The track begins with a progression that transports listeners into a parallel dimension, echoing psychedelic elements paired with delicate guitar slides. A subtle, almost music box-like sound pulses hypnotically in the background, creating an entrancing atmosphere. When the vocals enter, they are soft yet impactful, wrapping around the listener’s ears. The lyrics resonate with depth, revealing emotions that are both profound and intimate.
The line “I love to watch you cry” clashes with the beauty of the melody, creating a quiet sense of unease. It reveals a fragile truth: those tears are not just pain, but proof that she/he is still there, still sharing that moment. In that sense, her/his crying becomes something almost precious, because it confirms that they are still together—at least for now. Beneath the surface, there’s the awareness that this connection may soon disappear, which gives the line a haunting weight. This song delves deep into the complexities of human emotions, prompting reflection on the fragility of life itself.
On the surface, the music seems lighthearted, but beneath lies a substantial meaning that engenders a sort of mirage for the listener. The delicate elements blend seamlessly to create a dream-like quality, captivating the audience in its embrace. At around two minutes and forty seconds, the bridge presents an almost cathartic moment. This shift demonstrates the duality between the metaphysical experience and stark reality.
Watch you Cry – Sound and Atmosphere
Following this intense moment is a beautiful, simple guitar solo. It offers a serene respite, allowing listeners to digest the emotional weight they’ve just experienced. The guitar work throughout the track is expressive, contributing significantly to the overall tone. Each note feels deliberate, echoing sentiments of longing and affection.
The track stands out as a remarkable piece of artistry, deserving of attention from all listeners. Christopher Jack’s performance is earnest; the combination of his vocals and instrumental arrangement draws one into a world of introspection. The balance between softness in the music and the intensity of the lyrics encapsulates a rich listening experience.
The music video complements the song’s essence beautifully. Christopher is seen riding in the back of a truck, seated on a couch while playing the guitar. This imagery strikes a powerful chord, emphasizing a relaxed yet energized vibe. The simplicity of the visuals allows the music to take center stage.
Watch you Cry – Performance and Production
“Watch You Cry” is a multifaceted musical creation. It explores the complexities of love and emotion through its lyrics and sound. The artistry is present in the execution of the music and the accompanying visuals. Anyone searching for a deep and reflective experience should certainly give this single a listen.
Listeners are likely to find themselves enchanted by the way this song merges lightness and depth. “Watch You Cry” invites you to journey through emotions that are often unspoken but felt deeply.
The ending leaves listeners with a sense of longing, beautifully encapsulating the message of the song. Christopher Jack’s single is a true reflection of artistic expression, deeply rooted in both sound and sentiment.
Where they from?
New York, NY. My pick of the Lightning beating the Stars in the NHL Stanley Cub finals is blown after the first round. I am like reverse-Nostradamus — everything I pick turns out false. I should pick stocks for people and they just do the opposite of whatever I say.
Why the hype?
Oh lord, do we have a live one here. I’ve been thinking all week about how to spell ‘psychedelic kaleidoscope’ because that is the only phrase that kept popping into my mind while listening to this band. Cartoonish twists and turns comparable to bands like Imperial Triumphant and Mr Bungle at their most inaccessible. Digitized nu metal breakdowns interspersed with cartoon samples and unexpected smooth jazz breaks, this band has it all!
Latest release? Pervertigo, self-released. There isn’t a single second of this album that isn’t drenched in absolute audio mayhem. It is not so much an album as it is an experience, a straight drive into Looney Tunes Hell with only the most sonically perverted gimps as your guide. This is the only soundtrack I can imagine that will help me properly grieve my shitty hockey picks.
MATANZICK BRINGS CHRONICLES OF THE ABYSS BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Out Now – Released November 28, 2025
Stream: https://ffm.to/x27e7q7 https://ffm.to/nzjrjbm
Norwegian metal force MATANZICK is pushing Chronicles of the Abyss back into the spotlight, reminding the underground exactly what hit them when it dropped on November 28, 2025. This is a record built on discipline, grit, and straight-up impact. No filler, no fluff, just metal done the way it used to be done when it mattered.
Blending heavy, thrash, and groove metal, MATANZICK delivers a modern, aggressive sound powered by precision riffing, tight rhythmic control, and a raw edge that cuts clean through the noise. It is direct, uncompromising, and built for maximum impact both in the studio and on stage.
Formed in 2010, the band has spent over a decade sharpening their identity into something lean and powerful. Known for high-energy live shows and a no-frills songwriting approach, MATANZICK has steadily carved out a reputation for consistency and force rather than gimmicks or trends.
With Chronicles of the Abyss , that evolution hits a new peak.
European metal press came out swinging on this one, with reviews landing in the 8/10 to 9/10 range, calling out the band’s balance of aggression, precision, and atmosphere while staying true to their core sound.
Now, with momentum building into 2026, MATANZICK is taking that energy to bigger stages, including a confirmed main stage appearance at Masters of Rock 2026 alongside heavyweights such as In Flames, Helloween, and Marilyn Manson. The message is simple. This band is done waiting and done asking.
Band Statement
“Chronicles of the Abyss is our most focused and aggressive work. Built on riffs, energy, and everything that defines us as a band.”
Production Credits
Produced by MATANZICK Mix & Mastering: Red Line Studio & Jelöy Sound Mastering
Label
Independent / MATANZICK
Management
Independent
New Video/Single Now Playing + Pre-Orders Available
Watch/stream IF THESE TREES COULD TALK’s “Blurry Creatures” HERE
In 2024, acclaimed instrumental post-rock band IF THESE TREES COULD TALK released a single, “Trail Of Whispering Giants,” the group’s first new music in eight years. Fans clamored for more. The wait is over with The Hidden Hand, a full album of nine stellar, provocative songs set for release on July 10th through Metal Blade Records.
As drummer and band-co-founder Zack Kelly explains, “The IF THESE TREES COULD TALK experience feels like a slow, wordless conversation between the inner and outer world best consumed like the score to a cinematic picture or a space for meditation, healing, and clarity.“
Photo by Sondra Kelly
“This release means a lot to me not only spiritually but emotionally,” Kelly, who co-founded the band with drummer-brother Cody Kelly in 2005, continues. “There were a lot of up-and-downs during the making of this album and the journey took longer than anticipated, but the end goal is to make music that holds an emotional imprint, and I hope we have succeeded.”
The Hidden Hand offers the same range of dark and ambient landscapes as the band’s previous offerings but also brings a feeling of resolution. “As we all get older and our musical tastes evolve, it’s more of a challenge to keep the sound of the band in a specific lane and not venture too far away from where we originally started.”
IF THESE TREES COULD TALK focuses on capturing sonic power, utilizing the three guitars to cover different areas of the spectrum. Kelly elaborates, “It’s almost the same way an orchestra would be set up with the bass guitar covering cello, the rhythm guitars holding down the woodwind section and the lead guitarist covering the strings section. No matter who comes up with a riff or where it starts, the end product must always have these three components present especially when transitioning from clean to heavy tones.”
Longtime fans and newcomers alike will thrill to the album’s stunning first single, “Blurry Creatures.” Kelly notes, “The track embodies the raw nature of the IF THESE TREES COULD TALK sound by incorporating unrelenting riffs with epic highs and lows, ambient syncopated delays and a battle chant that stimulates the senses.“
Watch the band’s entrancing visualizer for “Blurry Creatures” HERE.
The Hidden Hand will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
Gurt Show There Are ‘No Limits’ With Classic Cover
Two original tracks and a cover of the 1993 dance floor classic ‘No Limit’. With a busy live schedule in 2026, including their third appearance at Bloodstock Festival and many other independent festivals including Uprising, Cult fest and Mangata festival. GURT thought it was about time for some new material.
The lead single is a cover of ‘No Limit’. This reimagining features a guest appearance from ‘Black Mist’, lead vocalist for the greatest hardcore band of all time THE HELL! The band comment,
“As a band we have a real mix of musical tastes, from the heaviest of heavy to the cheesiest of cheese. We’ve always loved to do unexpected and weird covers and have a firm belief that a good riff is a good riff regardless of where it’s from. No Limit has always gone hard and we’re proud to say that our version goes even harderer!!”
Check out the video here.
‘Live Nation, Dead Scene’ is a direct attack on the atrocities in the world of ticketing and the horrific, ever-increasing prices fans must pay to attend large shows, not something you have to worry about when you come and watch GURT in some of the UK’s finest grassroots music venues!
Title track ‘Survival of the Shittest’ is another chunk of joyful bleakness, attacking those in power who seem intent to destroy the world for their own personal gain.
As always, this new EP from GURT has been recorded with heavyweight producer Steve Sears and will be released on their frontman’s own ‘When planets collide presents’ label on Friday June 5th.
Various versions as well as the usual ‘Megapack’ are available to preorder direct from the band on:
After an eight-year gap shaped by setbacks, delays, and a complete restart of the recording process, Venom return with Into Oblivion as a statement of resilience and evolution. Speaking with guitarist Stuart ‘Rage’ Dixon (Rage), it becomes clear that what began as frustration ultimately pushed the band toward a more deliberate, experimental, and confident approach to songwriting.
The result is an album that blends raw, old-school energy with stronger structure and atmosphere, reflecting both the chaos behind its creation and a renewed creative momentum within the band. Here is Part Two of the interview, and you can win a vinyl copy of Into Oblivion courtesy of Noise/BMG. Part One is available to read here.
Venom essentially created the blueprint that so many Extreme Metal bands follow now. For Rage, the legacy of Venom is not something that pays on his mind when songwriting, as Black Metal went down a different route when bands like Mercyful Fate and later Celtic Frost followed Venom.
“This was dark, rough around the edges, singing about Satan, being with Satan instead of being fearful of him. The Norwegians, that’s who took up the mantle. They ran with it and took it somewhere completely different. Originally, they wanted the sound to be like that, but then they took on the technical mantle. Amazingly technical.
“Dark Funeral, and bands like that, they took the sort of sloppiness, and they used musicianship and just made it their own. They possibly could have changed and called it something different, but they didn’t. The way I see it, it’s a bit like American and European Death Metal. Both Death Metal, but they sound completely different.
“Deicide doesn’t sound like At The Gates. The Europeans have a bit more melodic edge, whereas the Americans are just straight on brutality.”
With that legacy firmly established, the conversation turns to the new album itself and specifically, the weight carried by its title. However, Rage is quick to deflate any sense of gravitas with characteristic Geordie wit, saying they stole the title from Lamb Of God.
“We’re getting a paternity test to see who the real father is,” he smiles, “and then what we’re gonna do is I think we’re gonna have shared custody, so when our album comes out, they’re going to change it and re-release it with a different name. Then we’ll wait six months and do the same. We’re gonna be quids in.”
Jokes aside, Into Oblivion represents a genuine creative landmark for the band. The song Into Oblivion was one of the first ones on the demo. “It’s really trying to put a lot of melody and a lot of harmonies in,” Rage says. “We’re only a three-piece, one guitarist, and a lot of people might shy away from that and go, well, we can’t do it live. But we’ll find a way to do it live.
“Cronos normally has four or five ideas with lyrics for the different songs. But that one, he said, that’s called Into Oblivion. We come up with silly names. We were thinking about another track for the title, and we ended up going with Into Oblivion.
“Lamb Of God were sitting outside our studio with a glass, and they were like, shit, our album’s coming out earlier. Quick, Into Oblivion.”
I ask if there is a particular moment on the album, like a riff or a solo or a section that Rage is especially proud of and he is straight in with As Above So Below. “I just think it’s my take on a Hate Eternal song, mixed with old school drums and vocals. Me and Danté sang on it. It’s got Latin in the choruses, and then that middle bit. The whole song is like the theme track to The Omen. It almost sounds like Hitchcock in the middle bit.
“I’ve started to, when I write songs, picture them in my head instead of just listening to them, almost like a film track. That was one where it works. Unholy Mother was another one. That was like some weird medieval movie in my head. I think it’s got vocals that are really good. I think the drumming’s really good on it. When I’m playing something, the bass is playing something completely different, and that middle bit is just immense.”
As Rage says, the backing vocals do bring variety across the album, and with him singing the higher lines and Dantéthrowing his menace in, it makes it all the more interesting. “It brings that sort of old school scary vibe,” Rage says, “like Deicide, like the fucking cacodemon and shit like that. Like Dead By Dawn. They’re just words, aren’t they, but it makes them ominous, a little bit more spooky and a bit creepier.”
Venom Announce New Album Into Oblivion, Share Lay Down Your Soul. Photo: Necrohorns
That level of creative confidence does not emerge in isolation. It is the product of a working relationship that has quietly become the most enduring in Venom’s history. Cronos, Rage and Danté have led this incarnation of Venom for 17 years, the longest lineup in the band’s history. This is a relationship built on mutual respect.
“We get on, and we don’t need to ask people questions,” Rage says. “We know that if we have disagreements, it’s about the music, but it gets sorted there and then. We don’t take it home with us. People don’t get upset. We’re only doing it because we want the best.
“Someone was asking the other day about any tips for people who want to be musicians. You’ve got to get on with people, out of 24 hours, about two hours on stage, if you’re lucky. It’s like 22 hours stuck in hotels, stuck in vans, stuck in the airport. You’ve just got to get on.
“We’ve all got different musical tastes. In ’70s rock, Cronos likes Jethro Tull, I like Humble Pie, Deep Purple and Rainbow. Danté likes all that stuff as well. But we’ve got other music that we listen to.
“We’ve got the same sense of humour. We’ll make jokes and little stories up and stuff like that just for entertainment. We’re like a little gang now. I’ve been with Cronos for 20 years now. You don’t have to be the best musician, but if you can get on with someone, be reliable, write songs, just be good, just dig what you’re doing, and just everyone get on. It makes it so much easier.
“Loads of people go, I’m a better musician, why can’t I be in the band? It’s like, ‘cos you’re a fucking dick. The worst thing in the world is that you don’t want people who weaken us. It’s a hard enough experience, flights cancelled, transport not turning up, places closed, and you need food.
“That’s hard enough without someone being a dick on top of it. So you’ve got to have that gang mentality. It’s happening to all of us, and that’s just what it is. The music’s just the easy bit… Says a man who took eight years to bring an album out.”
Does Rage still feel that Venom sits within Black Metal because it has evolved a lot? “I’m an elder gentleman,” Rage smiles. “I just think it’s all Heavy Metal. I think Exodus are Heavy Metal, I think Cannibal Corpse are Heavy Metal.
“If people want to put them in different little brackets, that’s entirely up to them. There are some bands that have changed so often. People say AC/DC are Heavy Metal. I’ve always seen them more as a hard rock band. The same with Purple.
“It’s all Metal to me. Take Judas Priest. Everyone says Priest started Thrash Metal off, but you know, apart from Painkiller, would you say Priest are a Thrash Metal band? It’s just Heavy Metal, isn’t it? Even Bad News is Heavy Metal.”
I suggest that there are so many sub-genres that it has become a bit crazy. “Oh yeah,” Rage says. “I mean, this fucking, what’s it, Deathcore or Crabcore? It just gets silly. If people ask us, I go, I listen to Heavy Metal. That’s what I listen to, and I put everything under that cos that’s what we call it. Venom were Heavy Metal, Maiden were Heavy Metal, Raven were Heavy Metal. Priest, Black Sabbath. A lot of the time, we didn’t even say Metal, I just like listening to heavy music.”
Philosophy only stretches so far, though. For Rage, what ultimately matters is getting back on stage and Into Oblivion has given the band plenty of live ammunition to work with. Venom hit stages from June, and you should get five songs from Into Oblivion in the sets.
Rage says that Lay Down Your Soul has to be a live song. Death The Leveller, Unholy Mother and Kicked Outta Hell should be there. “They’re all almost recorded live, so anything could go,” Rage says. “I don’t think Legend would work live. I think it’s more of a storytelling song. Some songs are just album songs, and that’s cool. I don’t have a problem with that.”
“Normally we go to South America at the end of the year,” Rage says, “but obviously orange people in different countries have caused wars, so that’s gonna cause loads of hassle. I don’t think we’ll get to South America.”
British gigs are on the agenda, and Venom are hunting down promoters. Naturally, I ask about a Newcastle show. “If we play Newcastle, we want to put on a good show,” Rage says. “We don’t want to just get up there with t-shirts and jeans. I know the fans don’t care, but I think it would have to be like a special, like an evening with.”
Two Venom sets on one night, now that would be interesting. “I keep saying to Cronos, let’s go down to Trillians on a Friday night and just get up, man. Then it would just be people on the phone going, ‘You’re not going to believe who’s here.’”
Closer to home, the picture is more promising, even if getting Venom onto a UK stage involves its own particular set of negotiations. For UK shows, it is about reaching the right promoter. It is tough for most, and the band would need to make money from these gigs.
“Playing gigs for free is alright when you’re just starting out,” Rage says before the Newcastle humour kicks in again. “But I have drug habits to pay for and Ex-wives and 14 children around the world.
“None of that’s true, obviously.
“It’s like when you see on Facebook, please come here. We’re like vampires. We need to be invited. We can’t just turn up. We can’t get across the threshold unless we’re invited.”
If you live in the UK and would like to win a vinyl copy of the new Venom album Into Oblivion, email comp@metaltalk.net with the answer to the following question:
What was the name of the original Venom vocalist, who was nicknamed ‘Jesus Christ’? He performed on their first demo, Demon only.
A: Clive Archer B: Tony Dolan C: Conrad Lant
The draw will take place at 4 pm on Friday, 8 May 2026.
LISTEN: Latest Metal News on the Loaded Radio Daily Podcast
Symphonic metal powerhouse Delain has officially confirmed a massive 2027 European tour that will see them reunited on stage with their most iconic guest contributor, former Nightwish bassist and vocalist Marko Hietala. The 10-date “Anniversary” trek is set to celebrate two decades since the release of the band’s debut album Lucidity, an era defined by the creative synergy between Delain mastermind Martijn Westerholt and Hietala, who has been a staple of the band’s studio sound since 2006.
TL;DR: The Key Takeaways
The Powerhouse Pairing: Marko Hietala joins Delain as a special featured guest for the entire February 2027 European run.
20-Year Legacy: The tour honors the 20th anniversary of Lucidity, the debut album where Hietala originally performed both bass and vocals.
Support Force: Modern metal heavyweights Infected Rain are confirmed as the special guests for the duration of the tour.
New Music Tease: Delain is currently recording a new project featuring high-profile collaborations, slated to arrive before the tour begins.
A Two-Decade Alliance: Martijn Westerholt and Marko Hietala
While Marko Hietala and Martijn Westerholt have never officially been members of the same band, their professional history is one of the most enduring in the symphonic metal genre. When Westerholt founded Delain in 2002 after his departure from Within Temptation, he envisioned the project as a collaborative hub. He reached out to Hietala for the band’s 2006 debut Lucidity, establishing a partnership that would span five studio albums.
Hietala, often affectionately referred to by fans as the “honorary sixth member” of Delain, has provided his unmistakable vocals to hits like “The Gathering,” “Control the Creature,” and “Your Body Is A Battleground.” This 2027 tour represents a significant milestone, as it marks the first time Hietala will join the band for a full, consistent tour cycle since his high-profile return to the music industry.
Delain 3.0: Diana Leah and the Dark Waters Success
The upcoming anniversary tour also serves as a victory lap for the band’s current lineup. Since joining in 2022 as the successor to Charlotte Wessels, vocalist Diana Leah has successfully steered the band into a new commercial peak. The group’s latest album, Dark Waters (2023), debuted at No. 9 on the German album charts and the U.S. Hard Music charts, proving that the Delain identity is as potent as ever.
Leah, who recently launched her own solo project DYYA with the single “Holy Water,” will share the stage with Hietala to deliver a “memorable and varied live experience” that bridges the band’s foundation with its future. According to Westerholt, the band is already working on an “extraordinary new release” that will continue this tradition of high-profile guest appearances.
Delain Featuring Marko Hietala: 2027 Tour Dates
With the crushing energy of Infected Rain opening the shows, the “Lucidity” anniversary run will visit the following cities in February 2027:
Was Marko Hietala ever a member of Delain? No. Marko Hietala has always been a guest collaborator, appearing on five of the band’s studio albums and performing at select live shows, but he has never been an official permanent member of the roster.
Who is supporting Delain on the 2027 tour? The tour features support from the Moldovan modern metal band Infected Rain, led by vocalist Lena Scissorhands.
What is the significance of the “Lucidity” album? Released in 2006 (Europe) and 2007 (Worldwide), Lucidity was Delain’s debut album and featured a wide array of guest stars, including Marko Hietala, Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), and Liv Kristine (Leaves’ Eyes).
Delain was formed in 2002 by keyboardist Martijn Westerholt. Based in the Netherlands, the band became a pillar of the symphonic metal scene by masterfully blending orchestral arrangements with accessible, pop-influenced hooks and heavy metal riffing. Over seven studio albums, Delain has transitioned from a studio project into a world-class touring act, maintaining its status as a premier force in the melodic metal community for over two decades.
The 2026 line-up for Austin City Limits has been revealed, and it includes a huge headline performance from Twenty One Pilots.
Taking place over two weekends from October 02-04 and October 09-11, the huge festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary in style.
With Twenty One Pilots joining Charli XCX, Lorde, the XX, Rüfüs Du Sol, Skrillex, and Kings Of Leon as headliners, there’s a whole host of other artists to get excited about further down the line-up too.
Featured on the mammoth poster are the likes of Turnstile, Balu Brigada, Finn Wolfhard, Bad Nerves and Villanelle.
Tickets for the festival are available from 12pm CT today (May 05) here.
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