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This August, at Fernhill Farm near Bristol, U.K., this year’s ArcTenGent Festival will rock for four days a mix of metal, doom, psych, math rock, post rock, folk rock, avant-garde… really pretty much whatever your music-loving heart could desire. Earlier today, organizers announced the final lineup additions for this year’s festivities and now we can definitively say the lineup is impressive as hell.

The artists added today are Cardiacs, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, MØL, A.A. Williams, Scaler, Battlesnake (Live Silent Disco Set), Witch Fever, Youthmovies, Otay:onii, XO Armor, Zeta, The Intersphere, MÚR, HUGGING, Kathryn Joseph, and SKLOSS.

Speaking of the festival’s final additions, organizer James Scarlett said he was excited to see how they’ll fit in the lineup they’ve curated over the last few months.

“Just like that, the ArcTanGent 2026 line up is complete. Is there a better way to do it than bagging highly-requested absolute-legends Cardiacs, finally getting the Youthmovies reunion we’ve been working on since 2021, and bringing The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza for their first ever UK show. This has truly been our best-selling year and a sold out festival is on the horizon – so thank you to all the ArcTanGent family for their huge support this year. If you haven’t got a ticket yet, don’t sleep on it or risk being sorely disappointed! For everyone that has, we shall see you in August!”

As it stands right now, the full and final lineup is as follows, broken down by each day:

If all of that looks exciting to you, you can make sure you get to attend this year’s event by getting your tickets today.

The post MØL, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, and More Among Final ArcTanGent ’26 Additions appeared first on MetalSucks.

Their final studio release will consist of four songs.

The post Sepultura Premiere New Track “The Place”, Final EP “The Cloud Of Unknowing” Due In April appeared first on Theprp.com.

We rounded up a list of every rock and metal band that have supported Metallica on tour between the years 2016 and 2026. Continue reading…

Brazilian metal pioneers release emotionally charged new EP as they wrap more than 40 years of groundbreaking music.

The post SEPULTURA Announce Farewell EP The Cloud Of Unknowing, Stream "The Place" appeared first on Metal Injection.

Pagan Records to release limited 2026 pressing on 180g Smoked Splatter Vinyl Pagan Records has announced a stunning new reissue of “As The Flame Withers“, the monumental debut full-length album from Greek black metal titans Yoth Iria. Out now, this definitive edition celebrates the album that reignited the spirit of the ’90s occult scene. Originally released in […]

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As the curtain falls on an extraordinary career spanning more than four decades, Sepultura are preparing to close their final chapter at the end of this year. With over 40 years of band history, 14 gold records, and performances across more than 80 countries, the guys stand as Brazil’s uncompromising emissaries to the global stage … Continue reading Sepultura announce farewell EP, ‘The Cloud of Unknowing’ – new video streaming now

St. Louis post-hardcore band Family Medicine are premiering their catchy new song “You Can Keep Your Edible Arrangements” with us today. It’s a track from their upcoming album Very Nice and Good set for release on March 13 via Little Elephant Records/Friend Club Records.

St.

“(This song is about) late-night kitchen conversations, grieving over the dissolving relationships,” says vocalist Jonathan Panchal.

The album combines emo and post-hardcore wth heavier sounds, and the band take influence from the likes of Bear vs. Shark, Hey Mercedes,and Small Brown Bike.

Tour Dates

2/27 – St Louis, MO- The Sinkhole (314 Punk weekend)
2/28 – St Louis, MO – The Sinkhole w/Dan Spencer, Squint, Future Nots, Twin Stacks
3/20 – St Louis, MO – Platypus – The Very Nice and Good album release show w/Jadewick, XLBS, Future Nots
4/10 – Toledo, OH – Ottawa Tavern, w/Resignation, House Tours

Preorder the album here.

The post Track Premiere: Family Medicine – “You Can Keep Your Edible Arrangements” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Posted on February 26th 2026, 5:00p.m.

Today, grindcore cult Melting Rot reveal the new track “Blinded. Beaten. Stabbed.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated second album, Infatuation With Premeditation, set for international release on March 27th via Hells Headbangers. Hear Melting Rot‘s “Blinded. Beaten. Stabbed.” in its entirety HERE at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel. Formed in 2017, Melting Rot quickly made their presence felt in the underground with […]

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Returning with their over-the-top, moar is moar philosophy of fun and shred, on Outstanding Power Lovebites cooks up a sugarbomb so explosive it’ll blow your teeth out your earholes. Minted in 2016, Lovebites has been slinging their brand of power metal for a decade, dropping five full-lengths over that time.¹ Outstanding Power marks the band’s fifth full-length release and the first since 2023’s Judgement Day, and these women from Tokyo used the intervening three years to cast a platter that shatters any illusion of restraint. With kicks and licks galore, does Lovebites cram in too much of a good thing, or can their latest LP stand the power?

Anyone unfamiliar with Lovebites can approximate their sound as an all-female version of Galneryus,² although Lovebites is much more than a clone of a great band. Their full-length debut Awakening from Abyss dropped in 2017, with subsequent albums Clockwork Immortality and Electric Pentagram released in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Both follow-ups impressed, but nothing quite reached the heights of their debut until fourth album Judgement Day hit shelves in 2023. Introducing new bassist Fami,³ Judgement Day honed Lovebites’ attack to a lethal edge, and with even more time spent sharpening their craft, Outstanding Power cuts deeper than ever.

Lovebites’ stable lineup exudes an electrifying chemistry throughout Outstanding Power. Each component of the band’s auditory milieu complements the others, whether it’s the blazing guitar tandem of Midori and Miyako, Haruna’s meticulously mechanical drumming, or Fami’s low-end purr and incredibly hooky countermelodies. Musically, Lovebites has never been this exacting. From the calculated rhythms in “Silence the Void” to the galloping rolls in “Blazing Halo,” Haruna’s drumming goads songs with an unflappable urgency that’s simultaneously composed and tempestuous. Meanwhile, Fami’s bass flexes mondo swagger that recalls Geddy Lee’s aggressive plucks and twangs (“The Castaway”) as well as Flea-bitten flourishes (the intro to “Blazing Halo”). In fact, the bass’s expanded role on Outstanding Power defines what elevates the album above the rest of Lovebites’ already first-rate output. Besides trading vicious solos and captivating riffs with fellow axe-bearer Midori, Miyako supplies the keys, channeling duel-lead, arpeggiated runs à la Children of Bodom (“The Castaway”) as nimbly as she blankets moods with Sonata Arctica-informed synth and piano (“Eternally,” “One Will Remain”). Atop it all, singer Asami coos, belts, and wails with a voice that some may find an acquired taste with her heavy use of vibrato, but is powerful and unique. Overall, the songwriting on Outstanding Power synchronizes into lock-step bombast, where each track dazzles with its own fully-fleshed identity and laser-honed melodies.

Though not without fault, Outstanding Power unequivocally claims the top spot in Lovebites’ catalog (so far). No small part of this is thanks to Fami and Haruna, who bring the rhythm section to the fore with undeniable performances that match the high-flying axe-work besieging previous releases. The biggest strike against Outstanding Power is the album’s sixty-four-minute runtime, which the sharp songwriting mitigates with infectious melodies and perfectly executed instrumentation. Even Outstanding Power’s weakest cut, seven-minute ballad “Eternally,” contains good moments despite fumbling Lovebites’ momentum down the home stretch. Add in the surprisingly spacious mix⁴ that gives the band ample space to pop and you’ve got yourself a bona fide power metal classic on your hands.

Power metal presents a challenge to rate, as its natural optimism and oft-cheesy tropes can be at odds with what typically engenders high scores and opinions, and makes Outstanding Power the most difficult score I’ve assessed up to this point. Throughout, Lovebites exemplifies power metal ethos, unleashing high-octane shredded cheese with a flagrant nonchalance that is shamelessly irresistible. With Outstanding Power, Lovebites not only delivers their greatest achievement so far, but the best power metal release I’ve heard in over a year. Relentless riffs, grooves, and fills assail listeners with flamboyant moxie and technical ecstasy, defining an album I haven’t been able to put down since I got my grubby mitts on the damned thing. If fun won’t kill you, give Lovebites’ opus a spin. Or maybe give it a listen anyway, because what’s life without a little Love?

Rating: Great
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: February 18th, 2026

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Maddog

Much to her chagrin, Thus Spoke and I share many things in common. Chief among them is our anaphylactic allergy to major scales; being the two resident vegans, we struggle with cheesy music.⁵ While this has made power metal a difficult subgenre, Lovebites is an exception. Our coverage of this Japanese juggernaut has been scarce, but I gave 2023’s Judgement Day a tempered positive filter review. Outstanding Power has the same foundation as Lovebites’ prior work, but with a beefier rhythm section, more variety, better riffs, hookier hooks, and more cohesive songwriting. It’s a fantastic record.

Outstanding Power is textbook power metal, in the same sense that Rust in Peace is textbook thrash. The centerpiece is Asami’s vocal performance, which is appropriately over-the-top but steps back to let the instruments shine. Lovebites’ most visible weapon is their dual-guitar assault. Across theatrical leads, deathy riffs, and unrestrained solos, guitarists Midori and Miyako display a mastery of melody. Even with such stiff competition, Lovebites’ rhythm section stands out. Fami’s bass plays every part it can, with blistering riffs, playful lines that recall a young Steve Harris, and explosive additions to choruses. Haruna’s drumming is a gem, especially when her lavish fills and opening salvos help stitch the album together. Both the bass and the drums peak when their respective musicians take the songwriting reins; Fami’s collaborative composition “Blazing Halo” features irresistible dueling bass and guitar solos, while Haruna’s “Forbidden Thirst” highlights her grooviest drum work. No member of Lovebites ever fades into obscurity.

Outstanding Power holds me rapt throughout. Across their hyperactive leads, 1980s virtuoso shredfests (“One Will Remain”), and fanciful Mark Knopfler-style (Dire Straits) joyrides (“Wheels on Fire”), guitarists Midori and Miyako don’t miss a beat. Their dominance becomes clearest when they join forces. Lovebites’ harmonies recall Iron Maiden, and the guitarists’ knack for separating and rejoining makes “The Castaway” an early contender for Song o’ the Year. Asami’s vocals aren’t bulletproof, particularly in her higher register. Still, the vocals and the guitars forge an ironclad alliance that raises Outstanding Power to new heights. The guitars’ imitation of the vocal shouts on “[Grin] Reaper’s Lullaby” makes me grin every time, while the orgiastic leads that accompany the final chorus of “Out of Control” remind me of Madonna’s classic “Burning Up.” Even the ballad “Eternally” is a triumph. While its vocal melodies are memorable, “Eternally” takes a cue from Gamma Ray’s “Lake of Tears” in delegating much of the heavy lifting to the weepy guitars. These ingredients make Outstanding Power a wellspring of enormous climaxes. The guitar solos are at once emotive and explosive (“The Eve of Change”), and each song ends with pizzazz (“Silence the Void”). In short, Outstanding Power is a goddamn pleasure.

Outstanding Power is such a spectacle that I can’t even begrudge its excess. I hear Sunburst in the chugging riffs of “Blazing Halo.” I hear Riot in the downright rowdy “Silence the Void.” I hear 1980s electronica interspersed with chest-thumping power metal in “The Eve of Change.” I hear Symphony X in the vocal melodies and the atmosphere of “Forbidden Thirst.” I hear Kryptos’ heavy metal revival in the rockin’ ruffian riffs of “Out of Control.” I hear blackened melodeath in the vicious “Reaper’s Lullaby,” contrasting with the heart-rending ballad “Eternally.” Most importantly, I hear Lovebites in every moment. All five band members sustain the album’s shifts while sticking to their signature styles. With its balance of variety and continuity, Outstanding Power feels half as long as its 64-minute runtime. Due to the album’s wide emotional range, I even grew to love its more upbeat tracks. Criticizing Lovebites for sounding cheerful seems akin to criticizing Monet because you don’t like yellow water lilies; sometimes flowers are yellow, you twit! Outstanding Power tries to do a lot, and it nails every piece.

As I struggle to process this album, I’m reminded of Eldritch Elitist’s review of Imperial Circus Dead Decadence. Yes, Outstanding Power is self-indulgent; what’s your point? Lovebites paints their variegated image of power metal with five brushes and five million colors, and the result is astounding. It isn’t perfect, and the crushed master makes it harder to appreciate the album’s finer features. But Outstanding Power easily won over my shriveled heart. While major scales make me gag, these ones just feel like the crest of a wave. While I tend to balk at hour-long albums, this one goes by in a heartbeat. Power metal isn’t my usual fare, but Lovebites has created a masterwork.

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Rating: 4.5/5.0

The post Lovebites – Outstanding Power Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.