I’ve always been more drawn to art that induces ‘negative’ emotions over ‘positive’ ones.¹ I hate happy endings; I want art to make me cry or feel deeply unsettled; I feel deeply soothed by the pathos of wallowing. As a result, the depressive goth-synth-doom of Hours of Worship more than appeals. Morbid Hearts, Trembling Master, and Wound are back, this time joined by new permanent member Loathe, who lends her voice to the chorus of apathy. Resignation, as its name suggests, turns from the bitterness and despair of The Cold that You Left and the Death & Dying duology towards the acceptance and even welcoming of death. As ever, Hours of Worship give funeral doom and DSBM a run for their money in the bleakness of their concept and the sound of their music. But Resignation shows, perhaps best in their career so far, how something so bleak can still be beautiful.

Resignation is the closest Hours of Worship have come to metal, the blurred boundary between the synthetic and the metallic intensifying the cheerlessness. Distorted screams and growls are often the sole voice or duet alongside sung vocals, wrapped in weeping or eerie refrains in ways that variously remind me of Clouds (“You Hold No Value,” “Violent Thoughts are Not Enough”) and None (“True Loathe,” “Resignation”). Dissonance pulls at the corners of several of the primarily mournful melodies, led by odd key arrangements and layering of guitar and synths. This peaks in mid-album “Solace,” a collaboration with Psywarfare, whose disturbing electro-noise meets Hours of Worship’s ambience for an experience akin to a darker, much more frightening version of Bong-Ra. Stepping not once out of a funereal somnambulation, compositions progress to a soft, minimalist beat and let the lamenting melody lead; suspended animation is replaced with a smarter use of liminal space and a realised sense of build.

In Resignation’s particular blend and evolution of the act’s musical strands, Hours of Worship have found their truest and most wretched expression. The characteristic intoxicating sullenness of minor melodies, gently swaying grooves, and apathetic cleans is deepened to dangerously opioid levels. Refrains are yet more direly lugubrious and gorgeous (“Resignation,” “The Weight Beneath,” “Violent Thoughts…”), and there’s considerably more depth to their trajectories that layer synths and guitars for dreamlike (“Lower than Want,” “Bury Me in Deep Waters”) and emphatic (“You Hold No Value,” “The Weight Beneath”) effect. Hours of Worship use rhythm to accentuate these themes, dropping the beat (“You Hold…,” “Resignation,” “Bury Me…”) or just the percussion (“The Weight Beneath,” “Violent Thoughts…”) out suddenly, syncing vocals with scales and chimes with purring feedback pulses to the tempo of the album’s ebbing heartbeat. Loathe is a perfect addition, her haunting singing striking the balance between apathetic and despairing, channelling the canny rhythms through listless repetitions (“The Weight Beneath”). She acts as a foil to the morose cleans and agonised growls of her masculine counterparts who often go together in a baleful duet (“Resignation,” “Violent Thoughts…”) or snarl in almost defensive cruelty (“You Hold No Value,” “Solace”) while she laments alone in open vulnerability (“Lower than Want,” “The Weight Beneath”).

Relative to its style and subgenre, Resignation is compelling. Kindred spirits of myself and Hours of Worship, who love the gloom, shouldn’t have any problem with getting in an appropriately receptive mood, but this time the more involved and better developed compositions are likely to lure some previous naysayers to the graveyard. Baleful and melancholic in the majority, the album is but slightly weakened by the almost uplifting melody of closer “Abattoir Heart.” The brutal “Solace”—though powerful in how confrontationally dissonant and unsettling it is, also sticks out a little too much for comfort—as though comfort were really Hours of Worship’s concern. Despite these reservations, Resignation flows assuredly and strangely enough feels very consistent, with no lapses in the magnetism of the melodies or the misery.

Hours of Worship may have seemed like an act that wouldn’t evolve beyond the particularly languid lugubriousness of the Death & Dying duology. Yet they step into a new chapter here with a nuance and depth that add meaningful layers to already bottomless woe. Resignation may not be formed quite right to deliver a killing blow, but never have they come so seductively close.

---

Rating: Very Good²
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: FLAC
Label: Worship the Dead
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

The post Hours of Worship – Resignation Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Dave Mustaine says he’s sitting on news that’s “so massive” he can barely stand it — and he’s already told fans it’s “out of this world.” In a new interview with Turkey’s Apaçık Radyo, the Megadeth frontman confirmed a July announcement is coming, one he’s tying directly to a second Megacruise voyage — and he made clear this time, he’s actually going to be on the boat.

STREAM THE METAL BREAKDOWN DAILY NOW:

Scott Penfold breaks down Dave Mustaine’s cryptic “out of this world” tease on today’s Metal Breakdown Daily — digging into what a second Megacruise could actually look like, why Mustaine missing the first one in 2019 turned out to be a bigger deal than anyone realized at the time, and whether “out of this world” is just hype or an actual hint at something bigger. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play to stream the full breakdown.

What Dave Mustaine Actually Said

Mustaine didn’t hold back on the hype. Asked about Megadeth’s plans for the coming months, he confirmed a “Peace Sails” cruise is in the works — a follow-up to the original Megacruise, which set sail October 13-18, 2019. This time, he says, he’ll actually be there. Mustaine missed the first voyage entirely after falling seriously ill just before departure — a moment he now says was an early warning sign of the throat cancer he’d be diagnosed with soon after.

The Announcement Everyone’s Trying To Decode

Mustaine gave almost nothing away beyond the hype itself, calling the coming news “out of this world” not once but twice in the same breath. Whether that’s just Mustaine being Mustaine or an actual hint buried in plain sight is anyone’s guess right now — but it’s exactly the kind of tease that’s going to have fans running theories until July actually arrives.

Mustaine Opens Up On His Cancer Remission

The conversation turned serious when Mustaine reflected on missing the original 2019 Megacruise. He’s now been in remission from squamous cell carcinoma since early 2020, and he described the toll the treatment took in blunt terms — ongoing dental damage from radiation and chemotherapy that’s left him needing repeated repairs and eventual implants. Still, Mustaine was quick to frame his situation with real gratitude, noting that many tongue cancer patients lose the ability to speak entirely, something he’s grateful he was spared. He also revealed he now deliberately refers to himself as a survivor rather than a patient, a mindset shift he says matters more than people realize.

That same conversation is also where fans are getting their first real detail on Mustaine’s upcoming memoir, “In My Darkest Hour,” which chronicles his cancer journey and arrives September 8, 2026 via Grand Central Publishing’s Da Capo imprint. Mustaine said revisiting the accounts of people who witnessed his treatment up close was an emotional experience, even for him.

We Also Recommend – Every Megadeth Album Ranked Worst To Best (2026 Definitive List)

The Space Gig Dream Resurfaces

This isn’t the first time Mustaine has floated an out-of-this-world idea for Megadeth’s endgame. Back in November, he told Metal Hammer he’d love the final show of Megadeth’s multi-year farewell run to happen in actual outer space — floating the idea of a full moon landing show, not just a joyride to the edge of the atmosphere. Given how seriously he’s taken every other detail of Megadeth’s send-off — including ruling out a full-lineup reunion to protect his current bandmates — it’s worth wondering whether “out of this world” is doing some quiet double duty here.

Mustaine’s referenced Elon Musk and Richard Branson’s work on commercial space travel as reason to think a real space gig isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds, and pointed to celebrities like Katy Perry and William Shatner already making the trip. Whether Megadeth actually pulls off a literal space show remains to be seen — but it’s clearly still very much alive in Mustaine’s head, and it’s the kind of quote that guarantees fans will be watching July’s announcement extra closely.

Why This Matters For Megadeth’s Final Chapter

This all comes during a genuinely emotional stretch for the band. Megadeth recorded their album “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!” while Mustaine was actively undergoing cancer treatment, and he’s been candid about how brutal parts of that process were — even while insisting he “didn’t do terrible.” Combined with everything we’ve tracked about the band’s farewell tour plans and Mustaine’s history of turning adversity into fuel, a “massive” and “out of this world” July announcement lands differently once you know what he’s actually been through to get here.

Also – 13 Shocking Facts About Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine: From Witchcraft to the Ultimate Revenge

TL;DR

• Dave Mustaine teased a “massive,” “out of this world” announcement coming in July 2026
• The news is tied to a second Megacruise (“Peace Sails”), following the original 2019 voyage Mustaine missed due to illness
• Mustaine has been in cancer remission since early 2020 and discussed the lasting physical toll of his treatment
• His memoir “In My Darkest Hour” arrives September 8, 2026
• Mustaine again referenced his wish to have Megadeth’s farewell tour end with a literal space concert

FAQ: Dave Mustaine’s Massive Announcement

Whatever Mustaine’s cooking up for July, the man’s earned the right to be dramatic about it. Sound off in the comments with your best guess at what “out of this world” actually means, and follow Loaded Radio so you don’t miss the reveal when it drops.

The post Dave Mustaine Teases Massive News — Still Dreams Of A Megadeth Space Gig appeared first on Loaded Radio.

Melancholic aggression and intensity await in the new single release, “When The Sun Comes Out At Night” featuring Johan Lindstrand (THE CROWN). With a line-up formed of three previous members of AMON AMARTH, and completed with Clint Williams, FIMBUL WINTER embarks on greater exploration and development of melodic death metal. This latest endeavor follows the band’s previous single “Crowned In Ash” and the […]

Source

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANOTHER DEMON CROWNED JULY 2026 BAND OF THE MONTH AFTER MASSIVE 78,786,044 VOTE VICTORY

D eath/thrash metal powerhouse Another Demon have officially been crowned Battle of the Bands Champions and Band of the Month for July 2026 after an astonishing 78,786,044 votes , making it one of the biggest victories ever recorded in the competition.
The overwhelming show of support from metal fans around the globe propelled the band to a landslide victory throughout June, proving that Another Demon continue to build serious momentum within the international underground metal scene.
Leading the charge is their crushing single “Drawn and Quartered” , featuring legendary guitarist James Murphy . Murphy delivers melodic lead guitar work throughout the song’s haunting interludes while unleashing a blistering second guitar solo that perfectly complements the band’s relentless assault.
Originally released on September 22, 2023 through Ragebreed Records as part of the EP As Above So Below , “Drawn and Quartered” remains a standout example of Another Demon’s uncompromising approach to extreme metal.
Driven by savage riffs, crushing rhythms, and vivid lyrical storytelling inspired by one of history’s most brutal methods of execution, the track delivers an intense listening experience from beginning to end. The song’s relentless pacing and uncompromising aggression have made it a fan favorite among listeners who crave old school death and thrash metal brutality with modern precision.
The As Above So Below EP showcases the band’s signature blend of ferocious death metal intensity and razor sharp thrash influences. Packed with crushing guitar work, punishing rhythms, and dark, menacing atmosphere, the release has earned praise from fans of extreme metal for its unapologetically heavy sound and unwavering commitment to the genre.
The EP features:
Frank Tosi , Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Max Capshaw , Bass and Vocals
Frank Vaturina , Drums
Music was written by Frank Tosi, with arrangements by Frank Tosi and Frank Vaturina. Lyrics were written by Max Capshaw.
The EP was produced by Frank Tosi, Max Capshaw, and Richie Kennon, and recorded during the winter of 2022-2023. Engineering, mixing, and mastering were handled by Richie Kennon at Barking Dog Studios in New York, delivering a powerful production that captures the band’s crushing live energy.
Receiving 78,786,044 votes in the June Battle of the Bands competition is a remarkable achievement and reflects the incredible dedication of Another Demon’s fanbase. Their victory is more than just a contest win. It is a testament to the band’s growing reputation and the worldwide support they continue to earn through their uncompromising brand of extreme metal.
As July 2026 Band of the Month , Another Demon now join an elite group of Battle of the Bands champions whose music has resonated with metal fans across the globe.
Congratulations to Another Demon on an unforgettable victory and a well-deserved place in Battle of the Bands history.
As Above So Below by Another Demon

Connect:
https://anotherdemon.bandcamp.com/album/as-above-so-below
https://www.instagram.com/another_demon_official/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3kNaNyl0Lcp2NffXJUwjT6
https://www.facebook.com/anotherdemonofficial
Contact: tourdethrashproductions@gmail.com

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Tesla guitarist Dave Rude has explained why the band is unlikely to release another full-length album of original material, pointing to the practical realities of a catalog-heavy setlist and the diminishing returns of studio albums for a band at Tesla’s career stage.

Speaking with Scott Itter of Dr. Music (transcribed by Blabbermouth), Rude described the setlist constraints that make new material a hard sell: “There’s 85% of that set — they’re all songs that we can’t not play. We kind of have to do a lot of the set. So when we look at the set now, there’s kind of two or three spots, maybe four, [where] we can swap out songs. And even just one change is, like, ‘Whoo, it was so different tonight. That three and a half minutes where we did something a little different was cool.’”

Rude went further, arguing that the quality of a new record is almost beside the point: “We could make the next Black Album [Metallica] right now, the best album of all time — you can make the next Appetite For Destruction [Guns N’ Roses], it doesn’t matter. People aren’t gonna wanna hear the new songs — they wanna hear the stuff they grew up with, which I totally get. I’m the same way. So more than one or two songs in the set that are new is kind of overkill. And then it’s not really worth all the time and effort of making a full 12-song album. You’re gonna get less Tesla shows. We’re gonna earn less money. Our crew won’t be working. And at the end of the day, people wanna hear those old songs anyway, so why not just keep touring?”

Rude said the single-by-single model has proven a more sustainable alternative: “Doing one song, a single, whether it’s a cover or an original, that’s pretty doable. We can find the time to write one song. We can find the time to record it, and then we press it up on vinyl, maybe make a video, make some new T-shirts. It kind of makes it fun. It refreshes it for us, refreshes it for the fans enough.”

He added that the inability to release full records as a band has fueled each member’s solo output: “There’s just no money and it’s very difficult — on paper, it’s pointless to put out new music, but it’s not for us. It’s just because we need to. When I was doing those shows on the [2026 Monsters Of Rock] cruise a couple months ago, it was the funnest thing. It had been so long since I’d done any solo shows, and it was so reinvigorating and it felt so good.”

Rude’s comments echo those of his bandmate, guitarist Frank Hannon, who told the Talk Louder podcast last month: “We have gotten into doing the one-song-at-a-time thing. And at our age now and where we are, it seems to be working for us better to just not put the pressure of trying to fabricate 10 or 12 songs all at once.”

Bassist Brian Wheat offered a related thought to Radio Bypass in February 2025, centering the question of Tesla’s future on vocalist Jeff Keith: “When Jeff can’t sing to the level he does now, there won’t be Tesla. I’m not up for getting an Arnel [Pineda]-style soundalike or somebody else to sing with Tesla. Jeff’s voice is Tesla. When he can’t sing anymore, we owe it to ourselves and to the fans to call it a day.”

Tesla’s forthcoming release, Homage — a covers album honoring timeless rock hits associated with Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Sam Cooke, Etta James, James Brown, and others — is due July 17, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl. Previously released singles from the project include the band’s cover of Climax Blues Band’s “I Love You” and Queen’s 1977 classic “Spread Your Wings.”

Tesla is Jeff Keith on vocals, Frank Hannon on guitar, Dave Rude on guitar, Brian Wheat on bass, and Steve Brown on drums.

The post TESLA’s DAVE RUDE: “People Aren’t Gonna Wanna Hear the New Songs — They Wanna Hear the Stuff They Grew Up With” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

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The first thing we learned about NYC-based singer-songwriter is that he’s friendly with the Wednesday/MJ Lenderman circle of musicians that represents the current epicenter of his favored slacker country sound. When we learned about Hercules, Nelson’s new album for the vital newish K Records imprint Perennial, the big hook was the Lenderman co-produced it and a bunch of key players from the Asheville scene were on it, including Karly Hartzman, Ethan Baechtold, Xandy Chelmis, and Landon George. That album is out this week, and it’s getting one more big boost from that community.

The post MJ Lenderman, Karly Hartzman, & Brad Cook Join Tracey Nelson At Durham Popup appeared first on Stereogum.

The new-look Asia line-up have shared a video for their brand new single, The Traveller (Into The Light). It’s the first new studio music rrom the band’s latest incarnation of long-standing keyboard player Geoff Downes, John Mitchell (It Bites, Lonely Robot, Kino, Frost* and more), Planet X drummer Virgil Donati and bassist and vocalist Harry Whitley.

The track is taken from the band’s upcoming new studio album, Indigo, which will be released through Frontiers Records on November 6. It’s the band’s first new studio album for 12 years, following on from 2014’s Gravitas.

“The first track off the album is a high-power energy piece, with a few elements of prog trickery but retaining the accessible chorus block, which was always a signature of Asia’s music from the very beginning,” says Downes. “Harry and I started working on this as one of the early ideas that seemed to come together very organically. Virgil’s dynamic and innovative drum parts drive the piece along, while John’s soaring guitars keep the momentum. Harry’s vocals are commanding and my keyboard parts hold the wall of sound together. It’s a song of great optimism, mainly about looking forward to the future and travelling ‘into the light’.”

The new album features two co-writes with the band’s former singer and bassist, the late John Wetton, Tattoo Indigo (Parts 2 & 3) and Chesapeake Bay, the latter featuring a guest appearance from former guitarist, Yes‘s Steve Howe and the former from Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy.

“The initial writing period began in 2015, following the release of our previous album Gravitas in 2014,” Downes continues. “John Wetton and I started putting our ideas together, aiming to get into the studio once more. It was with great sadness that John became seriously ill during this time and we had put on hold our plans, and sadly John passed away before we could continue and complete it. So, it was always in my mind that at some point it would be a shame not to finish off some of these songs and finally release them as part of an Asia album.

“The album was really a joy to make. I forged a close writing relationship with Harry, and I felt how great was to be working with someone who had very similar musical influences and taste once again, just as I did with John. I feel that this is one of our best albums to date. The songs are deep in musicality, with a powerful and original performance, dynamic and strong lyrical undertones—it’s an album that hopefully our fans will widely appreciate and support our cause to put Asia back on the map. Enjoy the ride!” he concluded.

Indigo was recorded throughout 2025 and produced by Downes and the band, with mixing and mastering handled by John Mitchell.

Pre-order Indigo.

Asia: Indigo
1. The Traveller (Into The Light)
2. Change Of Heart
3. Arcadia
4. Is This The Life?
5. Tattoo Indigo (Part 1)
6. Tattoo Indigo (Part 2)
7. Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)
8. Life In The Sun
9. Hymn For The Fallen
10. Night And Day
11. Valencia (The Ghost Ship)
12. An Elegy
13. Chesapeake Bay (featuring Steve Howe)
14. On A Winters Night
15. Echo Of You