Look who’s back! For decades, Melbourne’s Eddy Current Suppression Ring have been cult heroes on the global garage rock underground, but the band hasn’t been all that active in recent years. After cranking out three exciting albums between 2008 and 2010, the band took a years-long hiatus before returning with 2019’s All In Good Time.…
High-octane crossover hardcore/thrash powerhouse EXTINCTION A.D. release their fourth single in as many months today. “Center Of Zero” online now at all digital streaming/download platforms, as well as a lyric video.
“I spent some time reflecting on what I learned growing up in music, and not just the ideals that shaped me and the band but the friendships and bonds that were created through the metal and hardcore scenes,” states singer/guitarist Rick Jimenez. “That also brings about the thoughts of who and what to avoid when creating something as pure as music should be. Usually XAD is exploring the negatives and how to survive through them but this was a reflection on how friendship through music has enriched my life.”
“Center Of Zero” includes a blistering mix of crossover thrash metal, metallic hardcore, and even groove metal musically connecting to ‘90s heavy hitters (think Sepultura, Vision of Disorder and Machine Head) seamlessly blending with aggressive, New York hardcore-style gang vocals and stomp-heavy breakdowns.
The four songs are testament to their evolutionary step forward, EXTINCTION A.D. are making proving that a decade into their career, their output is fresher, heavier, and more venomous than ever.
EXTINCTION A.D. is currently hitting the road in support of the new music, with several upcoming festival appearances and regional dates:
6/27 – NJ Metalfest – Debonair Music Hall – Teaneck, NJ
9/18 – Within These Walls 2026 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile (with Outta Pocket, Skin Ticket, Die Young, Will To Live)
Formed on Long Island, New York breaking off of THIS IS HELL, EXTINCTION A.D. is a bridge between the worlds of ‘80s thrash metal and ‘90s hardcore. Known for their explosive live shows and unrelenting work ethic, the band continues to redefine the crossover genre for a new generation of metalheads.
Since 2013 the band has grown from raw underground roots to sharing stages with respected acts and carving out a distinct voice in the modern metal landscape forging a reputation for relentless crossover thrash infused with hardcore urgency and socially charged lyrics.
Earlier releases, on labels like Good Fight and Unique Leader, further showcased the band’s capability to merge fierce riff work with emotional and thematic depth. Their output has drawn comparisons to powerful East Coast thrash and hardcore hybrids, with critics praising their raw energy and ability to keep the classic thrash ethos alive while pushing it forward.
Thrashing just as hard as their predecessors, the band also break their surroundings down and deliver some heavy as hell riotous mosh; hitting that all-important sweet spot mixture of ‘80s thrash, ‘90s extreme metal and New York hardcore, all encompassed into one. Never afraid to speak their minds amidst a divisive world, EXTINCTION A.D. brings a decisive power to match their frenetic energy. The endgame is not just rebellion but revolution.
EXTINCTION A.D. is: Rick Jimenez – vocals and guitar Ian Cimaglia – lead guitar and vocals Tom Wood – bass Mike Sciulara – drums
(Our writer DGR obviously had a shit-ton of fun listening to Scumbag’s new EP, and probably just as much fun coming up with the word salad needed to describe the experience. See for yourselves. And listen for yourselves.) Every year while questing in the wilds of heavy metal we find ourselves discussing a new death […]
US death thrashers Ninth Realm are premiering “Rituals In Thar’amath”, the first taste from their next full-length offering Damnation’s Veil. The latter will be released on Transcending Obscurity Records later this year. Additional details coming soon. Read more…
Italy’s Viscera/// have announced the release of their first new studio album in 9 years. Dubbed 4. Assets For Psychedelic Warfare, it will be set free on July 24th via Time To Kill Records. Recorded at different studios in Italy and mastered by Riccardo Pasini. Read more…
There are albums that work instantly. Catchy hooks, clear structures, a handful of memorable moments — and after forty minutes, everything has already been said. Ein Stumpfes Instrument is not one of those records. This album resists immediate access. Instead, it feels like something constantly shifting, tightening, unraveling again, always suspended somewhere between control and collapse.
With this release, FARSON move even further away from conventional Post-Black Metal structures, drifting into territory shaped by Technical Death Metal, Avantgarde experimentation, and Jazz-infused dissonance. The songs rarely follow predictable patterns. Riffs suddenly dissolve, rhythms twist against expectation, and yet nothing ever feels random or artificially complex for the sake of showing off. That is ultimately where the album’s greatest strength lies: despite all its complexity, it remains emotionally tangible.
Many passages create an almost physical sense of tension. The dissonance is not used as decoration but as an emotional force. Some moments feel claustrophobic and oppressive, while others unexpectedly open into fragile melodies or strangely vulnerable passages. This constant push and pull keeps the record in perpetual motion. At times, the songs seem on the verge of falling apart entirely — only to pull themselves back together seconds later.
What FARSON achieve here is something many experimental extreme Metal bands fail to accomplish: the music never comes across as pure technical exhibitionism. Beneath the dense arrangements lies genuine emotional weight. Anger, uncertainty, alienation, and an underlying melancholy run through the entire album without ever becoming overly explicit. Much of it remains fragmented and unresolved, almost like scattered inner monologues not intended for anyone else to hear.
The production further strengthens the experience. The sound is heavy, dense, and organic, yet detailed enough to allow individual layers to breathe even in the album’s most chaotic moments. Nothing feels sterile or overly polished. Instead, the record carries a raw, almost tactile intensity that becomes especially immersive when listened to through headphones.
Among the standout tracks, “Selbstgerecht” captures the album’s identity particularly well with its balance of technical precision and controlled escalation. “Ohne Jede Erinnerung” leans more heavily into atmosphere and subdued melancholy, while “Verbindliche Regression” perhaps best demonstrates how effortlessly FARSON move between structure and total disorientation.
The album is available digitally as well as on vinyl, with the physical edition limited to 220 colored copies. In particular, the vinyl format allows the artwork by Till Schermer to fully unfold its impact. The painting perfectly complements the album’s unsettling and fragmented atmosphere, adding another layer to the overall experience and reinforcing the feeling that Ein stumpfes Instrument is less a collection of songs and more a singular artistic statement.
Ein stumpfes Instrument is not an album built for passive listening. It demands patience, attention, and a willingness to engage with its stubbornly uncompromising nature. Those who do will discover a record that reaches far beyond genre experimentation. This album does not aim to please — it aims to leave an impact. And it absolutely does.
Chicago punk quartet Rise Against will tour to Australia and New Zealand, joined by Boston’s rock ‘n’ roll underdogs turned champions, Dropkick Murphys.
Produced by Live Nation, this year will see Rise Against tour with Dropkick Murphys tour in November and December to Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The tour kicks off in Aotearoa, New Zealand where they play at Otautahi, Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena on 21 November and at Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland’s Spark Arena on 24 November before heading to Australia. John Cain Arena in Melbourne is the first Australian stop on 26 November, followed by Riverstage, Brisbane on 29 November, a performance On The Steps at Sydney Opera House Forecourt on 1 December, with the final show at Red Hill Auditorium, Perth on 4 December. Both bands will also appear alongside The Living End and Jebediah at Meltdown taking place at The Entertainment Grounds in Gosford on Saturday 28 November.
Mastercard cardholders have special access to presale tickets in Australia for headline dates. Mastercard Presale starts Wednesday, 27 May 12pm local and ending Friday, 29 May 12pm local. Plus, Preferred ticket access to some of the best tickets are available from Friday, 29 May 2pm local. Check out priceless.com/music for details.
Eligible Westpac New Zealand customers with a Westpac New Zealand Mastercard have special access to presale tickets starting Wednesday, 27 May 12pm local and ending Friday, 29 May 12pm local, as well as access to exclusive preferred tickets from Friday, 29 May 2pm local. Tickets are available exclusively to eligible Westpac New Zealand customers using a Westpac New Zealand Mastercard at checkout. Visit priceless.com/westpacnz to find out more.
It’s been almost exactly three years since Pittsburgh shoegazers Feeble Little Horse released their excellent sophomore album Girl With Fish. Just last week, the band announced plans to follow that LP with a new one called bitknot. Now, just a few days after that announcement, bitknot is out in the world, and it rocks. bitknot…