drenched melodies. Hooks that sneak up on you. That sunlight-through-distortion feeling.
“Youngest Daughter” hits with exactly that magic: vulnerable yet crushing, delicate yet massive. The guitars feel worn-in and human, and the vocal delivery carries a weary sincerity fans of Around The Fur and White Pony will recognise instantly.
Start Here: “Youngest Daughter,” “Poor Aileen,” “Life In A Jar.”
Fair warning — this band becomes a repeat-listen habit very quickly.
5. Fleshwater
If you only add one band off this list to your rotation, there’s an argument it should be this one.
Fleshwater came out of Vein.fm — vocalist Anthony DiDio, drummer Matt Wood and guitarist Jeremy Martin — but they sound nothing like their day job. Add Marisa Shirar on vocals and guitar and you get something else entirely: grungegaze that floats and then bites, with two voices trading off in a way that gives every song a second personality.
We’re Not Here To Be Loved landed in 2022 with Kurt Ballou producing at GodCity, and it’s been quietly building a cult ever since. Twenty-seven minutes, nine songs, not a wasted second. Shirar carries the melodies with a sultry, worn-out apathy that’s pure 90s, and DiDio comes in underneath with the hardcore scream when the song needs teeth.
The demo track “Linda Claire” crossed a million streams before the album even existed. That’s how this band got found — word of mouth, no push, people sending it to each other.
Start Here: “Linda Claire,” “Kiss The Ladder,” “The Razor’s Apple” If you love the White Pony balance of beauty and violence, this is the closest anyone’s got in a decade.
4. Sleep Token
Sleep Token aren’t just “Deftones-adjacent.” They’re one of the few modern bands that truly understand the art of tension, sensuality, and emotional release.
Like Deftones, Sleep Token weaponize contrast. Songs drift through fragile, almost whispered intimacy before detonating into crushing walls of sound. The shift doesn’t feel forced — it feels inevitable.
Their breakout material, particularly across albums like Sundowning, This Place Will Become Your Tomb, and Take Me Back To Eden, thrives on that same push-pull Deftones fans crave:
• Beauty vs brutality • Softness vs impact • Melody vs weight
Then there’s Vessel.
The anonymity, the mystique, the emotionally raw vocal delivery — it creates the same kind of magnetism Chino Moreno fans instantly recognize. It’s not about technical flexing; it’s about feeling everything at once.
Sleep Token live in that same sonic universe where music feels less like entertainment and more like an experience you sink into.
Start Here: “The Summoning,” “Chokehold,” “Alkaline”
Thornhill are one of those rare bands who can go heavy without sounding like they’re just trying to be heavy.
They came up in the modern Australian alt-metal wave, but what makes them Deftones-friendly is the way they build space, tension, and mood into the songwriting. The Dark Pool is the gateway, and Heroine pushes further into sleek, cinematic alt-metal.
Start Here: “Nurture,” “The Haze,” “Arkangel” This is for fans who want bounce, gloss, and menace in the same breath.
2. Wisp
Wisp is what happens when shoegaze stops being “a vibe” and becomes an actual addiction.
She leans into the dreamy haze, sure, but there’s a sharp emotional hook underneath it that feels tailor-made for Deftones fans who live for melancholy glamour and pretty sadness with teeth. If you’ve ever looped the softer Deftones moments and wished the atmosphere lasted longer, Wisp scratches that itch.
Start Here: “Once Then We’ll Be Free” This one hits like late-night driving music when you’re thinking a little too hard.
1. Loathe
Deftones fans don’t need to be “sold” on Loathe. You just need to be pointed at the door and shoved through it.
Loathe specialize in that same whiplash you love from Deftones: pretty-to-violent, soft-to-savage, melody that feels like it’s floating… and then a riff comes in and folds the room in half. Their breakthrough record I Let It In And It Took Everything is basically a masterclass in modern heavy atmosphere, and it’s been openly compared to Deftones for a reason.
Start Here: “Two-Way Mirror,” “Is It Really You?,” “Aggressive Evolution” If you want the “White Pony mood, modern metal weight” lane, this is the #1 answer.
Thirteen is the list, but the rabbit hole goes deeper. If you burn through the above and want more, start with Holy Fawn — the Arizona band whose Death Spells is about as close as anyone gets to the crushing-but-gorgeous thing Deftones do. Cloakroom bring doom weight to shoegaze and make it sound effortless. Greet Death write the saddest heavy songs going. Slow Crush come at it from the Belgian dream-pop side with more bite than you’d expect. Graywave hit the sweet spot between shoegaze dreaminess and grunge grit — hypnotic, but with weight underneath. Life On Venus live in that dream-pop universe where sadness is bright and the whole thing glows in the dark. Deafheaven have drifted further into shoegaze territory with every record and now sit closer to this list than to black metal. And Sundazer are the one nobody’s heard yet — shoegaze haze with grunge grit and the edges left rough, which is exactly the appeal.
AboutDeftones
Deftones formed in Sacramento, California, and emerged as one of the most influential bands to redefine heavy music’s emotional and atmospheric boundaries. Blending alternative metal, shoegaze textures, post-hardcore intensity, and dreamlike melody, the band built a sound that prioritized mood, dynamics, and tension over genre constraints.
Fronted by Chino Moreno, alongside guitarist Stephen Carpenter and drummer Abe Cunningham, Deftones broke through with Adrenaline (1995) before reshaping the landscape with Around The Fur (1997) and the landmark White Pony (2000). Albums like Diamond Eyes, Koi No Yokan, and Ohms further cemented their reputation for balancing crushing heaviness with haunting beauty.
Their legacy extends far beyond nu-metal associations, influencing modern metal, heavy shoegaze, post-metal, and countless bands chasing that elusive mix of aggression, vulnerability, and atmosphere.
TL:DR
If you only hear one record off this list, make it Loathe’s I Let It In And It Took Everything.
The closest sonic matches to Deftones are Loathe, Fleshwater and Thornhill — all three built on the same soft-to-savage contrast.
Three entries are Chino Moreno’s own projects: Crosses for darkwave, Team Sleep for trip-hop and dream rock, and Palms for post-metal alongside three former members of Isis.
If you love the atmospheric side of Deftones, start with Wisp, Team Sleep and Crosses.
If you love the heaviest side, go straight to Loathe, Fleshwater, Thornhill, Moodring and Nothing.
Hum, Nothing and Superheaven are the foundations — the 90s DNA most modern heavy shoegaze is built on.
Sleep Token earn their place for the same reason Deftones do: they weaponize contrast, moving from whispered intimacy to crushing weight in a single bar.
FAQ
What bands sound most like Deftones?
Loathe are the closest modern equivalent, particularly on I Let It In And It Took Everything, which built its reputation on the same pretty-to-violent whiplash. Fleshwater and Thornhill sit in similar territory. If you’re chasing feel rather than sound, Wisp, Team Sleep and Moodring get you there.
Are these bands actually similar to Deftones?
Some are sonically close — Loathe, Fleshwater, Thornhill, Moodring. Others match Deftones in feel rather than sound: Wisp, Team Sleep, Crosses. If you’re here for mood, texture and emotional tension rather than a copy of the riffs, you’re in the right place.
What if I only like the atmospheric Deftones songs?
Start with Team Sleep, Crosses, Wisp and Life On Venus, then work toward Loathe and Narrow Head when you want more weight.
What if I like the heaviest Deftones moments?
Loathe, Fleshwater, Thornhill, Moodring and Nothing are your best starting lane.
Are there bands featuring members of Deftones?
Yes — three of them are on this list. Crosses and Team Sleep are both fronted by Chino Moreno, and Palms pairs Chino with three former members of Isis. All three are worth your time, and all three sound nothing like each other.
What should I listen to first if I’m brand new to all of this?
Loathe’s “Two-Way Mirror.” If that lands, everything else on this list will too.
Alright, Deftones faithful — we know we’ve missed somebody. Who’s the one band you’d have put at number one, and which record should everyone start with? Drop it in the comments, and follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
Last year, the Norwegian captains of progressive metal, Green Carnation, set sail on an epic three-part voyage that had eluded them for more than thirty years. Now, after reaching crushing new highs during its opening chapter, the band is descending into deeper, darker and more personal depths with Part II of A Dark Poem, out April 3 on Season of Mist.
Green Carnation have also shared the stirring new music video for the first part of its booming and bloodstained title track. “Sanguis” fights to stay afloat amidst familial wreckage with clear conviction and a flawless chorus. Though whether those traumas stay buried won’t be revealed until the album comes out, when fans can hear the full nine-minute version of this song in all its grand gloom and doom.
“We wanted A Dark Poem to start off with guns blazing”, Green Carnation vocalist Kjetil Nordhus says in reference to Part I. “But for Part II, we have some very personal stories that we want people to hear. Sanguis invites listeners into our darkest inner rooms with some of the most raw and vulnerable songs that we’ve ever written”.
“A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis hold some of the most personal lyrics that I’ve ever written”, says Stein Roger Sordal, the band’s bassist and primary lyricist. “The lyrics are so personal that I had to go many rounds with myself over whether or not to tone them down. In the end, I chose to keep them as honest as possible”.
If Green Carnation set sail from a familiar place of melancholy on The Shores of Melancholia, then Sanguis finds the veteran prog metal crew far out at sea, fighting to stay afloat against the storm that’s raging in their mind’s eye. “A house, not a home, a heart made of stone, I survived you”. While founded by current guitarist and former Emperor bassist Tchort in the early ‘90s, since A Blessing In Disguise, the band’s bleeding heart has been held in the pen of bassist Stein Roger Sordal. As with the bulk of Part I, Sordal wrote all the lyrics to Part II. However, whereas previous album opener “As Silence Took You” only scratched at the trauma on the surface, “Sanguis” plunges into the emotional undercurrents raging below.
Part II introduces more peaks and valleys into the trilogy’s overarching narrative. But if A Dark Poem contains a silver lining, it’s in the creative partnership that’s helped Green Carnation endure for more than three decades. “It would be different if I had only known Stein Roger for two months, but I know everything that has happened in his life for the last 30 years”, Nordhus says when explaining how he gives voice to the words of his lifelong friend. “It’s easy for me to understand and relate to all of his struggles, all of his pleasures and joys, because I’ve been a part of them as well”.
Tracklist
1. Sanguis (9:05)
2. Loneliness Untold, Loneliness Unfold (4:04)
3. Sweet to the Point of Bitter (5:58)
4. I Am Time (5:39)
5. Fire in Ice (7:03)
6. Lunar Tale (5:25)
Full runtime: 37:16
Recording lineup
Kjetil Nordhus – Vocals
Stein Roger Sordal – Bass, Rhythm Guitars, Lead Guitars, Keyboards, Lead Vocals on “Loneliness Untold, Loneliness Unfold”
Bjørn Harstad – Lead Guitars, Effects
Endre Kirkesola – Keyboards, Synthesizers, Organs, Effects, Backing Vocals on “Lunar Tale”
Jonathan Alejandro Perez – Drums
Guest musicians
Ingrid Ose – Flute on “Lunar Tale”
Tech death metal band Ingested have a new album coming out this May and they’ve released a new single to get you hyped as fuck for its release. The album in question, titled Denigration, boasts 10 new tracks and the first one you’ll hear is “Merciless Reflection”.
Set for release on May 8 via Metal Blade Records, Ingested describe their new offering as a lyrical and sonic reckoning that’s all about “being ground down to your smallest, ugliest version and deciding whether to give in to or weaponize it.”
“Musically, it’s us pulling every thread we’ve laid down over the years, slam, groove, melody, blackened dissonance, and twisting it into something that feels like a definitive statement rather than a reset. This is the sound of being dragged through the dirt and refusing to stay there.”
You’ve only got a couple months before Ingested’s Denigration comes out, so be sure to preorder your copy today. They also have a long list of tour dates coming up, so be sure to check those out below and get your tickets today.
Denigration Track Listing:
1. Dragged Apart (Feat. Skyler Conder of Cell) 2. Merciless Reflection (Feat. Damonteal Harris of PeelingFlesh) 3. Watch You Fold (Feat. John Gallagher of Dying Fetus) 4. Stitch By Stitch 5. We Are All Inherently Evil 6. Dredge The Dark (Feat. Kyle Medina or Bodysnatcher) 7. Oaths Betrayed 8. Beaten Beyond the Veil 9. Steel Toe Truth 10. Cold Sun
INGESTED Co-Headlining w/ Bodysnatcher + Psycho-Frame, Big Ass Truck:
3/04/2026 Engine Rooms – Southampton, UK 3/05/2026 The Fleece – Bristol, UK 3/06/2026 Club Academy – Manchester, UK 3/07/2026 Slay – Glasgow, UK 3/09/2026 Limelight 2 – Belfast, UK 3/10/2026 Whelans – Dublin, IE 3/11/2026 The Key Club – Leeds, UK 3/12/2026 Rescue Rooms – Nottingham, UK 3/13/2026 Asylum – Birmingham, UK 3/14/2026 The Depo – Plymouth, UK 3/15/2026 The Garage – London, UK
Direct support to Bodysnatcher w/ Psycho-Frame, Big Ass Truck:
3/17/2026 Hole44 – Berlin, DE 3/18/2026 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK 3/19/2026 Logo – Hamburg, DE 3/20/2026 Faust – Hannover, DE 3/21/2026 Rock Cafe – Prague, CZ 3/22/2026 Hydrozagadka – Warsaw, PL 3/24/2026 Szene – Vienna, AT 3/25/2026 Backstage – Munich, DE 3/26/2026 Kiff – Aarau, CH 3/27/2026 Dynamo – Eindhoven, NL 3/28/2026 Matrix -Bochum, DE 3/29/2026 Trix Club – Antwerp, BE
INGESTED: Chaos & Carnage Tour w/ Thy Art Is Murder, Carnifex, Bodysnatcher, 200 Stab Wounds, Gates To Hell, Bodybox:
5/02/2026 The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ 5/03/2026 El Rey Theater – Albuquerque, NM 5/05/2026 Vibes Event Center – San Antonio, TX 5/06/2026 House Of Blues – Houston, TX 5/08/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN 5/12/2026 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 5/13/2026 Nevermore Hall – Baltimore, MD 5/15/2026 Reverb – Reading, PA 5/17/2026 The Brooklyn Monarch – Brooklyn, NY 5/19/2026 Ramova Theatre – Chicago, IL 5/20/2026 Val Air Ballroom – Des Moines, IA 5/22/2026 Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO 5/23/2026 The Rockwell – Salt Lake City, UT 5/24/2026 Treefort Music Hall – Boise, ID 5/26/2026 Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA 5/27/2026 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR 5/29/2026 UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA 5/30/2026 The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA 5/31/2026 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
BELZEBONG, DOLA and SEKS W CZASACH WOJNY join the ranks for Szczecin’s debut edition
Early Bird tickets sold out – General weekend tickets available!
Szczecin, Poland; 12 February 2026: Hells Bells Festival has unveiled its third wave of band additions to its 2026 inaugural edition. Leading the charge is one of the most iconic voices in heavy metal history, Dirkschneider, who will bring a career-defining set of Accept classics to the Szczecin riverfront on 26-27 June 2026.
Dirkschneider will arrive in Szczecin with a very specific mission: a set comprised entirely of Accept’s greatest hits. While the performance will lean heavily on the legendary “Balls to the Wall” album, fans can expect other Accept anthems too.
In a move that deviates from typical festival hierarchies, the organisers have opted for a “Main Acts” philosophy. Rather than a single headliner, the debut edition will be driven by multiple headline shows. Dirkschneider joins the likes of Grave Digger, Cockney Rejects, Discharge, Furia, Vader and Dezerter.
Adding a heavy dose of fuzz to the lineup are Belzebong, who are widely regarded as one of Poland’s premier musical exports in the stoner/doom genre. Their hazy, riff-driven walls of sound have earned them a cult following across the international festival circuit, making them a perfect fit for the industrial atmosphere of Łasztownia.
The experimental side of the underground is represented by Dola. Over the last decade, the band has emerged as one of the most fascinating entities in Polish music, defying easy categorization. Their sound is a bleak and beautiful fusion of avant-garde black metal, ritual ambient, and sludge, occasionally punctuated by jazz and electronic elements. It is music that demands total focus and offers a unique, immersive experience.
Finally, the festival welcomes the raw energy of Seks W Czasach Wojny (transl.: Sex in Times of War). One of the most talked-about young punk crews in Poland, they have built a massive following through a strict DIY ethic and incendiary live shows that often outshine the veteran acts on the bill. Their inclusion brings a vital, fresh spirit to the 2026 lineup, proving that the future of the Polish punk scene is in safe hands.
Hells Bells Festival will take place in the heart of Szczecin, Poland, on 26-27 June 2026. The venue is the scenic Plac Gryfitów on Łasztownia, a historic island district in Szczecin known for its iconic “Craneosaurs” (historic port cranes) and stunning views of the Oder River. The festival will deliver a mix of international legends, top domestic acts and younger new bands.
Early bird weekend tickets have sold out but general weekend tickets are still available via the official festival website. In addition to standard passes, the festival offers reduced rates for minors (ages 13-18) and special family tickets (for children under 13 with a guardian).
Interview With House Of Hosts – West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26
1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band.
Sup! We’re House of Hosts! We’re a Welsh 5 piece alt metal/metalcore/early2000’s metal band from Swansea/Bridgend and..Bristol (side eye)! We’ve been together now as a full band since 2022 after reforming the old HOH which started in 2014!
2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2026 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?
So we absolutely LOVE playing the MTTM gigs – from the rush of the competition to the energy of the crowd and getting to create some amazing contacts for future gigs. This will be our (I want to say) 2nd time playing the MTTM show? Last time we made it to the quarters, and this year we have put so much work into finessing our set/stage appearance and we want to try and push it all the way!
3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?
The local scene is everything to us – without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today!
It’s been said that local music is a dying scene – but we can disagree with that as we’ve seen nothing but amazing rising bands emerge and faithful crowds that are keeping the scene alive!
4. We have a slightly different set up this year with Heats/Quarters/Semis taking place at Bunkhouse/Green Rooms. Have you played the venue before or is this your first time? Are you excited to get on those stages?
Oh, the Bunkhouse *Heart eyes* <3.
We have a deep fondness for this venue, purely because it is f**king amazing! The staff, sound tech Kalebh, the owner Will – oof! We began our journey pretty much at the bunkhouse, and the support and professionalism we have seen from them to this day are immense! We cannot wait to get back onto that stage and give it our all in homage to our fantastic hosts!
5. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?
Honestly? It’s just getting on that stage and connecting with the crowd through our music. Being given the opportunity to play our tracks to people who may have not seen us before, is enough in itself. We’re deeply honoured!
(…but obviously getting the chance to play Bloodstock is a given…right?!)
6. What would getting to our Day Of Wreckoning final and the possibility of playing Bloodstock Festival 2026 mean to you?
It would be a defining moment in our musical journey, it would prove that hard work and dedication can pay off big time!
7. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?
We would like to say check out all the bands!
Thawn: bring a an old school distortion vibe with some wicked riffs and fantastic vocals
Clarity As Arson: bring the heaviness in with ferocity and a beastly vocals.
Antique Curse: Delivering some old school heavy metal which will please everyone’s ears.
8. Tell us in five words why people should come and see your band?
Cinematic dynamics
