Category: news

In late 2025 Harrison McKenzie of New Zealand’s prime purveyors of atmospheric black metal, Olde Throne, turned his attention to a personal exploration of experimental, blackened death metal, inspired by societal decline and humanity’s self-propelled descent into absolute obsolescence. This project became Immiserator, a potent force combining vicious riffs and desolate atmosphere, a cold, mechanistic soul and […]

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International symphonic metal legends Kamelot have announced that their new album, Dark Asylum, will arrive on August 28 via Napalm Records and have shared a music video for the first single, “Ashen World,” featuring Decessus frontwoman and reigning Miss World Chile 2025 Ignacia Fernández.

From its opening moments, “Ashen World” delivers signature Kamelot grandeur: expressive lead guitar from founding guitarist Thomas Youngblood, soaring orchestration, and the symphonic arrangements that have become the band’s hallmark. “‘Ashen World’ captures that moment of standing at the crossroads between darkness and hope, where the journey forward begins,” says Youngblood. “It’s classic Kamelot at its core, while opening new doors into the world of ‘Dark Asylum.’”

Vocalist Tommy Karevik adds: “It’s a deep dive into the topography of the human mind, exploring its valleys, peaks, and the void in between. It’s about breaking free from the limiting beliefs that hold us captive and creating a new reality that allows us to expand and realize our full potential.”

Dark Asylum is set within a shadowed Neo-Victorian world, inviting listeners beyond the gates of RavenHill Asylum — an imposing institution once built as a grand cathedral, now repurposed into a place where science, faith, and madness uneasily coexist. “‘Dark Asylum’ follows a soul trapped inside a world of masks, fractured memories, and psychological torment, wandering the endless halls of RavenHill in search of truth, identity, and redemption,” Youngblood says. “What begins as a descent into darkness gradually transforms into a journey of awakening, where beneath the fear, illusion, and chaos lies the possibility of healing, hope, and ultimately a path out of the shadows into Sanctuary.”

Karevik adds: “Dark Asylum invites listeners into the hidden chambers of the human mind — a journey where every door reveals a different story, yet all remain deeply connected. At its core, the album explores the duality of human nature: the constant tension between fear and hope, chaos and stillness, destruction and healing. Through self-exploration, awareness, and inner peace, healing becomes possible.”

The album was produced by longtime Kamelot collaborator Sascha Paeth, with mixing and mastering handled by Jacob Hansen. Among the guest vocalists featured across the record’s 15 tracks are Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet, Eluveitie vocalist Lea-Sophie Fischer, Visions of Atlantis vocalist Clémentine Delauney, and Fernández, alongside Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir, Sólveig Sara Leupold, and Billy King.

Dark Asylum will be released on CD digipak — including a two-disc version with an instrumental edition of the album — as well as vinyl in multiple colors, cassette, and digital formats.

Kamelot is Tommy Karevik on vocals, Thomas Youngblood on guitars, Oliver Palotai on keyboards, Sean Tibbetts on bass, and Alex Landenburg on drums.

The post KAMELOT Shares Music Video For New Single “Ashen World”, Featuring DECESSUS Front-Woman IGNACIA FERNÁNDEZ appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

It’s that time of year again where we talk to as many bands as we can who are raring to blow you away at Bloodstock! After Smoke Clears will be a breath of fresh air on the EMP stage on the Friday… Hey Katie, thanks for having us! Firstly we’re really grateful for the continued … Continue reading Road To Bloodstock 2026: After Smoke Clears

Italian symphonic power metallers TEMPERANCE reshuffle the pack with their seventh album, Arcani, coming October 16, 2026 via Napalm Records. Structured around the divinatory practice of Tarot, each of the new songs follows a different card of the Major Arcana deck. Pouring their passion into 13 spellbinding songs with even catchier symphonic melodies than before, TEMPERANCE’s bright future takes […]

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Long-standing Japanese metal pioneers Sigh are back with the announcement of their brand-new studio album, Goh-ka, set for release via Peaceville Records on 4th September. Following their highly experimental 2022 release Shiki and their recent 35th-anniversary re-imagining, I Saw the World’s End: Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV, this upcoming eleven-track record promises a meticulously arranged masterclass in … Continue reading Japanese avant-garde metal icons Sigh announce new studio album ‘Goh-ka’

The title track surfaces as the album’s central pulse: presence without language, force without address “Defies almost all conventions and is not comparable to anything.” — CVLT Nation Belgian avant-garde metal act EMPTINESS release “Nowhere Speaks,” the third single from their forthcoming seventh full-length of the same name, set for release July 17th, 2026 through Season of Mist. […]

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GA-20 has released “I’ll Change My Style,” the latest single from the band’s upcoming collaborative album with Charlie Musselwhite, Blues Now, which arrives July 31.

The new track follows the previously released singles “Crazy Love” and “I Can’t Hold Out,” offering another preview of the 10-song collection that celebrates classic Chicago blues while drawing inspiration from the roots of American music.

GA-20 guitarist Matthew Stubbs said, “This is a love song that blurs the lines between blues and traditional country, harkening back to the roots of early American music. Charlie Musselwhite’s friendship with Jimmie Reed is celebrated here in a dynamic and soulful rendition.”

Earlier this year, GA-20 entered the studio with Musselwhite for six days to record songs made famous by artists including Elmore James, Junior Wells and Eddie Taylor. The album also revisits two songs from Musselwhite’s acclaimed 1968 debut, Stand Back!.

Stubbs explained the band’s approach to selecting material for the project.

“We tried to find songs that Charlie had a connection to or artists that he knew personally from Chicago, but also just songs that we liked and thought we could do justice,” Stubbs said. “The GA-20 sound historically has been in that ballpark of raw Chicago Blues from the late ’50s and early ’60s, but we didn’t want to simply re-create Stand Back!, we just wanted to be influenced by it. We wanted to capture the spirit of that record.”

The album was recorded live in the studio with an emphasis on capturing the spontaneity and energy of musicians performing together in the moment.

Musselwhite said the recording sessions came together effortlessly.

“We’re so good we have to make mistakes on purpose. Everything went smoothly. Making this album was as easy as falling off a log.”

Blues Now will be available digitally, on CD and on standard black vinyl. Several limited edition vinyl variants will also be released, including a Teal Marble edition available through Plaid Room Records and Seasick Records, a Green Splatter edition exclusive to the band, and a Red Marble edition featuring an autographed insert from GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite available through independent retailers and New West Records.

The post GA-20 reveals “I’ll Change My Style” appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Hyphen has released a new track, and it doesn’t back in its taking down of modern living with savage wit and wisdom.

Called ‘SAID WHAT I SAID’, it’s a bruising piece of metal-leaning intensity that rips and tears at you with pure crossover energy. And lyrically Hyphen doesn’t hold back in dishing out plenty of home truths about the sorry state of theing right now. From those at the top running things to the media going along with things in a manner that divides us, it’s the sort of takedown that is as necessary as it is utterly brutal.

A song for the here and now.

Hyphen had this to say about its inspirations:

“Reform UK, potentially the next British Government, is made up of openly racist, sexist people who say they want to privatise the NHS and want to copy some of scariest, most evil policies from the US. They are funded by offshore billionaires and have taken bribes from the Russian government. Billionaire funded media is afraid to call them fascists. We should not be. The left slept walked into Brexit because we didn’t fully acknowledge the threat we were up against. We can’t make that mistake again. Said What I Said is a song about refusing to be gaslit by mainstream media about the threat that the far right really pose. It’s also just a fucking banger. The far right are fascists and would ruin this country to serve their wealthy donors. I said what I said.” 

The track follows on from ‘HYDRA’ which was released earlier this year, and sounds like this:

The post Hyphen Shares Unrelenting New Track ‘SAID WHAT I SAID’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Nonpoint will release its eleventh studio album, The Last Word, on September 18, 2026, through 361 Degrees Records.

Alongside the announcement, the band has premiered the official music video for its latest single, “Is It”. Fans can pre-save or pre-order the album here or through major digital platforms and participating retailers.

The new single has already gained traction at Active Rock radio, debuting as the No. 1 Most Added track upon release before quickly moving into the Top 50 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

Frontman Elias Soriano discussed the meaning behind the single, saying: “‘Is It’ is that internal conflict where you question getting too involved? Did I push too hard? Did I ask too much? It’s that feeling of wondering if doing what you thought was right actually meant hurting the people around you.”

For Nonpoint, The Last Word represents more than simply adding another record to its catalog. According to Soriano, the album reflects the band’s determination to keep moving forward.

“In a world that sometimes wants to put a timestamp on creativity, The Last Word is our way of saying we’re just getting started,” Elias says. “We’re pushing back against expectation and pushing forward into our own next chapter.”

Soriano also explained the symbolism behind the album artwork, which features a pencil as its central image.

“This album cover tells a piece of our story,” he says. “After years of making music, we feel more aligned than ever — musically, visually, and creatively. We’re writing some of the strongest material of our career, our live shows are as powerful as they’ve ever been, and the band feels focused and energized. The pencil on the cover represents what it’s like to be handed one last tool and expected to fit everything you have left to say into it. Not because the ideas are gone, but because longevity often comes with assumptions and limits. The Last Word isn’t about accepting an ending. It’s about challenging that narrative. If this is the pencil we’re being handed, we’re going to use it — and make sure the words written with it still matter.”

The album announcement also comes with news of Nonpoint‘s “The Even More Outta Control Tour”, which begins on July 25, 2026. The shows will feature new songs from The Last Word alongside the band’s established live favorites, giving fans an early taste of the upcoming record.

After more than two decades together, Nonpoint continues to be a consistent force in hard rock, building a dedicated following through relentless touring, charting singles and a reputation for energetic live performances. With The Last Word, the band signals that it has no plans to ease up.

The group has also joined the roster of artists endorsed by Heavys, an audio company focused on headphones, earbuds, and other products designed specifically for rock and metal listeners.

Formed in South Florida in 1997 by vocalist Elias Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera, Nonpoint built its name through groove-heavy riffs, aggressive live shows and socially aware lyrics. The band broke through with songs such as “What A Day” from Statement and became a regular presence on tours and festivals including Ozzfest and Rock On The Range, sharing stages with Sevendust, Disturbed and Stone Sour. Their cover of Phil Collins‘s “In The Air Tonight”, later featured in the film Miami Vice, remains one of the band’s best-known recordings.

The post NONPOINT Announces Eleventh Studio Album “The Last Word”; Shares Music Video For “Is It” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

(Andy Synn wants you to check out these four albums you may have missed in June) There’s an unfortunate “catch-22” involved in these “things you may have missed” columns… because while they’re important as away of catching you all up on, well, things you may have missed (the clue is in the title) they also take up […]

The post THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T) appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.