Category: news

When Digable Planets member Ishmael Butler announced his Seattle art-rap project Shabazz Palaces about 15 years ago, he presented it as a loose and mysterious collective. Now, Shabazz Palaces is essentially Butler’s solo project, though he’s still getting plenty of help in making his records. And now there’s a new record on the way. This fall, Shabazz Palaces will follow the 2024 mini-album Exotic Birds Of Prey and the eight-minute standalone single “Time Knows Me” with a new LP called It’s A Style Sport.

The post Shabazz Palaces Announces New Album <em>It’s A Style Sport</em>: Hear “Ahh World (I Won The Alphabet)” appeared first on Stereogum.

– August 11th, 2026 –

New Video / Single Now Playing + Pre-Orders Available

Watch/stream RAM’s “Ghost Emperor” HERE

Swedish heavy metal titans RAM will release their new full-length, titled Against, on October 9th through Metal Blade Records.

It has been nearly seven years since The Throne Within, an album defined by its spiritual and metaphysical themes. With Against, RAM takes a more grounded approach, focusing on the experience of being pushed beyond reasonable limits and refusing to comply. The album captures that moment of resistance “that fire of defiance, which ultimately defines its title and message,” as the band collectively states.

Photo by Sanna Bäckström

For the production, RAM reunited with their longtime collaborator Johan Reiven, who had previously worked with the band on Lightbringer (2009). Without their own studio – having sold Black Path Studios – the band recorded at Studio Recordia in Varberg, Sweden. “At first, I wasn’t really comfortable not being in my own domain,” admits singer Oscar Carlquist. “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).” The approach resulted in a rich, organic sound that enhanced the album’s overall character.

Musically, both guitarists continue to favor bridge pickups, maintaining a sharp and aggressive tone. The equipment used on Against reflects a classic approach, contributing to a sound that feels both timeless and direct. Sonically, Against was conceived as a return to classic recording philosophies. Drawing inspiration from the early works of Dio, MSG, and Sweet, the goal was to create an honest and unpolished sound. What you hear is what you get! In a music landscape increasingly divided into countless subgenres, the band positions itself deliberately outside of categorization. The title Against itself reinforces the band’s longstanding identity as nonconformists, viewing heavy metal as a form of sonic rebellion.

Watch RAM‘s “Ghost Emperor” video HERE

“We do not give a fuck 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,” asserts Carlquist.

As a precursor to the release, RAM delivers the record’s lead single, “Ghost Emperor” and an accompanying video.

Carlquist comments, “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.“

RAM‘s Against full-length will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

180g Black
Clear Lilac Marbled
Purple Melt (Ltd. 300)
Crystal Clear Blackdust (Ltd. 300)
Silver Black Splatter (Ltd. 250)

Find pre-orders at: metalblade.com/ram

Against Track Listing:
01. Obsession
02. Ghost Emperor
03. One Vs. All
04. Abattoir
05. Out of Control
06. Leaving
07. Against
08. Night Blade
09. Rising Again
10. 1984
11. The Final Hour

RAM Live:
9/12/09/2026 Candelabrum Metalfest – León, MX
10/09/2026 TBA – Gothenburg, SE *Release Show
12/04/2026 Spectrum – Murcia, ES
12/05/2026 Peter Rock – Valencia, ES
12/06/2026 Upload – Barcelona, ES
12/07/2026 Urban – Vitoria, ES
3/12-13/2027 Heavy Metal Thunder Fest – Pisek, CZ
5/20-22/2027 Iron Fest – Ohmbachsee, DE

“After all these years, RAM still perfectly embodies what real metal must be; passionate, Luciferian, antagonistic, and musically overpowering. Oscar’s vocals are some of the best in the genre; fearless and full of intent. A heavy metal soundtrack for the twilight of the world.” – Erik Danielsson, Watain

“Just when you thought it was safe to be dead, RAM resurrects you only to kill you again. I have loved this band since the very start, and Against contains some of their strongest material to date, in terms of both lyrics and music. This is thinking man’s metal of the highest order!” – Christian Lindell, Portrait

“There’s only one band in Sweden making classic heavy metal without it sounding like a pastiche or tribute act to the old days. Oscar is Sweden’s best and most charismatic singer and frontman. Why isn’t this one of the leading bands in the genre? Probably because they are completely uncompromising and refuse to bend the knee or kiss the asses required to reach the biggest stages. Against is every bit as good as everything else they’ve done. Elite!” – Sebastian Ramstedt, Necrophobic/Nifelheim

“After seven years, RAM are finally back with another anthem-fueled album. While remaining true to their roots, they are opening their sound and manage to show a few new angles to their classic heavy metal. Can’t wait to bang my head to ‘Night Blade’ at a show of one of the best live bands of our times!” – S. Castevet, Vulture

“Pure heavy metal, raw and unfiltered. Just my cup of tea!” – Niklas Stålvind, Wolf

RAM:
Oscar Carlquist – vocals
Morgan Pettersson – drums
Harry Granroth – guitar
Martin Jonsson – guitar
Tobias Petterson – bass

https://ram-metal.com
https://www.facebook.com/RAMheavymetal
https://www.instagram.com/RAMheavymetal

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Last year, Anxious released their awesome second record Bambi. The Connecticut emo outfit is getting ready for their stacked tour with Citizen, Hotline TNT, Rocket, and Cryogeyser, so they’re sharing a new banger called “Don’t Move,” which takes influence from Jimmy Eat World and up-and-coming Australian indie duo Armlock.

The post Anxious – “Don’t Move” appeared first on Stereogum.

“Blow Up” rips. Axis: Sova’s new release out today, the opening track and lead single from new album Flowerage, is technically a post-punk song, but it’ll almost certainly elicit a “hell yeah” from those who love to rock. Brett Sova, Jeremy Freeze, and Josh Johannpeter lock into a propulsive rhythm and pile on the riffs, like Wire or Mission Of Burma if they were embracing the classic rock playbook rather than defying it. There may even be a whiff of Rush in the mix, but not at the expense of the anxious, urgent energy you’d expect from, say, Devo. “No flash, no flash/ Photography!” Sova bellows on the chorus. “Trigger, trigger/ Warning, warning.”

The post Axis: Sova Announce New Album <em>Flowerage</em>: Hear “Blow Up” appeared first on Stereogum.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RHINO PROOF, HUBRIS, ABADDON INCARNATE, HAZE MAGE, BINARY ORDER, FAR FROM REFUGE, BROKEN TRINITY & CHOKE ME! FEATURED IN DECIBEL MAGAZINE!

Eight Metal Devastation PR Artists Represent the Latest Wave of Underground Heavy Music in This Month’s Issue of Decibel Magazine

Metal Devastation PR is proud to announce that eight artists from its current roster are featured in this month’s MDPR Recommendations advert for Decibel Magazine , one of the most respected publications in extreme and underground heavy music.
Representing a diverse cross-section of the international metal underground, this month’s featured Metal Devastation PR artists are Rhino Proof, Hubris, Abaddon Incarnate, Haze Mage, Binary Order, Far From Refuge, Broken Trinity, and Choke Me!
From Finnish hard rock and heavy metal to Irish deathgrind, American black metal, Baltimore doom, cyberpunk industrial electronics, UK progressive metal, blackened doom/death, and West Coast grindcore/hardcore, the eight featured acts demonstrate just how broad and diverse today’s underground heavy music scene has become.
RHINO PROOF

Finnish hard and heavy outfit Rhino Proof recently signed with Astral Haven Records and unleashed their new single “My Life is Fine.” Formed in Joensuu in 2016, the band made an early impact with their self-titled 2018 debut album, which received strong European critical attention and landed in the Top 5 of Hard Rock Highlights lists in both Italy and Portugal.
Now preparing their second studio album, Rhino Proof are entering a new international chapter with a lineup featuring Jukka Nummi on vocals, Rane Riikonen and Erkko Joronen on guitars, Pasi Nousiainen on bass, and Sami Ratilainen on drums.
HUBRIS

Buffalo, New York underground black metal force Hubris recently unleashed their full-length Acts of Sedition , a relentless 51-plus-minute assault of uncompromising USBM intensity.
The band has also released an animated lyric video for “Lightless Lantern,” created by Daniel Oakes, an industry veteran known for his work on Archer . The cinematic visual expands the album’s themes of collapse, rebellion, destruction, and rebirth.
Fans of Gorgoroth, 1349, and Tsjuder will find plenty of darkness to sink their teeth into.
ABADDON INCARNATE

Irish deathgrind veterans Abaddon Incarnate return with the savage new single “This Verminous Creation,” offering a brutal preview of the band’s next chapter as they prepare to enter the studio for a forthcoming full-length.
Formed in Dublin in 1994, Abaddon Incarnate have spent more than three decades establishing themselves as pioneers of Irish extreme metal. With six full-length albums behind them, including 2022’s critically praised The Wretched Sermon , the band’s latest material continues their tradition of blast-driven chaos, jagged riffing, and venomous vocal attack.
Fans of Nasum, Brutal Truth, Immolation, and Morbid Angel should take notice.
HAZE MAGE

Baltimore sword-and-sorcery doom outfit Haze Mage delivered the final chapter of their saga with their full-length album High Fantasy , released alongside the band’s final live performance at The Ottobar during Grim Reefer Fest.
Since forming in 2015, Haze Mage have built a distinctive sound combining doom, stoner metal, and hard rock with fantastical themes inspired by dark forests, mythical creatures, mystical realms, and the band’s own wonderfully warped imagination.
Drawing inspiration from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden , High Fantasy represents the culmination of years of songwriting and the band’s final release before taking an indefinite hiatus.
The band will continue their work supporting the underground through the ongoing Grim Reefer Fest .
BINARY ORDER

London-based electronic project Binary Order takes the Decibel recommendations into the darker reaches of industrial electronics, dark ambient, IDM, and cinematic cyberpunk.
Created entirely by solo artist Benjamin Blank , Binary Order is currently developing the cyberpunk concept album The Same Dream , with the latest transmission, “Vestige,” continuing a narrative built around digital isolation, artificial existence, manipulated memories, and the fading boundary between human consciousness and machine reality.
Fans of HEALTH, Nine Inch Nails, Lorn, Celldweller, Combichrist, and Perturbator will find themselves right at home inside Binary Order’s digital dystopia.
FAR FROM REFUGE

UK modern alternative/progressive metal force Far From Refuge are continuing their evolution with their ambitious full-length Pillars of Language .
Blending progressive metal, metalcore, alternative metal, and melodic death metal, the Cambridge-based band combine crushing heaviness, soaring melodies, emotional songwriting, and expansive thematic storytelling.
The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Oz Craggs at Hidden Track Studios and explores influences ranging from fantasy and gaming to science fiction, including The Expanse .
With three NMG Awards wins in the Best Artist: Rock/Heavy categories and a growing catalog of releases, Far From Refuge continue to establish themselves as a force within the UK’s modern heavy music scene.
BROKEN TRINITY

Atlanta’s Broken Trinity unleashed their epic debut full-length Challenges Of Gods And Mortals , a blackened doom/death metal journey combining Viking lore, spiritual exploration, mythic storytelling, and massive doom-driven riffs.
After six years of development, the album brings together classic doom foundations, progressive structures, Viking chants, and icy Nordic black metal intensity.
Fans of Draconian, Emperor, and My Dying Bride will find plenty to explore throughout the album.
The band’s dedication to the underground has also been rewarded by the metal community, with Broken Trinity being named MDR Band of the Month in February 2026 after receiving an impressive 46,705 votes in a Battle of the Bands competition.
CHOKE ME!

Los Angeles-based extreme metal outfit Choke Me bring the raw aggression of grindcore, hardcore, and metal together with a fiercely DIY attitude.
Their release “A Violent Phenomenon” , issued via Riot Ready Records , delivers an unapologetically hostile combination of punishing riffs, extreme vocals, and socially charged lyrics.
Written, recorded, and mixed by Wesley Richards, with mastering by Brad Boatright of Audiosiege, the track tackles political and social themes with the kind of raw intensity that has defined the band’s presence in the LA underground.
Fans of Darkest Hour, Magrudergrind, and Punch should take notice.
AND THAT’S JUST THE MDPR REPRESENTATION

The latest issue of Decibel Magazine is stacked from cover to cover, featuring Devil Master on the cover and including an exclusive limited-edition Nunslaughter flexi disc .
Also featured in this month’s issue:
Protest the Hero
Shane Embury
Iron Reagan
Prepare the Ground 2026 reviewed
Decibel Hall of Fame: ISIS’ Celestial
Deathgrave
Faerie Ring
Speedslut
Reeking Aura
And more

The placement also demonstrates the sheer range of artists represented by the Metal Devastation PR roster.
Eight artists. Eight different approaches to heavy music. One mission: getting great underground music heard.
From established extreme metal veterans to emerging artists and genre-defying projects, Metal Devastation PR continues to provide strategic promotion designed to put independent heavy music in front of journalists, magazines, radio stations, podcasts, websites, playlists, and metal fans around the world.
METAL DEVASTATION PR

Rhino Proof
Hubris
Abaddon Incarnate
Haze Mage
Binary Order
Far From Refuge
Broken Trinity
Choke Me!
Eight MDPR clients. One killer issue of Decibel Magazine.
Metal Devastation PR
Bringing the Underground to the World.
Grab a copy here: https://store.decibelmagazine.com/collections/back-issues/products/september-2026-263
Get featured in a future issue: https://metal-devastation-radio-store.myshopify.com/collections/metal-devastation-pr-packages

Interview: Sepultura @ Bloodstock Festival

Interviewed by Cat Finch

Ahead of their final UK show Sepultura vocalist Derrick Green spoke to us at Bloodstock.

We discuss why the band chose Bloodstock for their final UK show, the importance of M2TM helping fill the void they leave, the negative impact of gatekeepers across the scene, plans for their final show in Brazil and what he plans to do post Sepultura.

You can listen to the interview below, or jump over to any of the usual streaming services!

Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music

Check out all of our interviews on the usual podcast channels!

Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music

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

The post Interview: Sepultura @ Bloodstock Festival appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

The drama surrounding Levon Helm Studios continues. The late legend Levon Helm, most famous as the drummer and singer for the Band, founded the Woodstock, New York studio and music venue in the ’70s. After Helm died in 2012, his daughter Amy Helm, herself a celebrated singer-songwriter, essentially took the space over, and she regularly headlined the Midnight Rambles, the annual shows that her father started in 2004. Earlier this year, though, Amy was pushed out of her role at Levon Helm Studios under what she described as “disturbing circumstances.”

The post Levon Helm Studios Sues Amy Helm, Alleging Years Of Self-Dealing appeared first on Stereogum.

Posted on August 11th 2026, 3:09pm

Teenagers arrested in connection with the murder of a 37-year-old man in Bulgaria have incited controversy by wearing heavy metal t-shirts in court.

Four of the five teens accused of beating Georgi Kuzev to death in Plovdiv on August 4 appeared at their hearing on Friday (August 7) sporting merch by metal bands – namely Powerwolf, Mayhem, Pantera and Sepultura.

The fashion choice has become national news. Tabloid paper 24 Chasa (24 Hours) published a story with the headline, “Satanic black metal brings together teenage killers from Plovdiv” (translated from Bulgarian via Google). The article alleges that the bands “send aggressive messages and set an example of brutal violence for their fans”.

It focuses in particular on the past violent actions of Mayhem’s former bassist Varg Vikernes. In 1994, Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison (Norway’s then-maximum prison sentence) for murdering guitarist Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth and burning down Christian churches. He was released on parole in 2009.

On Facebook, 24 Chasa’s reporting has stirred up debate about whether or not heavy metal encourages violent behaviour.

One user comments (translated via Meta): “The problem is not with the t-shirts. It’s not with the music. The problem is much deeper – in moral values, in upbringing, in parental control, and most of all, in the absence of parents from their own children’s lives.”

“Neither Pantera nor Sepultura has anything to do with Satanism,” adds another. “Mayhem is a different story. But the music has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

Another commenter disagrees, writing: “This metal band [Mayhem] is quite crooked. I used to listen to them. Well, I didn’t become a murderer, but the group is definitely extreme and is associated with unpleasant things for normal people.”

Another adds: “It’s no coincidence that I don’t like rock, rap, metal and similar genres. Ever since my sister translated the titles of songs by Metallica and similar artists for me, I was horrified.”

Bulgarian TV channel Nova reports that the shirts have “led to many speculations that it was the children’s musical interests that prompted them to show aggression”.

The Plovdiv District Court ruled on Friday that the five teens had to remain in custody. A judge said that there was sufficient evidence to reasonably assume the defendants attacked Kuzev and that there was no evidence to suggest the victim provoked them. Two of the accused are making appeals which will be heard in court on Thursday (August 13).

According to prosecutors, the teens imitated an online far-right “paedophile hunter” group and set up a meeting between Kuzev and a 17-year-old girl posing as a 15-year-old. Kuzev was assaulted for an hour at Youth Hill, Plovdiv and sustained serious injuries. He died several hours after being taken to hospital.

Kuzev had never been charged with a sexual offence and prosecutors said he did not lie about his age during the online interactions with the girl.

None of the bands whose t-shirts were worn by the accused have commented on the matter.

Multiple heavy metal artists have been accused of encouraging violent behaviour before, though none have ever been found legally responsible for a crime committed by one of their fans.

In 1990, the parents of a young American man who attempted suicide took civil action against Judas Priest. They alleged that the band subliminally included the phrase “do it” in their 1978 song Better By You, Better Than Me, which encouraged the man and one of his friends to try and take their own lives. The case was ultimately dismissed.

Similarly, following the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, right-wing politicians and media outlets targeted shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, alleging that his music influenced the two shooters’ actions. In 2005, Ashley Bird, then-editor of Kerrang!, told The Guardian, “[Manson’s] songs are not about murdering people – his message is that there are a lot of people out there who feel forgotten and misunderstood.”

Death Valley Girls have been through a lot since their last album, 2022’s Islands In The Sky. The trippy LA band’s lead singer and songwriter Bonnie Bloomgarden lost her Altadena home in the California wildfires and said goodbye to her beloved dog Tommy. Now, Death Valley Girls are making their triumphant return to announce a new LP called Welcome To Earth. The lead single, “Message From The Venus Flower,” is a resilient anthem.

The post Death Valley Girls Announce New Album <em>Welcome To Earth</em>: Hear “Message From The Venus Flower” appeared first on Stereogum.