(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 […]
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| Band: | Farson |
| Release: | Ein Stumpfes Instrument |
| Genre: | Progressive Death Metal |
| Country: | Germany (Hannover/Göttingen) |
| Release Date: | 27. February 2026 |
| Released via: | Revolvermann Records |
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.
Live Nation presale begins Thursday, 28 May 12pm local, running until Friday, 29 May 12pm local. Register at livenation.com.au/register and livenation.co.nz/register
General onsale tickets are available from Friday, 29 May 1pm local at livenation.com.au and livenation.co.nz.
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The post RISE AGAINST Announce Australia And New Zealand Tour With DROPKICK MURPHYS appeared first on The Rockpit.
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…
The post Feeble Little Horse Share New Album <em>bitknot</em> appeared first on Stereogum.
BLACKGOLD have announced a run of UK headline dates taking place throughout October and November.
Following the release of the band’s latest EP ‘E.P Phone Home’ last year, they’ll be bringing the party to some of the UK’s biggest cities.
After their debut UK headline tour completely sold out, you’re not going to want to miss this run.
Check out the dates below.
OCTOBER
28: BRISTOL Thekla
30: LONDON Underworld
31: TORQUAY The Foundry
NOVEMBER
5: MANCHESTER Ambers
6: GLASGOW Classic Grand
7: BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute 2
Tickets will be on sale from 10am on Friday May 29.
The post BLACKGOLD Announce UK Headline Tour appeared first on Rock Sound.
DragonForce have announced their biggest North American tour in more than two decades, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark album Inhuman Rampage. The tour will visit 22 cities across November and December 2026, with support from Ensiferum and Rhapsody of Fire. The run begins at The Observatory North Park in San Diego on 13 November and concludes at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on 13 December.
The announcement also marks a major new era for the band, following the recent arrival of vocalist Alissa White-Gluz. DragonForce recently previewed the new line-up with performances at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple, which received strong reactions from fans and media alike.
Originally released in 2006, Inhuman Rampage featured the Platinum-selling anthem Through The Fire And Flames, which became globally recognised through Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album spent 23 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 and helped establish DragonForce as one of the defining bands in modern Heavy Metal.
Public on-sale for the Inhuman Rampage 20th Anniversary Tour begins at 10am local time on Friday 29 May, with Citi and artist presales starting today. For more details, visit dragonforce.com/shows.
“Alissa joining the band is an expansion of everything we’ve done up to this point,” Herman Li said as White-Gluz was announced. “Twenty years is a long time to do anything, let alone survive the music industry and still be so inspired to continue doing what we love.
“Together we will honour what made Inhuman Rampage matter, while showing people exactly where we’re going next. Having Alissa in the room changes everything. She doesn’t just sing, she makes all aspects of our music better, and she sounds incredible live.
“I can’t wait for the fans to see her and hear what we have been working on.”
Alissa White-Gluz describes herself as a long-time fan of DragonForce, having seen them in concert multiple times over the last 20 years. “I am beyond excited to be bringing such iconic music to life with these amazingly skilled musicians in such a fun and inspiring environment,” she said.
“It feels great to showcase all the colours of my voice in technically challenging, deeply energising, highly addictive songs. Creating and performing with musicians who deeply care about the music and concerts as much as I do is so refreshing. Plus, with Blue Medusa going full throttle and gaining so much momentum in parallel, I feel like I am permanently in the creative zone, which is exactly where I want to be.
“I am so thankful for the amazing support I have been lucky enough to receive from the metal world; I want to keep pushing my boundaries and delivering exceptional music and live experiences to the fans that we cherish so much.”
The tour dates include performances in New York, Chicago, Toronto, Denver, Atlanta and Los Angeles, with the band promising spectacular production, classic material from Inhuman Rampage and an early taste of their forthcoming studio album.
13 Nov – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
14 Nov – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
15 Nov – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
17 Nov – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
18 Nov – Houston, TX – House of Blues
20 Nov – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
21 Nov – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
22 Nov – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven)
24 Nov – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
25 Nov – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
27 Nov – Worcester, MA – Palladium
28 Nov – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
29 Nov – New York, NY – Palladium Times Square
1 Dec – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
2 Dec – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
4 Dec – Chicago, IL – The Riviera Theatre
6 Dec – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis
8 Dec – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
9 Dec – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
11 Dec – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
12 Dec – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
13 Dec – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
“I like to use the word ‘goth-adjacent,’” Erin Hoagg offers when contemplating the genre of her Rare DM project over Zoom in mid-May. She’s chilling in her home studio in the LES, ready to discuss her upcoming album Attention. “Bloghouse-influenced,” she says. “Let’s go with electroclash moon, dark wave rising, and electronica sun.”
The post Rare DM Is Going Through The Fucking Ceiling appeared first on Stereogum.