Genre-bending duo Lakeview have shared latest single ‘Matches’, a fiery country-rock ode to revenge.
Photo credit: Roland Street
After making history as the first country act ever to perform at Germany’s iconic metal festival Wacken Open Air in 2025, the new single comes ahead of Lakeview’s headline European tour this June – which includes a stop off at Download Festival.
A defiant anthem that showcases Lakeview’s penchant for gritty storytelling and hard-hitting singalongs, take a listen to ‘Matches’ below:
Set to bring their unique blend of metal, pop, and country back to Europe again this summer, here’s what the band had to say about the news:
“This is the biggest international tour we’ve ever done and we’re stoked! We’re playing some of our favourite cities and a few new ones we’ve never been to before. We’re working on a brand new show with new music mixed in. This will be a level up from what we’ve been able to do the past couple of years.”
Check out the dates below:
JUNE 5: OSLO John Dee 6: GOTHENBURG Sweden Rock Festival * 8: DUBLIN Grand Social 9: BELFAST The Limelight 2 11: GLASGOW King Tut’s 12: DONINGTON Download Festival * 13: LONDON 229 14: BRISTOL Exchange 16: ZURICH Exil Club 17: COLOGNE Club Volta 18: DESSEL Graspop * 20: NATZ Alpen Flair Festival * 21: MUNICH Ampere
Although it was a Sunday night, that did not stop Toronto rock music fans from making their way down to The Danforth Music Hall for a night of live music. Eagerly lined up outside under the marquee on a beautiful March evening, keen fans were hoping to grab the perfect spot at the front of the stage for Mammoth, 10 Years and James And The Cold Gun.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Closing out the night were none other than Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth, the moment the crowd had been all waiting for. An eruption of cheers echoed throughout the venue as Van Halen and his band of uber-talented musicians took the stage.
One Of A Kind, the opening track from the band’s latest release, The End, started off the set strongly. Warm coloured lightning lit up the stage, and a giant screen hung in the background, graphics customised to each song played in tandem with the band.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Bringing a real arena rock feel to the show that took place in a theatre, Wolfgang knew how to make a small room feel big.
Playing a plethora of tracks from the new album that translated seamlessly to the live stage, the crowd sang along to every word. From The Spell and Happy, to Something New and I Really Wanna, the set was curated perfectly to keep the audience’s attention in their grasp.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
From heavy moments that rattled the walls to soft moments that were emotional enough to raise goosebumps, a Mammoth show is one that is always worth catching.
Although being a musician himself, Wolfgang is known for being a huge music fan. Taking inspiration from Nine Inch Nails, Wolfie stepped over to the keyboard for a reworked intro to their track Stone, adding a fun sense of dimension to the music.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
A crowd favourite of the night was Resolve, an acoustic-driven alternative ballad off Mammoth’s debut album. This is a track that the band has brought back into the set in the last year.
Keeping the mood tender, Distance followed, a song written in dedication to Wolfgang’s late-great father, Eddie Van Halen. Old home movies of the pair played on the screen behind him, evoking intense emotion from the crowd. I am sure there were not many dry eyes left in the room.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Take A Bow, which included the intro from Tool’s Right In Two, and I Really Wanna closed out the set on an incredible high, leaving the crowd hungry for more.
“Mammoth” was repeated like a chant throughout the audience, not ready for the show to end just yet.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Emerging from the darkness, the band stepped back onstage. “We did the thing,” Wolfgang laughed into the mic, “where we pretend it’s over, but you know it’s not because we didn’t play the song yet. It’s like peekaboo.”
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Encoring with Don’t Back Down and The End, the band left everything on the stage. Wolfgang channelled his father with an incredible tapping intro and solo that had the crowd roaring in cheers during The End.
A perfect way to close out an incredible night of live music.
Mammoth – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
James And The Cold Gun
Kicking off the show were a band hailing from Wales, England, James And The Cold Gun. Setting the bar incredibly high for the night, they took the stage like a bat out of hell.
James And The Cold Gun – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
High energy oozed from the stage, the crowd hyped within minutes. With a vintage hard rock sound and a British punk rock attitude, all eyes were on them.
James And The Cold Gun – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Gaining a plethora of new fans, including myself, although only playing for thirty minutes, they utilised every second, making the show their own without overpowering the headliner.
James And The Cold Gun – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
10 Years
Next up were Knoxville, Tennessee’s alternative Metal band, 10 Years. Bringing a different vibe to the show, with their heavy sound and edginess, 10 Years kept a tight grip on the audience’s attention.
10 Years – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
Dirty bass lines, punchy guitar riffs and growling vocals filled the room, and the energy of the crowd shifted to match the bands. Heads banging and fists thrown high in the air, 10 Years kept the crowd on their toes and fully immersed in the music.
10 Years – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk
From their fan favourites Wasteland, Novacaine and Fix, to a cover of Nirvana’s Heart-Shaped Box, 10 Years’ grungy-alt sound brought diversity to the night that kept things fresh and interesting.
10 Years – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk10 Years – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalk10 Years – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalkJames And The Cold Gun – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026. Photo: Taylor Cameron/MetalTalkThe post Mammoth / A Powerful Toronto Evening With 10 Years & James And The Cold Gun first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.
With Around Me, Mark Weatherley taps into a clear Burial debut-era mood, shaping a track that feels intimate, nocturnal, and emotionally restrained. Soft, ghostlike textures hover over minimal breakbeats, while the production leans into space and subtle imperfection rather than gloss.
The vocals sit low in the mix, blending into the atmosphere instead of leading it, reinforcing that sense of distance and introspection. It’s a slow-burn piece, unfolding patiently and letting its details emerge over time.
More about feeling than structure, Around Me captures that solitary, late-night headspace with quiet precision.
More than 200 acts have been unveiled for this year’s Electric Castle line-up.
The 24-hour Transylvanian festival previously revealed that twenty one pilots and The Cure would be headlining the mega event – which takes place between July 16 – 19 at Bánffy Castle in Romania. Now, loooooads more have been added, with big slots from the likes of Teddy Swims and Chase & Status (DJ set), plus everyone from Kneecap to Nothing But Thieves, Balu Brigada, Keanu Reeves’ Dogstar, Sullivan King and House Of Protection.
“We are so excited to finally share the full line-up for Electric Castle 2026,” enthuses Tudor Costinaș, Head of Communications. “Every year we try to build a line-up that feels genuinely wide-ranging, bringing together huge global names alongside artists people might be discovering for the first time, and we feel this is a fantastic example of just that.
“Electric Castle is always filled with interesting twists and turns, fun surprises and good times together. We can’t wait to meet everyone back at the castle again for our 12th edition this summer.”
LOSE MY MIND is a high-energy house cut built for late-night movement and instant connection. Jack Bailey pairs punchy drums with a groovy, rolling bassline, while bright, polished synths drive the track’s infectious momentum. The production is clean and club-ready, striking a balance between euphoric lift and rhythmic control. There’s a sense of forward motion throughout, making it an easy fit for dancefloors and feel-good playlists alike. Catchy without overcomplicating things, LOSE MY MIND delivers exactly what it promises: a vibrant, no-frills house anthem that keeps the energy flowing.
Album Review: Hell Trepanner – The Consecration of Eternal Impurity
Reviewed by Sam Jones
We hearken over to South America for this one, where Hell Trepanner finally unveil their debut full length album, exciting longtime fans newcomers alike. Formed originally in 2013 out of Lima, Peru, the band went originally by Neciazo until 2015 where they changed themselves to Hell Trepanner. The following years would see them unleash a slew of Demos, a Split, Compilation, a 2021 EP titled Unholy Proclamations Of Death And Darkness, before things would go quiet. But to the alleviations of many Hell Trepanner announced that after five years of silence their debut full length, The Consecration Of Eternal Impurity, would see a release date of March 20th. Officially picked up too by Awakening Records this stands as Hell Trepanner’s first major opportunity internationally to garner a wider fanbase and to show the rest of South America’s insatiable extreme metal scene what they’re made of.
Right out of the gate, Hell Trepanner demonstrate their affinity with all things macabre and reviled with an introductory track that pulls no punches nor alludes anything other than the sense of damnation you came here to experience. They champion this feeling with a guitar tone that that’s seemingly wrought out of the depths of madness itself, where their guitars are formed not by fretboards but spines. One will experience the organic, depraved soundscape Hell Trepanner perform with but there’s also this scraping, clawing aesthetic wherein their sound isn’t thrown at us but rather forced upwards through serrated channels that scar and scratch every note thus played. I also appreciate that whilst their sound is fast and their riffs don’t wait for you to comprehend their complexities, the tempo is slow enough that you’ll fully understand every lick and riff segment the band conjure. It draws us only further within and as the record progresses, individual tracks have a greater likelihood of easier recall.
South America’s extreme metal scene is bristling with activity, and remembering this is Hell Trepanner’s debut album after a decade of existence, its no wonder there’s little reprieve to be discovered. From the word go Hell Trepanner unleash their entire arsenal of weaponry upon you regardless whether you’re ready or not, forcing your attention over towards them where other acts may be content into letting you wander. It must be noted though that while their assault is relentless its not so heinous you can’t recognise where you are. You’re allowed to breathe, the senses are far from overloaded. Since this is the case the band have greater rein to dish out these malicious licks, with soundscapes summoned seemingly from Dante’s Inferno directly. Sometimes you want a band to just cut loose and Hell Trepanner do precisely that, wielding guitars like scythes killing and lacerating with solos pleading for sanity.
For such an explosive album where little is nailed to the floor, i respect the band for making sure their drums can be heard and followed at every instant even as the band’s intensity reaches its climax. Listen to the snare drums and understand the strength going into these strikes, showcasing not solely the energy but likewise the passion thrown into the instrumentation herein. I know many aren’t fans when drummers apply a tinnier sound but Hell Trepanner’s drumming works because the performance isn’t in conflict with the vocals or riffs. You’ll also hear the drums break out into sudden triplet strikes, meandering into blast beats that may slow the pace into a more conventional pattern. Though this is a work of death metal the drums harbour a surprising variety of patterns to keep you invested in Hell Trepanner’s ever-changing tracks. The double bass drums too possess their own spotlight but aren’t vying for it; the bass drums are lower in the mix, along the same plane as the bass guitar, so the bass drums whilst being these mammoth engines aren’t looking to bulldoze your face but actually layer the band’s sonic foundations.
Aiding the band’s chaotic style is the mix. The mix is easily one of the strongest technical elements the band have going for them here for the choices they made ensured this record would be far from rigid. Its no secret that many metal records can be mixed and packaged into overly organised and controlled shape; this was not Hell Trepanner’s goal. Wherever you are across the record, the band’s sound will hardly feel uniform. Instead, the entirety of the band’s power is projected forthwith with every member performing their maximum ability at every moment, pending songwriting necessity. This could have been a mess as many a band have thrown everything and the kitchen sink at us beforehand but Hell Trepanner have just enough fingers on the panel to keep it from flying totally out of control; i can see many comparing Hell Trepanner to Angelcorpse and a plethora of nineties-era death metal where that studio-captured chaos was the norm for a time.
In conclusion, Hell Trepanner’s first album, after years of effort, comes a greater success to the band. The comparisons to Angelcorpse and more unhinged bands of the like will certainly come to a plethora of people, introduced the first time to this record. I think The Consecration Of Eternal Impurity will go down well with people looking for something that little more uncontrolled and primal. There’s an innate savagery to Hell Trepanner that’s been missing from extreme metal this early part of 2026, and given South America’s rapport for seething extreme metal its yet another notch on that part of the globe’s capacity to destroy fans the world over. Though some tracks are longer than others it never comes across as overly long nor does its stay feel overdone. It comes in, rips the flesh off your face and leaves with zero abandon. Its well worth checking out.
