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Religion, and cultural tradition stemming from religion, is a rich vein for artists of all walks, so it’s always disappointed me somewhat that so much of metal takes the “anti-” approach to religious-based storytelling. Obviously I get it, metal being metal and all, but it does make projects like Amaseffer (“People of the Holy Book”), the Israeli progressive folk metal project of Erez Yohanan, stand out. I’d not heard of Amaseffer before this year; my only context going in comes from my colleague Mystikus Hugebeard, who told me, and I quote, “I loved their first album, and it released back in like fucking 1907.” He was close—Exodus: Slaves for Life, their debut full-length, released in 2008 and tells the story of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt up to the ten plagues and subsequent exile of the Hebrew people. When the Lions Leave Their Den is part two of the trilogy, covering the start of that exile up to Moses’s arrival at Mount Sinai.

After such a hiatus, it is perhaps not surprising that the music of Amaseffer sounds fresh and vibrant. It is indeed a work of folk-infused progressive metal, with long song forms, only a light touch of heaviness, and a clear Middle Eastern influence, especially in the orchestration and instrumentation. Lead singing is split between Lukky Sparxx and Jessica Mercy, but there are also narrations in English and Hebrew from a variety of vocalists, including Kobi Farhi (Orphaned Land), and growls by another three. More than folky, though, When the Lions Leave Their Den is cinematic. Songs act as scenes observing the Exodus from multiple angles: in “Stardust Harvesters” we take a moment to share the faith of the fleeing exiles before a cloud of smoke marks their path in the spectacularly heartfelt “A Sacred Mist of the Sacred Veil.” After that, we switch settings and follow the Egyptian army pursuing the Israelites in “Lady of Slaughter,” a heavy, exciting song that strongly evokes the mad bloodlust of the slighted military. The result feels more like a journey than an album, with frequent acoustic guitars enhancing the storytelling feel.

Of course, it probably helps that I’m already familiar with the story of the Exodus, but apart from familiarity, the religious and cultural story also lends When the Lions Leave Their Den a sense of reverence that feels rare in metal. Like a Jewish Theocracy, the musicians of Amaseffer bring passion and respect for their source material to everything they do. “Miriam” is a beautiful, heartfelt power ballad that Mercy elevates with her beautiful expression of a lost people dreaming of a new home. “Wooden Staff Part II” has a fairly standard construction, with upbeat riffs, piano, and some acoustic moments, but the way Sparxx describes the legendary staff of Moses feels a touch inspired. From another angle, the beautiful “A Flame Unbidden” allows both singers to explore the ineffable nature of faith through gorgeous acoustic, orchestral, and metal melodies, courtesy of Yohanan himself.

Like so much progressive metal, When the Lions Leave Their Den commits absolutely to its ideas, eager to explore each one to its fullest. More specifically, this means the ten-song album runs a staggering seventy-two minutes, so it’s a good thing it sounds so good—the production is clear, modern, and allows each of the many instruments and vocalists to shine. “Pathway to the Promised Land” is the only song to actually reach the ten-minute mark, and while I think it overstays its welcome, it’s also hard to not get swept away by the early orchestral notes, the gradual rise to climax, and sense of mighty wonder as the sea itself parts for God’s people. It’s so good, but ten minutes is a lot even for this pivotal moment. Similarly, “Stardust Harvesters” is a beautiful, moving song, but at seven minutes feels like it’s lingering a bit. This is a common theme: songs are beautifully constructed and performed, but often stick around a touch too long.

I want to stress again that When the Lions Leave Their Den succeeds at feeling like a work of cinematic metal, because I feel that’s an impressive thing to achieve. The passionate performances, strong songwriting, and epic storytelling come together to tell a fantastic tale in an engaging and impressive way. If a handful of songs linger too long on a given idea, well, that happens in movies too. I’m still very excited for part three.

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Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-release
Websites: amaseffer.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/OfficialAmaseffer
Releases Worldwide: October 8th, 2026

The post Amaseffer – When the Lions Leave Their Den Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

As they prepare to head over to the UK for a whole host of special shows, Alien Ant Farm have unveiled a new track that feels as quintessential as it gets.

Titled ‘Gaslighter’, it feels like a homage to where they have been in the past as much as to who they are today. Bristling with grooving riffs and soaring harmonies, clashing together in perfect harmony, the band sound as fresh and ferocious as they did 25 years ago.

Vocalist Dryden Mitchell had this to say about it:

“With hints of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine, we wrote a razor-edged gem that calls out the liars and manipulators in our lives. Do the ones we love the most end up burning us all in the end? This anthem rocks steadily and races toward a hopeful resolution. Light the fuses and burn all the liars!”

“The song initially started out as a play on words, about how liars always speak in code. Native American service members who used their traditional tribal languages to send secret, unbreakable tactical messages during World War I and World War II. I found that interesting. And getting information from a lying loved one almost felt like this. Then Howard really liked “Gaslighter” over “Code Talker.” Str8 to the point. I went back in and honed the lyric to cut to the quick and hopefully reach as many people as possible, as I’m sure everyone has dealt with a gaslighter. Telling you you’re crazy, when you know the truth.”

Alien Ant Farm are set to hit up the UK and Ireland later this month, supporting Skindred on some massive shows as well as a few headline shows of their own celebrating 25 years of their classic album ‘ANThology’.

Dryden had this to say about the run:

“This will be our 2nd go-around with Skindred. The first was Germany. We’re so excited to bring this pairing to the UK, our favourite stomping grounds for years.  Skindred brings such good energy vibes; we can’t wait to contribute to some absolutely memorable nights!!!” 

Here are the dates:

OCTOBER

30 – BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy (with Skindred, Orgy and Spineshank)
31 – LONDON Alexandra Palace (With Skindred, Orgy and Spineshank)

NOVEMBER

01 – BRISTOL Electric ( Headline show with Orgy, Spineshank and South of Salem)
03 – LEEDS Stylus (Headline show)
04 – EDINBURGH Liquid Room
06 – DUBLIN 3Olympia Theatre (with Skindred)
07 – BELFAST The Telegraph Building (with Skindred)

The post Alien Ant Farm Share Grooving New Track ‘Gaslighter’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Welsh rockers Scarlet Rebels have released the video for their new single, God’s Honest Truth, ahead of the arrival of their album Flawed By Design on 13 November 2026 through Earache Records. The band have also confirmed a run of UK record store appearances during release week.

The track is the fourth single from Flawed By Design, following This Is Happening Now, Don’t Look Down and Chains. This Is Happening Now previously featured in Classic Rock magazine’s Hot List.

What began as a guitar riff recorded on a phone developed over months of rehearsals. When Scarlet Rebels found they had studio time to record one more song, they returned to the idea. Its themes ultimately helped shape the album’s title, artwork and wider concept.

Frontman Wayne Doyle explains that the song emerged while he was grieving a friend and questioning the nature of higher powers, human flaws and the systems that govern everyday life. Those questions extend to humanity’s relationship with artificial intelligence and the possibility of passing human flaws into what it creates.

The accompanying video draws on the visual language of retro computer games, in which a character’s remaining health is shown by disappearing hearts. The imagery echoes the diminishing hearts on the album artwork, reflecting what Doyle sees as a loss of humanity.

Flawed By Design UK In-Store Tour 2026

The band will mark the album’s release with seven record store dates between 13 and 18 November, mixing stripped-back performances with full-band shows. The run begins at Derrick’s Music in Swansea and includes Huddersfield, Leeds, Kingston, Cardiff, Wrexham and Oxford.

Wayne says: “Being able to get in front of and meet everyone that’s stood tall for us for so long is really important to us. Being able to strip the songs back to their barest nature as well as having a few full band shows gives us and our Rebel Club the opportunity to celebrate the release of Flawed By Design in style.”

• 13 November – Derrick’s Music, Swansea
• 14 November – Vinyl Tap, Huddersfield
• 14 November – Crash Records, Leeds
• 15 November – Banquet Records, Kingston
• 16 November – The Globe (presented by Jacaranda Records), Cardiff
• 17 November – The Parish (presented by Jacaranda Records), Wrexham
• 18 November – Truck Records, Oxford

Scarlet Rebels 2026 Live Dates

• 25 November – The Tivoli, Buckley (supporting Tyketto)
• 26 November – The Polar Bear, Hull
• 27 November – Independent, Sunderland
• 28 November – Winterstorm Festival, Troon
• 29 November – Picturedrome, Holmfirth (supporting Tyketto)
• 1 December – The Black Box, Hastings (supporting Tyketto)
• 2 December – The Waterloo, Blackpool (supporting Tyketto)
• 3 December – Queens Hall, Nuneaton (supporting Tyketto)
• 19 December – RPM Christmas Special, Morecambe (with The Virginmarys, These Wicked Rivers, Kit Trigg, LN and more)

Scarlet Rebels 2027 UK Tour

Record store tour tickets | Live tickets | Pre-order Flawed By Design | Scarlet Rebels official website

The post Scarlet Rebels Unveil God’s Honest Truth Video And Announce UK In-Store Tour first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

Welsh rock band Scarlet Rebels release their new single and video ‘God’s Honest Truth’ ahead of their new album ‘Flawed By Design’, out November 13th via Earache Records. The band will celebrate release week with a series of UK record store appearances. Download/Stream – here ‘God’s Honest Truth’ is the fourth track to be released […]

The post Scarlet Rebels Release New Single & Video ‘God’s Honest Truth’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

PEELINGFLESH are getting closer and closer to cementing their place at the peak of heavy music with their upcoming self-titled album, and they have shared a fresh taste of it to keep you moving.

Titled ‘Crackology’, it finds the band at the very peak of their powers. Forcing in as many breakneck riffs as belligerant breakdowns, alongside plenty of discordant grunts and gutturals, it is everything you could ever want. Unrelenting, unhinged and overflowing with bile and hatred.

Vocalist Damonteal Harris had this to say about the track:

“One of our personal favorites from the album even though all of them are our favorite. A lot of insane samples that we’ve been wanting to use for a very long time in this one.”

‘PEELINGFLESH’, the album, will be released on November 27 via Unique Leader Records.

The band had this to say about what the record means to them:

“This has been our baby for the last year. An insane mixture of drop G and Drop F songs that are some of our favorite and craziest songs we’ve written to date and we’re extremely stoked to get them out finally”

The artwork looks like this:

And the tracklisting like this:

1. Crash Out
2. Murderous Intent (feat. Mike Ryan)
3. Wig Split (feat. Devin Swank)
4. Lethal Interjection (feat. Jayway)
5. T.D.C.U.
6. Crackology
7. No Alibi (feat. Bridget Lynch)
8. Find Around Fuck Out
9. Full Clip
10. It’s Goin Down Part 2 (feat. Extermination Dismemberment)

And here is ‘Murderous Intent’, just to whet the appetite even more:

The post PEELINGFLESH Share Brutal New Track ‘Crackology’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Special Guests to the original Inglorious in Wolverhampton were rising quartet Kira Mac. Just shy of a year since they headlined this very venue, please see my review here. Now they return with an emphatically darker, weightier, more forceful sound.

Kira Mac – White Skies

KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton – 17 October 2026 

Words: Sophie James

Photography: John Inglis

From the intro, one sensed the intensity of what was to come would be greater than before. A thunderous rolling bass was joined by the staccato guitar attack of Hated, leaving many in the audience stunned. However, it did receive a warm reception.

“We’re gonna play you some songs no one’s ever heard before.”

Caught Between retained its predecessor’s intensity while unequivocally confirming that the collective was forging a new direction. Chemicals possessed more groove while losing none of the potency.

“Everyone’s looking dumbfounded.  Come on KK’s, it’s a Saturday night!”  

The bass intro of Magnetic led into a guitar sound that was redolent of that mid-eighties goth scene. By now the guitar pair of Joe and Vern were most animated.  

In spite of their earlier reticence, more in the crowd were warming to the new material during Haunt Me. With its refrain of “It’s not over yet”, it possesses the kind of hook that burrows deep inside.  

As Rhiannon explained to me, “This is just the working title. It may yet change. I’m not going to bore you with the details, but we’ve had a shit two years. We shelved a whole album and been back in the studio to record a whole new one.”

The penultimate Climbing had more of a swing to it and, to the unfamiliar listener, was more accessible as a result. This saw Rhiannon descend to the barrier to lead the audience in a prolonged chant of “Heys!”  

So, seven brand new songs, which Loyalty concluded. Kira Mac must be commended for having the courage to play a complete set of unfamiliar material, one that tested the audience as well as the reviewers present.  

Ideally, to review a gig, one would require prior exposure to material to appreciate the subtleties of an in-concert performance. That said, I admire their attitude to just go for it and expect constructive feedback.  

No one can fault their application and the level of musicianship, but such was the shift in soundscape, I imagine at this stage it may be challenging to integrate the older material into the set.  

The next time, I hope to be more acquainted, thus immersing myself to a greater degree. Expect the new album next spring.  

Once again, I will leave the final word to the artist. “Anything can happen in this band. Expect the unexpected.”

The Dynamic Melodic Excellence Of White Skies

Opening the Inglorious comeback show were Midlands’ very own melodic stormtroopers, White Skies.  Comprising Mick White (ex-Samson & First Strike) on vocals, ex-YaYa Ray Calcutt on guitar, ex-Blood Red Saint Rob Naylor on bass and Daz Lamberton (ex-Red White & Blues) on the skins, however, keyboard wizard/production genius Pete Lakin has now taken a step back from being out on the road.  

Having released the truly stellar Shouting At The Hurricane on Good Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the launch party within the intimate confines of the Giffard Arms the same evening.  

This, however, was my first opportunity to experience them on a large stage, a place I have always considered they could fully exploit the associated sound system.  

Opening with the urgent Righteous Zone from the new LP, a tale of romantic dissolution I described at the time as “It wouldn’t be a stretch to consider it to be White Skies’ Dirty Love.” What could possibly go wrong?  

As a four-piece, they have upped their attack. Ray and Rob’s rhythms have more meat, although Pete’s textures provide a subtle backdrop.  

With the limited time available, the band were going for it. The heavily airplayed 88 Crash followed. I feel I must adopt a Keith Richards tone and go “Man, what a riff!”  Here one could feel, as well as hear it, in all its majesty.  

New album opener If This Is It was relegated to third place and preceded the gargantuan title track Shouting At The Hurricane.  

With the truly stupendous tones of Nathan James due later, Mick demonstrated comparable ability as his voice soared across the void.  

An anthem for our time, it is a song one could never tire of.  “And I look into the storm and cry.”

“This song is about going out on a Saturday night and seeing your favourite band.”  The strutting hedonistic escapism of Money To Burn is an effervescent anthem to a big, big night out.  

Very first single and sole representative from debut Black Tide, What Do You Know About Love, a song that still gets better and better with every listen, closed this highly enjoyable set.  

For this concise support appearance, White Skies collated what could be considered their most dynamic and infectious selection, exhibiting a mastery of songwriting and consummate delivery, proving this is where they truly belong.

We need to see them more in such locations.  

The post Kira Mac Dare To Be Different As White Skies Deliver Melodic Excellence first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

Five months ago, we watched as Angine de Poitrine – microtonal sensations from Saguenay, Quebec’s fertile DIY rock scene via…I dunno, somewhere in space – sent a jam-packed Electric Ballroom into a state of feverish glee. Since then they’ve raked up millions more streams, made their US talk-show debut (The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon) and sold out increasingly massive spaces across the globe.

That London debut caught us by surprise, in the best way – a proper rock show and a thousand times more fun than we imagined such a fiendishly clever, angular duo could be. Do they pull off the same trick tonight? In a word: yes.

Support band/fellow Quebecois rockers Gros Mené kick things off with a pleasingly all-over-the-map melee of punk, psychedelic, blues, hardcore and alternative sensibilities. It all makes a weird, oomphy kind of sense. If All Them Witches came out of a garage in Detroit, instead of Nashville, they might have sounded like this.

Delighted cheers rise and spotty balloons fly over heads as the curtain rises to reveal our pyramid-saluting headliners – resplendent and slightly homemade-looking, like characters dreamt up by a primary school teacher (after a particularly hefty spliff). It’s an oddly wholesome backdrop for hard-stabbing opener Angor, its hypnotic math-rock, prog and ancient scales layered with dizzying dexterity.

Yor Zarad is their mad French-Canadian answer to Focus, intense but giddy, drummer Klek’s long nose flailing between beats, guitarist/bassist Khn stepping back and forth as if in a dance with his pedals. It’s like being suddenly thrust into a psychedelic, high-energy party at some kind of alien souk.

It’s pretty much the same setlist as the one we saw in May, but now with an expanded vocabulary of distorted “eryhjjhthturrrhgtuhh!” declarations between songs. You wonder if there’s a code in these garbled exchanges (two short “urrhgtdddttjtk!”s for “oh fuck my drumstick’s stuck!”, or somesuch thing), either way it unites the happy roomful gathered here.

It *is* a less boisterous crowd compared to the frenzied mob at the Ballroom – as you’d expect from tonight’s wider demographic and capacious, high-ceilinged setting. Still, everyone’s quite ready to bob along in unison on command, ADP’s non-verbal offbeat panto showmanship transcending language and culture boundaries.

Crowd-surfers start to flow around Mata Zyklek, ADP’s virtuosic chops and eastern sensibilities reaching banger-grade rockability. Intense but full of silly fun, frenetic then fluid repeat patterns with nods to Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Indian and other old world musical traditions.

Ababa Hotel is a jazzier funk affair – the band going a bit Dave Brubeck on us for a moment – leading into a gloriously bizarre call n’ response “EEEE!” “ARGGGHH!”, proof that even 333-year-old otherworldly beings can do hammy old-school theatre.

Much loved fan favourite Fabienk sees the room descend into full-scale alien disco boogie. Everyone bounces and sings along with the guitar hook. We lose count of the spotty outfits, headgear and hairdos around us, as Sherpa stirs up a heady cloud of eastern hoodoo and tight, twisted oomph for an all-out rock climax.

You do wonder if this’ll all turn out to be some feverish cheese dream that we wake up from in, say, 2028 and go “Hey, remember when we were nuts for these weird instrumental dudes with absurd oversized heads? What the hell was that??” But even if that did happen – whether Angine’s reign ends tomorrow, or years from now – we’d look back on it as a brilliantly eccentric moment in music history.

That said, they have got two London nights booked for next summer, so it’s not over just yet.

Well here comes Mr. Dependable again! When it comes to Nick Piunti, the one thing you can always count on is quality. The new EP Under the Wire finds this master craftsman of guitar pop in prime form on a six-song set that feels a little different from his albums. This release is, for the lack of a better term, more “singer/songwriter-ish.” 

Piunti often brings to mind Paul Westerberg with his flair for writing songs that are so sad and truthful that they hit you like a ton of bricks. That’s the vibe here. Under the Wire favors ballads and laidback, melancholy numbers. While not fully a concept record, it does explore recurring themes of people who are plagued by despair and struggling to find their way out of the darkness — sometimes due to circumstance and sometimes by choice. These songs play to all of Piunti’s strengths. He’s not just a skilled crafter of melodies but also a fine singer and superb storyteller. These six songs come together like a collection of short stories or a movie made of vignettes. It takes a special kind of talent to make sad songs something you look forward to, but Piunti possesses that skill set in abundance. “Hope You Got High” opens the EP in particularly devastating fashion, and from there it’s a veritable parade of stunning, gorgeously bittersweet gems. If you’ve heard a Nick Piunti record before, you know the kind of music to expect. But his act never wears thin, and every new song he turns out is a delight to behold. If you or people close to you are struggling or haunted by demons of various sorts, you will feel these songs deeply. 

Given the creative roll he’s been on now for a decade plus, getting two releases from Nick Piunti in a single year feels like a gift. He epitomizes class in the indie pop-rock universe, and Under the Wire captures him at his absolute best.

Echoid, the outstanding new alliance of musicians from the ranks of bands such as Noveria, Alicate, Burning Black, Order of Minerva and the Vivaldi Metal Project, have unveiled a brilliant new lyric video – ‘Break The Circuit‘! ‘Break The Circuit‘ is taken from Echoid’s incredible debut album, ‘The Silent Era‘. ‘The Silent Era‘ is an album […]

The post Echoid Release Lyric Video For ‘Break The Circuit’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.