Category: news

  • Vinyl Haul At Veneno

    I knew it was going to be a great shop cause it had Scorpions’ In Trance in the window

    The big story round these parts is that I’ve got the vinyl bug back – big time. In February I noticed on Facebook that a new record shop, Veneno Music Store (Spanish for “poison” or “venom”) had opened in Dunfermline. I hadn’t been buying a lot of used vinyl lately so I wasn’t too excited about it. But Dunfermline is a quick drive from where I live and it’s a place I like going to anyway so I decided to visit for a wee nosey. I’ve now been back three times in the last month. Check out what I’ve been buying in the pictures below, it’s like he’s been using my Discogs wish-list to stock his shelves or something.

    I’m really chuffed to finally have such a great record shop in my neck of the woods. The chap that runs it is very friendly and he’s getting in great stuff every week. It’s not all rock and metal, there’s quite a range of genres. All the things I’ve bought were conservatively graded, reasonably priced and have played like a dream. If you’re in the area please make sure to pop in. And tell them that HMO sent you.

  • CRYPTWORM: Infectious Pathological Waste

    Via Me Saco Un Ojo Records / Extremely RottenOut 27 March, 2026 Words by: Liam Hedges Returning with their third full-length album are the UK’s infected brutality-dealers Cryptworm. Infectious Pathological Waste serves as the perfect follow-up to the 2022 debut album Spewing Mephitic Putridity and 2023 release Oozing Radioactive Vomition. This album review really started […]
  • Bladee – “Love Is A State” & “Eyelash”

    Last month, Bladee shared the great track “Magic Misery,” and now he’s back with more. The Swedish rapper unleashed “Love Is A State” and “Eyelash” today, and he sounds better than ever, self-actualized, almost transcendent. After going full evil on 2024’s Cold Visions, he’s switching gears. “Love Is A State” and “Eyelash” are romantic, or…

    The post Bladee – “Love Is A State” & “Eyelash” appeared first on Stereogum.

  • Upcoming Metal Releases: 3/22/26 – 3/28/26

    Here are the new releases for March 22nd to 28th. Releases reflect proposed North American scheduling, if available.



    Upcoming Metal Releases: 3/22/26 – 3/28/26


    Hellripper — Coronach | Century Media Records | Black Metal + Speed Metal | Scotland (Aberdeen)

    In some ways, Coronach is Hellripper’s most Bathory-coded album (as if the whole blackened thrash conceit isn’t already paying royalties to Quorthon). It approaches the epic scale and mythology that Blood Fire Death toyed with through the lens of Hellripper’s native country and with a heavy NWOBHM flair.

    –Colin Dempsey


    …



    Varmia — Lauks | M-Theory Audio | Black Metal | Poland (Olsztyn)

    Following their stellar 2023 album Nie nas widzę, Varmia return with polished pagan black metal. Although Lauks was recorded in castle ruins and features, among other instruments, a goat horn and a krivula, it doesn’t rely on atavism and sounds rather modern. Compared to Nie nas widzę, it feels like Varmia have finally caught up with this century.

    –Colin Dempsey


    …



    Bekor Qilish — Consecrated Abysses of Dread | I, Voidhanger Records | Avant-garde Metal + Death Metal + Black Metal | Italy (Milan)

    A few years ago, I wrote that Bekor Qilish’s last album, The Flesh of a New God, “deconstructed their knotty compositions into legible fragments, so that instead of scratching your head wondering what it all means, you’re left in awe of how effortlessly Bekor Qilish congeal everything.” Their new record, Consecrated Abysses of Dread, continues that trend, and that’s the simplest way to describe it, else I sift through granular details about jazz, objective truth, the will to live, the cosmos, and Mick Barr (who guest features).

    –Colin Dempsey


    …



    Myrath — Wilderness of Mirrors | earMusic | Folk Metal + Power Metal + Progressive Metal | Tunisia

    Myrath has long been extremely adept at building uplifting songs with infectious chorus melodies while maintaining the intensity that power prog metal has at its best. Wilderness of Mirrors continues that tradition, with songs such as “The Funeral” and “Breathing Near the Roar” fusing Middle Eastern folk influences and progressive power metal. Altogether, it’s a powerful and emotional album.

    –Kevin Zecchel


    …



    Iron Savior — Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy | Perception | Power Metal | Germany

    Iron Savior is a founding piece of the German power scene, but have largely been overshadowed by peers like Blind Guardian and Helloween, despite putting out some of their best material in the last decade. That said, this album of ’80s pop covers is not that. Power metal does covers of pop music better than most styles of metal, but it’s still not essential listening unless you really want to hear German men covering Cutting Crew and Blondie.

    –Kevin Zecchel


    …



    Enisum — Autumn Embrace | Avantgarde Music | Atmospheric Black Metal + Doom Metal | Italy

    Enisum are veterans of atmospheric black metal, having been around for 20 years and releasing, now, eight albums. Autumn Embrace is a contemplative listen, taking a lonely walk through isolated landscapes with strong tremolo-picked riffs and sparse vocals that occasionally cut through the music. They share sonic similarities with the Cascadian black metal scene, invoking the darkness of the deep forests in autumn’s grasp.

    –Kevin Zecchel


    …



    Cruel Force — Haneda | Shadow Kingdom Records | Thrash Metal + Speed Metal | Germany (Manheim)

    With their 2023 reformation, Cruel Force divided fans with what could be described as a more streamlined sound, with the grim black thrash that characterized their early recordings honed and polished to reveal the razor-sharp steel beneath. Dawn of the Axe was thus a departure from the material that preceded it, but as a straightforward speed/thrash album, it was still great fun.

    Cruel Force definitely doubles down on the denim and leather on their latest album Haneda; however, the band has more than a few tricks up their sleeve. Lead single “Whips A Swinging” takes us on a breakneck chariot ride chock full of stampeding percussion and rapid-fire riffs. But just past the halfway mark, the track slams on the brakes and allows a travelling group of exotic dancers to pass before resuming the chase. “Crystal Skull” is another highlight, taking the form of a dynamic, mid-paced instrumental whose bouncing rhythms and phrygian melodies fade away into an epic guitar solo that seems to emanate from a long-forgotten chamber within the temple. These little flourishes make all the difference, ensuring that Haneda stays fresh even after multiple listens.

    –Alex Chan


    …



    Këkht Aräkh — Morning Star | Sacred Bones Records | Black Metal + Ambient | Germany (Berlin)

    Black metal auteur Këkht Aräkh is set to drop Morning Star, the long awaited follow-up to 2021’s Pale Swordsman. To the uninitiated, Këkht Aräkh is the singular vision of Ukrainian-born musician Dmitry Marchenko, aka Crying Orc. Since 2018, Crying Orc has steadfastly guided Këkht Aräkh’s evolution from his initial mission to combine Transilvanian Hunger-era Darkthrone with the vast icy cold electronic soundscapes of Internazionale and Croatian Amor into something more intimate and original. Pale Swordsman saw the elegant neoclassical flourishes and delicate ambient passages become more intricately interwoven into the quick jagged salvos of second wave black metal worship. The buzz surrounding Morning Star has revolved partially around the collaborators Crying Orc invited into Këkht Aräkh’s heretofore solitary orbit. Ambient producer VS-55 and the Swedish MC Bladee are two such guests. The impact increased levels of collaboration may have on Këkht Aräkh is fascinating for fans to consider.

    Expanded collaboration seems to work best on “Genon Sorgen,” where VS-55 helps Crying Orc fashion a deeply sorrowful Ukrainian folk lament, replete with accordion and acoustics. It’s one of the album’s strongest moments, while Bladee’s appearance on “Eternal Martyr” barely registers. The overt black metal songs like “Wanderer,” “Lament,” “Castle,” “Angst,” and “Three Winters Away” are all somber desperate blasts of well-executed midpaced ravishing grimness, but even these are shot through with dour clean vocals, gothy whispers and a jangly droning acoustic guitar line, often high in the mix, that haunts the entire album like a Greek chorus. The more neoclassical folk, ambient and post-punk influenced tracks (“Raven King,” “Trollsang,” and others) fill out the back end of the record. Morning Star is indeed an extremely ambitious project. Whether all of these disparate influences and ingredients coalesce seamlessly will depend on the listener

    –Dennis Seese


    …



    Aggressive Perfector — Come Creeping Fiends | Dying Victims Productions | Speed Metal + Black Metal | United Kingdom (Manchester)

    Madchester power trio Aggressive Perfector are back with Come Creeping Fiends, the sequel to 2019’s Havoc at the Midnight Hour. These British maniacs have brewed up a right poisonous batch of ancient, everlasting metal in the vein of Venom, Di’ Anno-era Maiden, Raven, and pre-Hell Awaits Slayer. Nothing new under the sun, but it has a primordial energy and aura only true believers can manifest. Whiplash-inducing denim and leather-clad rippers “Fiend in You,” “Strange Companion,” and “Denied by the Reaper” drip with the naked authenticity of lifers conjuring a communal reanimation of that magical moment you first popped in Show No Mercy or Welcome to Hell. Though adept at skillfully channelling their influences, make no mistake, Aggressive Perfector are equally skilled at crafting bruising, jaggedly catchy slabs of 100% pure British steel like “Harlot’s Spell” and “Obscene Cult.” If an unholy mix of revved up NWOBHM and black rock’n’roll (ala their fellow travellers Midnight) is something you need right now. Look no further. Aggressive Perfector has your back.

    –Dennis Seese


    …



  • Album Review: Neurosis – An Undying Love for a Burning World

    Ten years. A decade of silence fractured by fracture itself — not by the world outside, not by trends and streaming algorithms, but by something far more intimate and far more devastating. Neurosis did not simply go on hiatus; they were cracked open at the foundation. Nobody knew what, if anything, would come next. And … Continue reading Album Review: Neurosis – An Undying Love for a Burning World
  • DEAFHEAVAN Announce Biggest Australian Tour To Date

    American black-metal trailblazers Deafheaven announce their biggest Australian tour to date. Presented by Destroy All Lines, the tour will see them headline some of the country’s most prominent venues across Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane, joined by special guests Nothing and SPY. Deafheaven return to Australia at their most expansive and unrelenting. Don’t […]
  • Kelly Osbourne Calls Off Engagement To Slipknot’s Sid Wilson Amid Personal Struggles

    kelly-osbourne-sid-wilson

    Why Did Kelly Osbourne End Her Engagement With Sid Wilson?

    Reports indicate the split comes after ongoing relationship challenges and the emotional toll of losing her father, Ozzy Osbourne.

    TL;DR:

    Kelly Osbourne has reportedly ended her engagement to Slipknot’s Sid Wilson after years together, citing both personal struggles following Ozzy Osbourne’s death and ongoing relationship issues. Despite the split, she remains focused on sobriety and raising their child.

    This Story Is Bigger Than Just A Breakup

    After having watched Kelly Osbourne grow up in the public eye, if there’s one thing that’s been consistent, it’s how quickly people turn her life into commentary.

    This isn’t just another celebrity split.

    It’s happening at a time when she’s dealing with one of the biggest personal losses imaginable—and that context matters more than anything.

    Where Things Stand Right Now

    According to reports from Daily Mail, Kelly Osbourne has called off her engagement to Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson after several years together.

    The two weren’t just a recent couple either.

    They had known each other for nearly 30 years, built a relationship that lasted close to five, and share a three-year-old child together. This wasn’t something casual—it was deeply rooted in history.

    And from the outside, it looked solid.

    But as is usually the case, things weren’t quite what they seemed.

    Loaded Radio Recommends – Seven Months After the Silence: Ranking the 13 Ozzy Osbourne Solo Songs That Built a Throne

    Slipknot's-Sid-Wilson-and-Kelly-Osbourne-engagement

    The Reality Behind The Split

    It Wasn’t A Sudden Decision

    Sources indicate the relationship had been facing challenges for some time.

    This wasn’t a single moment or event—it was something that had been building behind the scenes. Like a lot of long-term relationships, they tried to make it work, especially with a child involved.

    But eventually, they reached a point where continuing wasn’t the right move.

    The Timing Makes It Even Heavier

    This all comes in the aftermath of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing—a loss that understandably changes everything.

    Grief doesn’t just affect one part of your life. It bleeds into everything.

    And trying to hold together a relationship while dealing with something that heavy isn’t something most people can even imagine, let alone manage under constant public scrutiny.

    The Conversation Around Kelly Has Been Ugly

    The Focus On Her Appearance Misses The Point

    Over the past few months, a lot of the discussion around Kelly hasn’t been about her situation—it’s been about how she looks.

    Framed as “concern,” but let’s be honest—it’s the same kind of commentary she’s dealt with for years.

    And it ignores the reality of what she’s going through.

    This Isn’t New—And That’s The Problem

    Anyone who remembers the early 2000s knows how brutal the media was toward her.

    So seeing the same patterns repeat now, at a time like this, says more about the culture around celebrity than it does about her.

    There’s a difference between concern and projection—and people blur that line way too easily.

    What Happens Next

    She’s Focusing On What Matters

    Despite everything, reports indicate Kelly remains sober and is now focusing on herself and her role as a mother.

    That’s not a small thing.

    That’s rebuilding.

    And it’s probably the most important part of this entire story.

    The Relationship Still Meant Something

    Even though things didn’t work out, this wasn’t a short-lived situation.

    There’s history here. A shared life. A child.

    That doesn’t just disappear because a relationship ends.

    It just changes form.

    Why This Moment Matters

    There’s always a temptation to reduce stories like this to headlines.

    Breakup. Engagement off. Move on.

    But this one carries more weight than that.

    It’s about grief, pressure, history, and trying to move forward while the world watches and comments on things it doesn’t understand.

    And maybe the better question right now isn’t what happened in the relationship.

    It’s why people feel the need to turn someone else’s personal struggle into public analysis in the first place.

    Check This Out – The Ultimate Ranking: The Top 13 Jake E. Lee Era Ozzy Osbourne Songs

    Kelly Osbourne Brit Awards 2026

    FAQ

    Why Did Kelly Osbourne And Sid Wilson Break Up?

    Reports suggest ongoing relationship challenges combined with the emotional impact of Ozzy Osbourne’s death contributed to the split.

    How Long Were Kelly Osbourne And Sid Wilson Together?

    They had known each other for nearly 30 years and were in a relationship for close to five years.

    Do They Have Children Together?

    Yes, they share a three-year-old child.

    Is Kelly Osbourne Still Sober?

    According to reports, she remains sober and is focusing on her health and family.

    Band Bio: Slipknot

    Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1995. Known for their aggressive sound, masked image, and high-energy performances, they have become one of the most influential metal bands of the modern era.

    The post Kelly Osbourne Calls Off Engagement To Slipknot’s Sid Wilson Amid Personal Struggles appeared first on Loaded Radio.

  • Classic Cover: “God of Thunder” – The Troops of Doom (original by KISS)

    To celebrate six years of tearing things up, The Troops of Doom have decided to immortalise their take on the Kiss classic “God of Thunder”. It’s not just a standard cover, though; they’ve brought along a few legendary mates to help out, including Chuck Billy of Testament and Martin Furia from Destruction. Stream it now … Continue reading Classic Cover: “God of Thunder” – The Troops of Doom (original by KISS)
  • Vajra Releases a Reinterpretation Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”

    Vajra has just released their reinterpretation of Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.” Labeled as a “Pompeii Reimagining,” the track is a cinematic expansion of the 1968 classic, drawing heavy influence from the elemental atmosphere of the Live at Pompeii concert film.

    Vajra is a New York-based progressive metal and art rock band fronted by Annamaria Pinna, known for blending cinematic soundscapes with ritualistic intensity and philosophical depth. They have previously earned spots on the Billboard and Mediabase charts with singles such as “Crown or Crucify” and “Truth Has Many Lies,” establishing a sound often compared to artists like Tool and A Perfect Circle.

    Watch the music video now for a first-person look at Pompeii’s final hours. To stay updated on future releases, follow the band on social media and streaming platforms.

    The post Vajra Releases a Reinterpretation Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

  • Chris Barnes Gets Brutally Honest On Six Feet Under As Hellripper Ignites Chaos On The Loaded Radio Podcast

    chris-barnes-hellripper-loaded-radio-podcast

    What Does Chris Barnes Reveal About His Past And The State Of Extreme Metal Today?

    He openly addresses lingering tension with former bandmates in Cannibal Corpse, breaks down the intent behind Next To Die, and shares a blunt take on where death metal stands right now.

    TL;DR:

    Chris Barnes delivers one of his most honest interviews in years—touching on past band tension, Six Feet Under’s new album Next To Die, and his views on modern death metal. Hellripper’s James McBain also joins to break down Coronach and the rise of his one-man blackened thrash project. Two completely different forces, one must-hear episode.

    This Episode Hits Different From The First Question

    After years of doing interviews and hearing every version of a “safe” answer, you know immediately when one is going to go somewhere real. This was one of those.

    Barnes came in ready to talk—no filters, no rehearsed angles—and that energy carried through the entire conversation.

    Then you pivot to James McBain, and it’s a different kind of intensity entirely. Focused, calculated, but just as committed to what he’s building.

    That contrast is exactly what makes this episode stand out.

    Where Things Stand Right Now In Extreme Metal

    Extreme metal is at a crossroads.

    Legacy voices still define the foundation, but newer artists are reshaping the edges without asking permission. That tension—between what the genre was and what it’s becoming—is happening in real time.

    This episode captures both sides of that shift. One looking back with perspective, the other pushing forward without compromise.

    Loaded Radio Recommends – The Real Story Behind Ace Ventura & 12 Other Cannibal Corpse Facts You Don’t Know

    six-feet-under-2026

    Chris Barnes Doesn’t Avoid The Past

    He Addresses The Tension Head-On

    There’s no vague language here.

    Barnes acknowledges the disconnect with his former bandmates in Cannibal Corpse and speaks on it in a way that feels direct and unfiltered. Not dramatic—just honest.

    And that honesty is what makes this part of the conversation hit harder than anything you’ll read secondhand.

    Working With Jack Owen Still Carries Weight

    There’s real history between Barnes and Jack Owen—and it shows.

    Two former members reconnecting under Six Feet Under isn’t just nostalgia. It’s continuity. It’s unfinished energy being redirected into something new.

    That dynamic plays directly into how Next To Die was built.

    “Next To Die” Feels Intentional

    This doesn’t come across like another cycle release.

    There’s purpose behind it—pulling from the roots of what made death metal dangerous while still sounding like a band that knows exactly what it is.

    If you’ve checked out in the past, this is the kind of record that pulls you back in.

    Fans interested in catching Six Feet Under live can find tickets here.

    Hellripper Brings A Completely Different Kind Of Fire

    James McBain Is Building Something On His Own Terms

    Hellripper isn’t following a formula.

    One person. Full control. No compromise.

    And somehow that independence is exactly what’s pushing it forward faster.

    McBain breaks down how Coronach came together and why keeping everything in-house has been a strength—not a limitation.

    Check This Out – Unearth the Guttural Majesty: The 13 Most Legendary Death Metal Bands of All Time

    hellripper-new-2026

    No Safety Net, No Filter

    There’s nowhere to hide in a one-man project.

    Every decision is yours, every flaw is yours, every win is yours.

    That pressure shows up in the music—and in how McBain talks about it.

    It lines up with Barnes in a different way: total commitment to vision.

    Coronach Feels Like A Turning Point

    You can hear the momentum building.

    Hellripper has been gaining traction, but this record feels like the one that pushes it into a different level of recognition.

    It’s sharper. More confident. Still raw—but controlled.

    Two Completely Different Worlds—Same Intensity

    That’s what makes this episode work.

    You’ve got:

    • A defining voice from death metal’s foundation speaking with clarity and edge
    • A modern artist carving his own lane without compromise

    Different eras. Same level of conviction.

    And that’s where things get interesting.

    So here’s the real question—which side of extreme metal are you leaning toward right now? The originators, or the new wave pushing it forward?

    Listen To The Full Episode Below

     

    FAQ

    What Does Chris Barnes Say About His Former Band Cannibal Corpse?

    He addresses the tension directly and gives a clear, unfiltered perspective on where things stand today.

    What Is Six Feet Under’s Next To Die About?

    The album focuses on reconnecting with the roots of death metal while delivering a more intentional and energized sound.

    Who Is Hellripper?

    Hellripper is a one-man blackened thrash project led by James McBain, known for blending aggressive styles with full creative independence.

    What Is Coronach?

    Coronach is Hellripper’s latest album and represents a major step forward in both songwriting and execution.

    Where Can I Listen To The Full Podcast Episode?

    You can stream the full episode directly above using the embedded player or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Band Bio: Six Feet Under

    Six Feet Under is an American death metal band formed in 1993 by Chris Barnes following his departure from Cannibal Corpse. Known for their groove-heavy style and consistent output, the band has remained a staple in the genre for over three decades.

    Band Bio: Hellripper

    Hellripper is the solo project of Scottish musician James McBain, combining elements of black metal and thrash into a fast, aggressive hybrid. The project has built a strong following through its raw sound and uncompromising creative approach.

    The post Chris Barnes Gets Brutally Honest On Six Feet Under As Hellripper Ignites Chaos On The Loaded Radio Podcast appeared first on Loaded Radio.