Marta Cikojevic is a member of the Montreal band TOPS, and she also makes solo music under the name Marci. In a few weeks, she’ll release Mask Lady And Late Night Girl, her second Marci album, and we posted lead single “Butterfly Sticker.” Today, she shares the bleary, synthy new track “Liquid Heartbeat.” The song and its Elliot Weaver-directed video both have an edge of glamorously lo-fi hedonism working for them. Check it out below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLEEDING ANTLERS Return With Darker, Heavier Sophomore Album Songs of Praise Out August 22, 2026
For Fans of Pallbearer, Candlemass, and Type O Negative
Six years after emerging from the shadows with their critically acclaimed debut Stagmata , UK doom metal collective Bleeding Antlers return with their long-awaited sophomore album, Songs of Praise , arriving August 22, 2026 .
Born from what was originally meant to be nothing more than a stag party adventure across Europe in 2016, Bleeding Antlers transformed an unlikely brotherhood into one of underground doom’s most distinctive voices. Blending crushing doom metal with progressive rock, sleaze, folk shanties, and gothic atmosphere, the band has carved out a sound that is both theatrical and deeply immersive.
Where Stagmata introduced the world to Bleeding Antlers, Songs of Praise pushes their vision even further into the darkness.
” Stagmata was us finding the sound of Bleeding Antlers. Songs of Praise is us learning what to do with the silence around it. More space, more weight, and a lot darker in tone than Stagmata. “
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Simon Bismarck , Songs of Praise presents seven haunting compositions that explore temptation, loss, mythology, mortality, and spiritual conflict. Despite its title, this is no traditional hymnbook. These are songs of devotion aimed toward altogether different altars.
From the apocalyptic groove of “When the Sun Bursts” to the folk-horror atmosphere of “Meet Me in the Woods at Midnight,” the Norse-inspired weight of “Fimbulwinter,” and the haunting reinterpretation of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Jeans,” the album offers a diverse yet cohesive journey through doom-laden storytelling. It concludes with “Crooked Lines,” an epic meditation on faith, temptation, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.
Track Listing
The Devil of Mariazell Meet Me in the Woods at Midnight Blue Jeans When the Sun Bursts The Ghost of Oliver Reed Fimbulwinter Crooked Lines
Bleeding Antlers first captured attention with Stagmata , earning widespread praise throughout the underground metal community.
Critical acclaim for Stagmata :
“Behind the satyr masks and cloven-hoofed animal obsession they have genuinely excellent songs and an album that draws you in with each listen.” 4.5/5 – Emerging Rock Bands Magazine
“Perhaps the finest set of sleazy psychedelic doom shanties ever committed to record.” The Metal Show
“Folk-goth glamour, Hammer-horror camp and drunken satanic swagger… you’d have a hell of a good time.” No Clean Singing
“Stagmata is the sound I wish Metallica had evolved into after Reload.” 7.5/10 – Rock Hard Greece
To celebrate the release, Bleeding Antlers will embark on a series of UK headline performances beginning in September, followed by appearances at Rustfest , North West Doom Fest , Godivageddon , and additional festival dates extending into 2027.
With Songs of Praise , Bleeding Antlers have crafted an album that is darker, more dynamic, and more emotionally powerful than its predecessor while remaining unmistakably their own. Equal parts cathedral doom, occult folk tale, and drunken midnight sermon, the record stands as the band’s boldest statement to date.
Album Information
Artist: Bleeding Antlers
Album: Songs of Praise
Release Date: August 22, 2026
Genre: Doom Metal
For Fans Of: Pallbearer, Candlemass, Type O Negative
Produced, Mixed & Mastered By: Simon Bismarck
Band Lineup
Simon Bismarck – Vocals Good Luke – Guitar Prince Ben – Bass Bad Luke – Brown Notes Ghost Pete – Drums & Vocals
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What do you think the band name Devil Master actually means? As in: Are they masters of the devil, or are they just masterful at being devils? Probably the latter, right? That’s just something I’ve been thinking about. Anyway, Devil Master, Philadelphia kings of old-school face-painted punk-metal, are about to return with their new album Bloody Dreams, and we already posted the excellently titled lead single “You Worms’ Vain Delusions.” Today, they share a new death anthem called “Death Anthem.”
Austrian blackened death metal band Belphegor have completed work on their thirteenth studio album, scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2027 through Reigning Phoenix Music. No title, release date or tracklist has been announced. Two songs from the record are already out — “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus,” released in August 2025, and “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan,” released in February 2026.
It will be the band’s first album since 2022’s The Devils, which was produced by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios and won Belphegor the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard And Heavy category in 2023. The band was founded in 1993 by vocalist and guitarist Helmuth Lehner, who remains its only constant member.
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On today’s Metal Breakdown Daily, Scott Penfold gets into the latest hard rock and metal news stories. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and take the show with you.
Let’s separate the facts from the incense, because there’s a lot of both today.
What’s Actually Confirmed
Belphegor have finished their thirteenth album. It arrives in the first quarter of 2027 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
That’s it. That’s the news.
No title. No release date beyond a three-month window. No tracklist, no artwork, no producer named. Everything else in today’s announcement is scene-setting — and the band’s label has laid on plenty of it, with talk of the thirteenth seal binding the final veil between worlds and the band preparing to break it.
Which is entirely on brand and we’re not going to sneer at it. Belphegor have been committed to that language for thirty-three years and it’s the whole point of the enterprise. But it isn’t information, and a lot of the coverage today will present it as though it is.
Here’s what’s actually useful.
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The Strangest Rollout In Extreme Metal
Look at the timeline on those singles.
“Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus” came out in August 2025. “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan” followed in February 2026. The album they’re from was only completed this week and won’t arrive until early 2027.
Do the arithmetic. By release day, the first single will be roughly a year and a half old.
That’s genuinely unusual. The standard extreme metal rollout is album finished, campaign announced, first single six to eight weeks out. Belphegor did the opposite — put music out first, then kept building the record around it.
There’s a logic to it if you squint. Extreme metal audiences are patient by nature, the singles keep the band on festival bills and in playlists across a long gap, and there’s no radio cycle to service. But a two-year drip is still a long time to keep people warm, and it’s the sort of thing that only works if your audience is as devoted as this one is.
Here’s the most interesting fact in the whole announcement, and it gets a single sentence in the press release.
In 2023, Belphegor won the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard And Heavy category.
The Amadeus is Austria’s national music prize. It’s the country’s equivalent of a Brit or a Juno — televised, institutional, establishment. And they gave one to a band whose entire artistic identity is religious inversion, whose logo features inverted crosses in blood, and whose stated purpose the label describes as the glorification of the Devil.
Sit with that for a second.
Austria is a country where roughly half the population still identifies as Catholic and where church tax is collected by the state. Its national music academy handed a trophy to Belphegor.
You can read that two ways. Either it’s a genuine recognition that thirty years of uncompromising work is a real artistic achievement regardless of subject matter — which is the generous and probably correct read. Or it’s evidence of how thoroughly extreme metal’s transgression has been absorbed into the culture it was built to offend.
Probably both. Either way, it’s a stranger and better story than anything in the press release about seals and veils.
Where They’re Coming From
For anyone who doesn’t know the band, the short version.
Belphegor formed in Salzburg in 1991 as Betrayer, taking their current name in 1993 from the demon. Helmuth Lehner — vocals and guitar — founded them and is the only member who’s been there for all of it. The lineup around him has turned over repeatedly across three decades.
The early records — The Last Supper in 1995, Blutsabbath in 1997, Necrodaemon Terrorsathan in 2000 — were raw and fast and unpolished. The later ones got considerably more ambitious. Lucifer Incestus, Pestapokalypse VI, Bondage Goat Zombie and Totenritual all pushed further into composition without softening anything.
The Devils in 2022 was the peak of that trajectory. Nine tracks recorded at Fascination Street Studios with Jens Bogren, whose credits include Kreator and At The Gates. It moved between outright ferocity and something closer to ceremonial, with choral passages and ritual structure on tracks like “Glorifizierung Des Teufels” and “Virtus Asinaria – Prayer,” and lyrics moving between German, Latin and English. Seth Siro Anton did the artwork.
Notably, no producer has been announced for the thirteenth album. Whether Bogren is back is one of the more meaningful open questions here — he’s a large part of why The Devils sounded the way it did.
The band’s own framing is that the new material continues down the path The Devils opened, but further — more focused, more ritualistic, more precise.
Take that with the usual pinch of salt, since no band has ever announced a record by saying it’s a bit of a step down. But the two singles that are already out give you an actual sample rather than an adjective, which is the advantage of this odd rollout. Go and listen to those and form your own view.
First quarter 2027. That’s all anyone’s got for now.
TL;DR
Status: thirteenth Belphegor studio album is complete
Release: first quarter of 2027, via Reigning Phoenix Music
Still unannounced: title, exact date, tracklist, artwork and producer
Previous album: The Devils (2022), produced by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios
Accolade: The Devils earned Belphegor the 2023 Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard And Heavy category
Formed: Salzburg, Austria, 1991 as Betrayer; renamed Belphegor in 1993
Constant member: founder Helmuth Lehner on vocals and guitar
Live pedigree: Wacken Open Air, Knotfest, Bloodstock, Hellfest, Tons Of Rock and Sweden Rock among many others
FAQ
When is the new Belphegor album coming out?
It’s scheduled for the first quarter of 2027 through Reigning Phoenix Music. No specific date, title or tracklist has been announced.
Has Belphegor released any songs from the new album?
Yes, two. “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus” arrived in August 2025 and “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan” in February 2026 — both well ahead of the album’s completion.
What was Belphegor’s last album?
The Devils, released in 2022. It was recorded at Fascination Street Studios with producer Jens Bogren and featured artwork by Seth Siro Anton.
Who is in Belphegor?
Founder Helmuth Lehner on vocals and guitar is the band’s only constant member, having led the group since its formation. The lineup around him has changed repeatedly across three decades.
Did Belphegor really win a national music award?
Yes. In 2023 they won the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard And Heavy category for The Devils — an unusual piece of establishment recognition for a band built entirely on religious inversion.
Thirty-three years, thirteen albums, and one man who never once flinched from the bit. Are you still with Belphegor in 2027? Let us know in the comments.
We are very excited for our prolific Artist To Watch Asher White’s forthcoming album Love Aggregates, which comes later this month. The lead single “The Eagle Is No Omen” was an eccentric banger with an equally entertaining video, and now the Brooklyn artist is sharing “Stage Diva.”
The veteran Boston indie rapper Esoteric really collects unlikely collaborators. Back when John Cena was early in his wrestling career and doing a rap-battle gimmick, Esoteric was a big part of that. Much more recently, Kurt Vile shouted out Czarface, Esoteric’s group with longtime partner 7L and Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck, in a Pitchfork “Perfect 10” video, which led to Esoteric jumping onstage with Vile at a Boston show and spitting bars over “Bassackwards.” Czarface’s upcoming album Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer has an El-P feature, which is only unlikely if you remember El-P mercilessly going after 7L & Esoteric on Aesop Rock’s “We’re Famous” in 2003. And then there’s the actual Frankie Pulitzer of that upcoming album. You probably know him better as Tom Hardy.
We the indie rock listeners of planet Earth have collectively anointed Nate Amos as our new king. Box For Buddy, Box For Star quickly emerged as one of the greatest albums of the decade, and Holo Boy, a collection of re-recorded tunes from Amos’ back catalog, proved he’s been operating on this level for years. And then there’s all the excellent music he’s been making with Rachel Brown in Water From Your Eyes, and all the high-profile covers of This Is Lorelei songs from the various Box For Buddy deluxe editions. It’s hard to think of too many more impressive 2020s underground rock glow-ups.
We had the opportunity to chat with Force, the band that has won this year’s edition of the Wacken Metal Battle during the legendary festival in Germany. We talked about music, Wacken and women in metal, of course!
Benedetta
Hey, how are you doing?
Force
We’re doing great, thanks! We’re very excited and focused because this has been the biggest year of our lives as a band. It’s an honor to represent Chile and South America at Wacken Open Air.
Benedetta
You formed in 2025, and by early 2026 you won the South American Wacken Metal Battle, earning a spot at Wacken Open Air in Germany. How does it feel to go from forming a band to playing the holy grail of metal festivals in literally one year?
Force
It’s honestly surreal. When we started FORCE, we believed in our vision, but we never imagined everything would happen so quickly. Winning Metal Battle was already a dream come true, and now we’re preparing to play at Wacken, the biggest metal festival in the world. We see this as the beginning of a much bigger journey, and we’ll give everything we have on that stage to make Chile and South America proud.
Benedetta
Is there any specific artist on the lineup of Wacken that you are personally desperate to meet or watch from side-stage?
Force
There are several bands we’d love to meet. Judas Priest, because they’re true legends and one of the most iconic bands in metal history. Airbourne, because they represent the raw power and energy of Hard Rock that we really admire. Def Leppard, because they’ve been a huge inspiration for us, especially in the way they use keyboards and melodies in their songs. We’d also love to meet Invasion from Norway. Since they’re competing in the Metal Battle just like us, it would be great to get to know them, share experiences, and connect with bands from different parts of the world.
Benedetta
South American crowds are famous worldwide for being the most passionate and chaotic. Do you think European crowds at Wacken are ready for the specific brand of energy you are bringing from Chile?
Force
We hope so! Chilean audiences are incredibly passionate, and that energy has shaped us as performers. We always try to turn every show into a real experience, not just a concert. We’re bringing that same attitude to Wacken, and we hope people join us, sing along, and have as much fun as we will on stage.
Benedetta
Your sound is a powerful blend of classic 80s Glam/Hard Rock and modern retrowave synthesizers. How did the idea of mixing these two worlds come to you?
Force
We all grew up loving classic Hard Rock and Glam Metal, but we’re also fans of synthwave and retro electronic music. Instead of treating them as separate genres, we thought they could complement each other. The guitars bring the power, while the synthesizers create an atmosphere that makes our music feel both nostalgic and fresh.
Benedetta
What is the biggest misconception people have about Glam Metal in 2026?
Force
Many people still think Glam Metal is only about the image or fashion, but that’s far from the truth. Behind the look, there are incredible musicians, memorable songwriting, and great live performances. We believe Glam Metal is timeless because it’s about having fun, creating memorable songs, and connecting with people through music.
Benedetta
If you had to choose just one track from your album that serves as the perfect “gateway drug” for a new listener, which one would it be?
Force
We’d choose “Speed.” It’s the first song we’d recommend to someone who’s listening to FORCE for the first time because it truly represents who we are. It captures our personality as a band: energetic, adrenaline-fueled, and unmistakably ’80s. If you want to know what FORCE is all about, “Speed” is the perfect place to start.
Benedetta
In 2026, do you think that there are still disadvantages for women to be in the metal music scene?
Force
We believe things have improved over the years, but there is still room for progress. What matters most is talent, dedication, and passion for music, regardless of gender. The metal scene becomes stronger and more interesting when everyone has the opportunity to contribute and be recognized for what they do.
Benedetta
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! Is there anything else you’d like to add to our readers?
Force
Thank you for having us! We’d like to invite everyone to check out our music and follow our journey. We promise to bring all the energy, passion, and attitude that represent Chilean rock and metal. See you on the road!
Smokey Goretooth here, clocking in with a new “Do I Suck?,” MetalSucks’ version of “Am I The Asshole?” where we take real life horror stories and bring them to our readers to decide if the OP sucks for some bullshit they may or may not have done.
This week’s submission comes from a user named“thisguystinks01,” who was apparently very upset with his neighbor’s lack of skill…
So, I live in an apartment building that’s next door to a duplex. I’m really cool with the downstairs neighbors (have no clue about who lives upstairs), and they’re all young dudes in their late 20s. They’ve got the face tattoos, the cut off band tees, the whole nine. I should say I don’t know exactly who all lives there, since it seems to be a young house of actual roommates and rotating friends who need a couch to crash on sometimes when they’re in town.
I work from home some days and this particular situation started around 10:30 a.m. yesterday. My morning meeting just finished when I hear that undeniable sound of something being plugged into an amp. Since I live in a family neighborhood, again in an apartment next to a duplex, I wasn’t necessarily expecting this since places in my area don’t have basements and barely have garages that could be used as a practice space. That’s when the true horror of my morning began —I hear the introductory notes to “Painkiller” by Judas Priest. It took me a second to recognize what it was without the epic drums that open it, but it also took me awhile because whoever was playing was doing it so, so terribly.
Then comes the shockingly poor attempt at the vocals. It didn’t sound like they were singing into a mic, rather more so just shouting at the their highest volume and horrible octave known to man. Even my dog was wincing, and he’s old, so the fact that he mustered up the energy to react should say something.
Now, I obviously understand that you’re gonna have to practice something a lot to get good at it, but this went on for HOURS. The same terrible execution over and over again, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. No matter how loud I had on whatever I was listening to in my headphones, their attempt at practicing overpowered it, and I had enough.
Bit of back story, I had helped them a few months back with some electrical shit since I had lived here years before they ever, so I knew where their powerbox was on the outside of the building. At this point, I didn’t even care whoever else in their duplex it could’ve affected because I was on a mission for silence I went downstairs and over to their side of the fence, and as soon as I got to the box, I flipped every last bit of shit in there without hesitation. Literally every single switch. Once I heard the awful racket get somewhat quieter — and the person scream “FUCK!” really loud — I knew I found the sweet spot. I snuck my way back to my side of the fence when I heard whoever it was on the phone saying something to the effect of “shit, I think I blew a fuse or something. What should I do?” This led me to think that whoever it was isn’t one of the actual roommates, but one of those just passing through.
They eventually found the box and flipped all the breakers again, but I guess they were too scared that it’d happen again so they stopped playing and I enjoyed the rest of the day in peace.
I honestly don’t see how this could’ve gone any other way. I’ve had one of my neighbors in my own building mention to me before how they’ve tried to go over there to talk to them about noise before (that I guess happened when I wasn’t home one day) and it didn’t go over well or resolve anything, so I don’t really feel like I’m in the wrong. But, my best friend’s boyfriend, who is in a band, heard me telling her about my revenge and he said that I truly sucked. But like, do I really suck, though?
Ahh, the age old battle between shitty playing and ears that work too well for the circumstances. What do we think, readers?
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