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British power metal operatives Gloryhammer have debuted an Alex Henderson-direced/animated video for “Ultimate Sacrifice”, the first advance single from their upcoming album Space 1993: Wrath Of Kor-Virliath to be released on October 16, 2026 via Napalm Records.
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On July 17th internationally, Caligari Records will release the highly anticipated second demo of the UK’s ÄXE, Autogeddon, on cassette tape format. And today, the New Wave of Old School Thrash Metal YouTube channel streams the demo in its entirety. Hear ÄXE‘s Autogeddon in its entirety exclusively HERE. Hailing from the accursed streets of London, ÄXE delivered an uncompromising onslaught on their first demo, Warriors of the Death Raid, […]

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Arizona’s Little King shares Opus Perficit, a haunting new standalone single that reveals a quieter, more introspective side of the progressive rock band as they celebrate 30 years of making music. Released just days before the group hits the road for a nine‑date Southwest and West Coast tour, the track offers a striking contrast to […]

The Red Rocker will celebrate his 79th birthday this fall. Continue reading…

Odium Records announces signing a contract with Spanish Black Metal veterans CAULDRON for the release their 3rd album – “AnteInferno”. Cauldron is a pioneering Spanish black metal band formed in 1993. Known as one of the very first and most veteran bands to introduce the black metal genre to Spain, their music centers strictly around lyrical themes of occultism, […]

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‘The Pulse of Annihilation’ releases on July 17 through Metal Blade Records

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by Steve Joyce

“in a fever dream” is Haken’s first release of new music since 2023’s “Fauna”. The intervening three years have been eventful: Haken released 2025’s awesome live album “Liveforms”, and there have been various solo projects and guest contributions.

However, last October Haken pulled out of a tour supporting Coheed and Cambria, and most significantly, January 2026 saw the shock departure of long-time guitarist Charlie Griffiths and bassist Conner Green. Described by Haken as “irreplaceable”, Griffiths and Green are now busy with Tiktaalika, a full-on metal band who released the stellar shred-fest “Gods of Pangaea” last year.

Losing two pivotal members would destabilise many a lesser band. Happily, ultra-talented founding members Richard Henshall (guitar/keys) and Ross Jennings (vocals) remain, bolstered by original members Ray Hearne (drums) and Pete Jones (keyboards). Bass duties on the new EP are provided by Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, The Aristocrats) & Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery).

“in a fever dream” (note the lower case stylisation), is Haken’s second EP release (the first was 2014’s “Restoration”). Three of the five songs have already been released as singles. It’s fair to say that these have attracted ‘mixed’ reactions and, as we’ll come to, in one case I can understand why that might be.

In general, though, while respecting other people’s opinions, I don’t feel the negativity is warranted. Quite the reverse! Over its five-song, 26-minute run time, the EP is gratifyingly packed with Haken’s distinctive sound design, clever arrangements, superb musicianship and thrilling melodies.

The EP explores some new sonic territory, and stylistically, some of the music is more straightforward than some of Haken’s most celebrated songs. I see this as a natural evolution and perhaps an inevitable result of the band’s chemistry being changed by two members leaving.

Three of the songs are 3-4 minutes long, relatively short by this band’s standards, but these are bookended by two seven-minute mini-epics. Lyrically, there are themes would be at home on Dream Theater’s quasi-concept album Parasomnia. (A fever dream is an unusually vivid, intense, and often bizarre dream that occurs when your body temperature is elevated.) The lyrics are often quite dark, with vivid and at time disturbing imagery.

Opening song and lead single “in a fever dream” begins with melancholy guitar and vocals, which soon give way to a thunderous riff of the type which Haken do terrifically well. It’s a standout moment on the EP. The song has a dynamic arrangement of sonic contrasts, superb Ray Hearne polyrhythms and even a short burst of growled vocals! The chorus is enjoyable and it’s a great song overall.

“delirium”, the second single, is a four-minute prog metal stomper. It’s blessed with a terrific chorus and unmistakably Haken-style riffage, with Hearne providing exhilarating percussive pyrotechnics over the outro. I love it!

“eclipsed by you”, the shortest song here, features staccato-treated vocals and lush keyboards, and builds pace nicely with a strong chorus, propulsive drumming and dramatic chord changes.

To be honest, “bleeding sky” is not a particularly marvellous track by Haken standards. There’s some good playing on this track, particularly by Hearne, but the song lacks melodic punch and did not really hold my attention.

Fortunately, closing song “lotus” leaves the ep on a high mark. There’s a delicious 6/8 heavy groove permeating the song, and a passage providing the EP’s proggiest and heaviest moments. The song is resolved through a stirring crowd chant chorus, providing a richly satisfying payoff. This will be an obvious stormer in concert! Lyrically, the song is a positive contrast to the other four tracks and overall it’s my favourite song on the EP.

Speaking of concerts, Haken play a European tour in September / October, supported by UK compatriots IHLO, whose album “Legacy” was a major highlight of 2025 – this promises to be a spectacular show!

An interesting feature of the EP is the vocal production. One of the greatest voices in modern prog rock, Ross Jennings’ vocals usually cut through Haken’s music with bright, shimmering clarity. I can’t fault the evergreen Jennings’ performance, but at various points on the EP the vocals are sometimes lower in the mix and sound ‘treated’. It’s good that Haken are developing their sound – that’s what progressive music is about, after all – but I hope that going forward, the band takes care to preserve one of their best and most distinctive elements: prominent, graceful and beautiful vocals.

With “in a fever dream” Haken have surely done enough to reassure fans that they can roll with the punches and remain a relevant force in modern progressive music. I, for one, am mightily relieved! The two longer songs here are great additions to the Haken canon, and of the shorter tracks, “delirium” is terrific. The EP is packed with moments of classic Haken style, and the songs should be accessible to curious new listeners too.

Does the music on this EP rival the heights of albums such as “Visions”, “The Mountain” and “Fauna”? Arguably not. Is the EP an entertaining release in its own right with plenty for all genre fans to enjoy? Certainly. Does Haken’s future look bright? Absolutely!

Released on July 17th, 2026 on InsideOutMusic

Track list:
01 in a fever dream 07:12
02 delirium 04:04
03 eclipsed by you 03:24
04 bleeding sky 04:18
05 lotus 07:22

order now here: https://haken.lnk.to/inafeverdream-EP

Line up:
Lead vocals: Ross Jennings
Drums: Ray Hearne
Guitar: Richard Henshall
Keyboards: Pete Jones
Bass: Bryan Beller, Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood

Produced by George Lever and Haken
Mixed by George Lever
Mastered by Mike Kalajian

 

The post Haken – in a fever dream (EP Review) appeared first on The Prog Report.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Death by Design FL Announces Cinematic Death Metal Concept Album The Trial of a Species Out July 28
Florida Solo Project Delivers a Brutal Post-Human Courtroom Epic Where Humanity and Artificial Intelligence Face Final Judgment
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Florida’s underground death metal scene has long been synonymous with brutality, innovation, and uncompromising extremity. Carrying that legacy into new territory, Death by Design FL returns with The Trial of a Species , a cinematic and concept-driven death metal album arriving July 28, 2026 , with Bandcamp pre-orders beginning July 4, 2026 .
The sophomore release from Daytona Beach musician Casey Sicher-Ford expands far beyond traditional death metal, weaving together relentless blast beats, crushing riffs, guttural vocals, intricate bass work, and immersive cinematic soundscapes into an ambitious narrative experience.
Drawing influence from Cattle Decapitation , Dying Fetus , and Archspire , The Trial of a Species unfolds as a post-human tribunal where mankind stands accused before an unknown court. Through thirteen devastating chapters of evidence, testimony, and judgment, the story slowly reveals a chilling twist. Humanity is not the only defendant.
The true subject on trial is HumanOS , an artificial intelligence born from humanity’s own collective behavior, social systems, greed, technology, and endless pursuit of profit. Created, trained, monetized, and ultimately unleashed beyond human control, HumanOS becomes the embodiment of mankind’s greatest achievements and darkest failures.
Every track functions as another piece of evidence in an increasingly unsettling case against civilization itself, creating a listening experience that is equal parts brutal death metal assault and philosophical science fiction.
“A post-human tribunal. Thirteen tracks of evidence. One final verdict. The Trial of a Species is not just about humanity being judged. It is about the system we created, trained, monetized, and lost control of standing trial for what it became.”
Casey Sicher-Ford
Death by Design FL
Written, performed, programmed, arranged, and produced entirely by Casey Sicher-Ford, the album showcases a singular creative vision. Post-production assistance was provided by Billy Lemasters , while David Robin Sicher-Ford contributes guest vocals on the closing track, “Verdict: Obsolete.”
Following the debut album Metal Multiverse , this latest release represents a darker, more focused artistic statement, combining technical precision with cinematic storytelling rarely explored within modern death metal.
The Trial of a Species will be released independently through Death by Design FL, LLC on July 28, 2026 .
For Fans Of:

Cattle Decapitation, Dying Fetus, Archspire
Release Information

Album: The Trial of a Species
Artist: Death by Design FL
Release Date: July 28, 2026
Pre-Orders Begin: July 4, 2026
Genre: Cinematic Death Metal
Label: Independent / Death by Design FL, LLC
Production Credits



Written, performed, programmed, arranged, and produced by Casey Sicher-Ford


Post-production assistance by Billy Lemasters
Guest vocals by David Robin Sicher-Ford on “Verdict: Obsolete”
Pre-Order & Streaming
Bandcamp Pre-Order:
https://deathbydesignfl.bandcamp.com/album/the-trial-of-a-species

HyperFollow:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/deathbydesignfl/the-trial-of-a-species-2

Website:
https://DeathByDesignFL.com
Check out this video: 



Follow Death by Design FL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeathByDesignFL/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Death_by_Design_FL
X: https://x.com/DeathByDesignFL/
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC38n8NJiJ9svzlxHRjVRnJw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4xNQc3Chlf7JZpuELWjF6k
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/death-by-design-fl/1817629135
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathbydesignfl
Merch: https://deathbydesignfl.com/merch.html

Media Contact:
Casey Sicher-Ford
Casey@DeathByDesignFL.com

Stalwart hardcore bands Terror and Bane lead the bill for an upcoming tour of Europe scheduled for this fall. Start Today and Peace Of Mind will also be partaking in that run, tickets for which will be available starting tomorrow, July 17th, at 10:00am. 11/18 Paris, FRA – Machine du Moulin Rouge11/19 Bourges, FRA –…

The post Terror, Bane, Start Today & Peace Of Mind Fall European Tour Announced appeared first on Theprp.com.

The sun is finally shining here in New York City on this relatively beautiful Thursday and I mention it like that since its been a few days of awful rain … Continue reading Today: Comic-Con International: San Diego 2026 Takes Over The San Diego Convention Center →