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Another track from their upcoming first studio album in nearly a decade.

The post Threat Signal Release “Exercise The Demon” Video appeared first on Theprp.com.

There’s a burgeoning old school 80s trve metal movement growing these days, with more and more young bands longing to sound really olde. Steel is there for that, as it speaks directly to his ancient bones. A good number of these retro sword-swinging acts seem to be coming out of Sweden of late. We covered Century’s Sign of the Storm last year, and here comes Templar with their Conquering Swords debut, which was produced by Century’s Staffan Tengnér. As a fan of conquest and swords (and that awesome van-worthy cover art), I’m the target audience for this early 80s throwback insanity, which steals from cult acts like Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, and Brocas Helm as well as NWoBHM heroes like Satan and Witchfinder General. All this is to be expected, but what I didn’t see coming was the hefty Mercyful Fate influence that Templar throw around like a 50-pound sack of wet concrete. On paper, that should not work, but does it work in your tin ear? Let’s take a peek.

After a rousing, table-setting intro, you’re launched into “Witchking” and greeted by classic 80s guitar lines with a burly trve vibe sure to get your lust for battle growing. When Isak Neffling starts singing, those familiar with the Mercyful Fate demos and the original EP will hear a notable similarity to an early-day King Diamond. I don’t mean the high-pitched falsettos, but the ominous baritones he used regularly before he became a faux-evil cartoon character. One could also say Isak also reminds of The Night Eternal’s Ricardo Baum, who borrowed a lot from Mr. Diamond vocally himself. Either way, it makes for an interesting listen as Isak sings of Tolkien baddies, swords, and sorcery. “Excalibur” is all beef and chest-pounding bravado with a galloping pace, scrotal power to spare, and a chorus that feels just epic enough. It hits all the nostalgia bells and feels ancient as fook, but it can still beat your ass like a back-alley thug.

Elsewhere, “Exiled in Fire” is fast, fist-pumping classic metal with sweet guitar work and a rowdy, rough edge that takes me back to the dirty, unpolished NWoBHM days. “Shipwreck” is another riffy good time with a vague In Solitude vibe, and “White Wolf” is about as epic 80s metal as it gets without lapsing into Spinal Tap levels of parody. At a tight 40 minutes and with all songs contained in the 4-5 minute window, there’s not much fluff or blubber on the compositions. The only drawback is that the writing routinely sits in that “good and almost very good” pocket, never fully reaching that next level of badassery. It’s an easy, entertaining spin, but it won’t blow anyone’s mind or make many end-of-year lists. The production is painstakingly designed to sound rough and vintage, and it does hit that 1980-1982 aura with a warmth and texture that modern recordings often lack.

Gustav Harrysson and Teddy Edoff bring the sounds of proto and epic 80s metal to the Great Hall, cleaving closely to the NWoBHM blueprint but always injecting that grand and glorious edge to their playing. I hear many hints of early Mercyful Fate and Satan in their choices, and the Manilla Road-isms are there too. I don’t know if Isak Neffling was trying to channel King Diamond, but he certainly does, and that adds to the nostalgic appeal. Listen to “White Wolf,” and you hear the earliest days of Mercyful Fate, and that’s undeniably cool. His vocals don’t always work, though, and things get especially weird and awkward on “The Sorceress.” In toto, Isak gives Templar an X factor the band wouldn’t have otherwise, and that certainly works in their favor despite a few misfires.

Conquering Swords is an interesting and engaging debut from a band that have the potential to be much more. There are moments scattered across the album that hint at greatness, and maybe with more time and effort, those parts lead someplace special. As things stand, Templar are a good throwback band with one foot in the past and the other looking for the next place to stomp. Where they go from here will prove interesting. Worth checking out for the love of Diamond and rust(ed swords).

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Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Jawbreaker
Websites: facebook.com/templarsweden | instagram.com/templar.band
Releases Worldwide: February 27th, 2026

The post Templar – Conquering Swords Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

On September 19th, the LOVE.NOISE.FREEDOM FESTIVAL lands in the UK for the very first time, featuring sets from Might, Bulbul, Confusion Master, Noisepicker, and Endure.

LOVE.NOISE.FREEDOM, the beating heart behind every gathering curated by Exile On Mainstream has always been a statement. A celebration of heavy music, stubborn independence, and the deep bonds that hold this scene together. And now, that legendary, road-worn, heart-driven vibe finally takes over Downstairs at the Dome in London for one intense, unifying day. This is not a random lineup. This is family.

Might brings their uncompromising blend of crushing heaviness and raw melody, a band forged in volume and conviction, known for turning every stage into a cathartic release. Their sound balances massive riffs with emotional weight, the kind that lingers long after the amps cool down. Their sound is massive, yes, towering riffs and crushing low end, yet beneath the volume lies vulnerability. When they hit, it feels like standing in a storm that somehow holds you upright.

Bulbul, underground lifers from Austria, have built their legacy the hard way, through decades of stubborn independence and fearless experimentation. Hypnotic, abrasive, uncompromising, they prove that repetition can become ritual, and noise can become transcendence. They are a reminder that art survives because people refuse to let it die.

With sparse need for words, Confusion Master speaks through colossal instrumental passages that blur the line between doom, sludge and psychedelic drift. Their music feels like a slow-burning horizon; meditative, heavy, and deeply human. It’s the sound of patience meeting power.

UK powerhouse Noisepicker brings grit, groove and heart. Road-worn, hook-laden, and unapologetically loud, they channel the raw pulse of heavy rock ’n’ roll into something immediate and communal. Sweat on the walls. Smiles in the crowd. Riffs that feel like old friends.

And then there’s Endure – a new chapter written by members of Hands Of Omega. Born from experience, loss, growth and persistence, Endure embodies an evolving spirit: heavy, honest, and driven by connection.

LOVE.NOISE.FREEDOM isn’t about hype. It’s about shared vans, shared stages, shared stories. It’s about a label that built its reputation on loyalty and artistic freedom, finally bringing its community across the Channel. This is about showing up. For the music. For each other. For the idea that independent art still matters, not as nostalgia, yet as necessity. One day. One stage. One circle of trust. A gathering.

London, get ready to feel what Exile On Mainstream has always stood for: LOVE. NOISE. FREEDOM.

Tickets for LOVE.NOISE.FREEDOM FESTIVAL are available RIGHT HERE, and more info is posted HERE.

Exile On Mainstream Presents: 

LOVE.NOISE.FREEDOM FESTIVAL – w/ Might, Bulbul, Confusion Master, Endure, Noisepicker

9/19/2026 Downstairs At The Dome – London, UK [info]

https://www.mainstreamrecords.de

https://www.youtube.com/@exileonmainstream3639

https://www.instagram.com/exileonmainstream_official

Source: EARSPLIT PR

When it was announced this past Monday that Tomahawk — the supergroup featuring Duane Denison, Mike Patton, John Stanier, and Trevor Dunn — would be touring the U.S. for the first time in 13 years, I’ll admit that I was super stoked. Not just for the opportunity to see them live again, but for the chance for maybe something new on the horizon.

…But that hope was short lived, as the band personally went on social media to clarify their intentions with this reunion.

“We tried to keep tickets as affordable as possible for these shows. We know horrible fees get added as well. Sharing the stage with the Melvins makes this an even better deal. There will not be any other band on the bill.

“To answer some of the questions we are getting, we will not be adding more cities to this run… There is no new music planned. No meet and greets or any of that special package stuff. Oh and we are not taking song requests, that’s not how concerts work.

“We are all busy with other things and not as young as we used to be so we crammed as many dates into the period that we were all available. Our booking agent solicits offers and routes the dates based on the offers received. Believe it or not we don’t get offers from EVERY city.

“As of this very moment, we do not have any other touring plans in 2026. However, we are in constant contact with our agents and working on our individual schedules to see if there is interest and we might have time to visit more of you, in other countries, in 2027. Stay tuned. Thank you for welcoming us back!”

The aforementioned tour will begin on July 18 in Nashville and will come to an end on August 15 in Los Angeles.

“A Huge Waste of Your Time and Money” 2026 U.S. Tour dates:

The post No, The Tomahawk Reunion Doesn’t Mean New Music is Coming Anytime Soon appeared first on MetalSucks.

The post Car Bomb, MØL & Machukha Join Damnation 2026 appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

Yesterday I never would have thought I’d want to shake my ass and flail my limbs to something that resembles the anxious flutter of insects wings. But today is a new day. Today is the day I heard GRRL’s new single “Moire,” with its iridescent buzzing and commanding claps. “Moire” is accompanied by another new…

The post GRRL Announces New Album <em>Beetle</em>: Hear “Moire” & “Scatter” appeared first on Stereogum.

The reunited post-hardcore band now have a total of two shows announced.

The post Circa Survive Announce September Philadelphia, PA Reunion Show appeared first on Theprp.com.

Canadian’s Threat Signal reveal another new song from their upcoming album – first in nearly a decade – Revelations, set for release on March 27th via Agonia Records. The single “Exercise The Demon” premieres on streaming platforms and is being premiered through a full band playthrough video.
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ØVI unveil “Absolve,” the closing track from their new EP Hedera Helix, available today on all streaming platforms. Serving as the final statement of the four-track release, “Absolve” channels confrontation into clarity, presenting metal as a force of transformation rather than collapse. Named after the ivy plant Hedera helix, a species known for relentless expansion and endurance, […]

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Bestial death horde PIG’S BLOOD are going scorched earth with their inaugural release under the Dark Descent Records banner. Destroying the Spirit sees the band reach a new level of relentless, blackened brutality. An unholy barrage of volcanic riffing and abyssal hostility, Destroying the Spirit is violence incarnate.  The band has launched a stream of the album’s closing […]

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