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After the rain on Friday night, it looks like the weather was starting off right on Saturday, with a great sun and amazing temperatures for the whole day. Busy day in the schedule for the FemMetal team, and now I’m going to tell you all about it.

Melrose Avenue

The first band of my day was Melrose Avenue, directly from Australia to bring the party to Tuska. And boy, did they deliver a fabulous show for the packed tent stage. Despite the early hours in which they were performing, everyone was clearly enjoying the set and just having the best time. The highlight of their show was the duet with Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait on “Cemetery Friends“, which was a delightful surprise for everyone. They really brought the energy and passion with them, and this Saturday is starting off to be one for the books.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Hokka

After seeing Blind Channel a few times, this is the first time I’m seeing HOKKA, the solo project of the former frontman Joel. And I’m so happy that the two things can coexist, because HOKKA isn’t trying to be Blind Channel and vice versa. Joel is his own man and artist, and he’s showing us what he can do to his fullest potential now. To say that his show was spectacular is a bit redundant, isn’t it? After all we know how amazing he was with Blind Channel, and he’s not lost any of his flair for the dramatic and theatrical sets. And then he played “Dark Side” by his previous band, and frankly I was not expecting it. But hey, that is just the cherry on top of this! The whole band played in such a remarkable way, I was particularly impressed by Jimi Aslak on drums. Sublime!

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Shere Khan

Talent is found on every corner of Tuska. Sure, on the main stage, but also on the KVLT stage. My dear colleague Niko talked me into going to see Shere Khan, and I’m so glad to have discovered this band. We see many interesting and unique acts, but I’ve never come across something quite like them. To unite glam metal and metalcore is not the easiest task, and instead they do it flawlessly. Frontman Danny knows how to command the stage and the audience, and the whole group looks like they’re having the time of their life when they are performing. And that’s exactly what we want to see! Moshpits, circle pits, people singing and jumping and screaming, Shere Khan can summon everything and the audience will oblige. One of the most touching moments was when they performed their latest single “Again“, dedicated to a friend that they lost. I had goosebumps! So if you’re ever in need of something fresh and new to listen, Shere Khan is made just for you.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Dogma

I know what you’re thinking. We’re a website dedicated to female artists in metal and you haven’t written a single word about one. And you’d be right. So, now let me rectify this, because I went to the tent stage for Dogma‘s performance. And yeah, they’re a bit of a controversial group for many aspects, but I still want to do things right by the website and the readers as well. I had no idea what to expect because despite knowing about the band, they’re not in my playlists and I have never seen them live before. Their show is very entertaining, almost like you’re watching a movie of some sorts. I don’t know if it was an audio problem or else, but lead singer Lilith at times was a bit difficoult to hear. That being said, the rest of the group was in top shape, and it seemed that they were really enjoying performing for such a big crowd.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

P.O.D.

How incredible is it to witness a band’s first show in the country you’re in? Just magical. This was P.O.D.‘s maiden set in Finland, and after catching them at Download, it was just amazing to see them again. Their energy on stage is unmatched, and the crowd was clearly loving it. Of course they performed many songs from their hit album “Satellite”, many from their latest release “Veritas” too, and even a Beatles‘ cover (“Don’t Let Me Down“). P.O.D. said goodbye to Tuska festival with “Afraid to Die” and “Alive“, which sealed the deal on one of the most spectacular performances the festival has ever seen.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Trivium

I saw Trivium just once in Wacken 2023 (the year of the mud), and I don’t know why but I wasn’t really excited to see them again. Maybe it was just the mud that was clouding my judgment, because their show here at Tuska was nothing short of exceptional. Their setlist was quite heterogeneous, drawing from different albums and focusing slighly more on “Ascendancy” from which they played three tracks if I remember correctly. They closed their show with “In Waves“, and I apologize for writing them off too soon. Trivium really brought a fire performance to Helsinki, and I’m glad I gave them a second chance.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

The post LIVE REPORT: Saturday at Tuska Festival continues the celebration of live music first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Are you excited for this Westside Cowboy album? You should be. The young Manchester rockers will release their debut LP It Goes On in August, and after lead single “Kick Stones (The Boys)” and their prior EPs, we’re chomping at the bit for the rest of this thing to drop. We get a second preview from the It Goes On tracklist today with the release of “Pin Up Boys.”

The post Westside Cowboy – “Pin Up Boys” appeared first on Stereogum.

Bookending their dates with Megadeth.

The post Obituary Announce New Summer Headlining Shows appeared first on Theprp.com.

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Primal Cult – Dark Passage (Northern Silence Productions)

Eve Alchemy and Aro Raven formed Primal Cult in 2012 and since then they’ve become a melodic black metal force in the Hellenic extreme metal world. Their music has “themes connected to nature, inner conflict and ancient imagery” as the duo combine ferocity and atmosphere like so many of the leaders in the genre from their country. 

Tremolo guitar, keys, melodic passages and blast beats all at the heart of the this cult. Their debut came out in 2018 so has this gap between releases changes anything? Well no, maybe there’s something that’s a bit more refined on this one, the creative mind of Eve Alchemy composing songs that are still carry a significant black metal darkness but offer glimmers of light with the clean guitars and synths.

There’s also cello, piano (Shore Of Echoes) and more textures to broaden the sonic appeal of this record, spoken word parts and traditional Greek instruments come on the title track while there are acoustics that begin Below The Wave. Dark Passage keeps Primal Cult firmly in the grip of the Hellenic extreme metal world, not about speed but about power and cinematics. 7/10 

Medusa’s Wrath – The Seventh Plague Of Babylon (Sleaszy Rider Records)

The second album from Medusa’s Wrath doesn’t change the formula of their debut, Pavor Exitium Mors too much. You can expect epic, US styled heavy metal which reminds me of the early records from Iced Earth when the vocals were overall a bit harsher, but the music still retained that classic heavy metal goes thrash style. 

With lyrics inspired by history this Athenian five piece still carry that epic heavy metal flag of Manilla Road (Shadows Dance), Iron Maiden (Eternal), Mercyful Fate (Breaking The Spell), Judas Priest on We Cannot Breathe and Lament Of The Serpent with more than a dash of Sabaton too. 

Medusa’s Wrath do what they do, playing heavy metal which merges that robust US version with the speedier UK one. The Seventh Plague Of Babylon is a decent follow up to their 2024 debut. 7/10

Pulsar1081 – L’inizio Della Fine (FYC Records) 

Ok let’s get into this one yeah? Pulsar1081 are a duo who have caught the ear of D.I.Y label FYC Records. Always having an ear to the ground and penchant for the creative FYC area perfect home for the ambient industrial soundscapes of Eterno and Momento. 

Between them they use keys, guitars, synths, samples, noises, takes and even some vocals to create these layered pieces of music where the synthetic and analogue instrumentation are blended with chants (Darkness), making a seven recordings that have an unnerving sense of dread that flows through all these pieces. 

I say pieces as they aren’t really songs, they’re soundtracks of a film that doesn’t exist but you know would be psychologically terrifying. This isn’t a metal album but then FYC has always been a place for the experimental underground and Pulsar1081 is very experimental. 7/10

Chants Ov Obscurity – Bloodstained Monuments (Self Released)

Some blackened deathcore now from Thessaloniki based Chants Ov Obscurity, with influences of Abigail Williams, Ov Sulfur and Cabal, this is fast, furious stuff, the grunt of death metal with the rage of black metal. 

Bloodstained Monuments low guttural vocal croaks/screams (Demios Sam), heavy breakdowns (Kostas Oiko) and symphonic elements (Maria Brkc) but ultimately doesn’t do too much different from those bands I mentioned. 

I felt like most of the song bled into another but then deathcore is not always my preference, still fans will be chomping at the bit to pit to these tracks I’m sure, for me it’s the Reincarnation In Blasphemy that’s stands out as the best on the EP.

As I said blackened death if you’re a fan you’ll like it if not, then it won’t convince you. 6/10

Reviewed: July 1, 2026 Released: June 12, 2026, MNRK Heavy Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead So what do you get when the line up […]

The post Lex Legion – Lex Legion appeared first on Metal-Rules.com.

In May, Laura Veirs announced her new album Temple Songs and shared “Flying Into Darkness.” Now, the Portland indie-folk singer-songwriter is releasing “Pulse,” which is a very beautiful song with a very amusing music video.

The post Laura Veirs – “Pulse” appeared first on Stereogum.

In recent years we’ve been following the collaborations between Columbus-based Superdestroyer and Cleveland’s own (Leave) Nelson B, a string of computerized emo releases under the banner of Nelson Comes To Visit. Today the duo has announced another album, We Emit A Visible Light That Vanishes When We Die, and previewed it with the single “I Was On Fire (But Now I’m Fine).”

The post Nelson Comes To Visit Announce New Album <em>We Emit A Visible Light That Vanishes When We Die</em>: Hear “I Was On Fire (But Now I’m Fine)” appeared first on Stereogum.

“I was not doing that to attack you.”

The post Ex-Godsmack Drummer Shannon Larkin Apologizes To Nikki Sixx Over Click Tracks Comment: “I Have Nothing But Respect For You” appeared first on Theprp.com.