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Sólstafir have recently confirmed three headlining shows in Finland. Scheduled in late November, they will be supported by Vorna, Cryptic Hatred and Ashen Tomb.
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As the official release of their new studio album End Whispers is getting closer, Dysgnostic offer in listening another new track in preview “The Shattered Timekeeper”.
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Music as a medium to process sorrow and grief manifests in many different ways. There is the delicate, mellifluous variety where islands of respite are offered even as the emotions cut deep, and the act of expressing the grief is like a cleansing rain. On the other end of the spectrum, it can lash out, making you feel every tortured agony that the musician was feeling. 

On Graveyards of Joy, Spain’s TodoMal offers a gloom-ridden ride through all the stages of grief. This is their third full-length album since their formation in 2020 and the conclusion of a trilogy. Appropriately, it is the most dynamic and grandiose album of their career, with deeper arrangements and more complex ideas. Having been written in the wake of a personal tragedy, it has a greater emotional weight that is readily apparent throughout its runtime. 

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The album’s opening salvo is dark, heavy, and full of anger, in which crushing doom riffs and haunting dissonances are extremely common. In particular, “Point of Coalescence” provides a towering, resonant riff, backed by ghostly organs and menacing orchestrations, obsessing over death and shame. It might be the most prototypical doom metal song on the record. 

From there, Graveyards of Joy switches things up significantly. Its middle section takes a break from the heavy sorrows, trading it in for a more pensive grief and more progressive, intricate arrangements. Acoustic guitars and mournful leads come to the forefront, invoking the feeling that this pain can be dealt with. “Misericordiah” is an island of fragility in the ocean of doom, a delicate and dusty acoustic piece. The longer track “Deliverance” likewise brims with melancholy, unfolding gracefully into a complex and layered arrangement that perhaps goes on for a bit too long, whereas “Unholy” is a more uptempo depressive rock tune. 

Finally, we reach the last stage – acceptance. The last two tracks on the album, “For Mercy” and the title track, provide some measure of catharsis. “Graveyards of Joy” is a cinematic song with long, drawn-out chords and slow, mournful melodies. Grief is still very much a part of the theme, but the anger and pain have diminished from the lyrics and the music, leaving only acceptance. It’s not so much healing as it is learning to live with the existence of the pain. 

The most obvious comparison to Graveyards of Joy would be Judgement-era Anathema, with the gloom-laden vocal melodies and the unending, heart-wrenching grief. The harmonized vocal parts on “Humanised Gods” and “Lucid Nightmare,” in particular, call to mind how Anathema’s Vincent Cavanagh writes vocals. The album doesn’t reach quite the same heights as the aforementioned legends, but moments like these are still enjoyable and engaging. The main difference is that TodoMal is still in touch with their heavier side and has not shied away from traditional doom metal. Other songs, such as “Deliverance,” call to mind Katatonia or even Swallow the Sun in spots. 

Throughout Graveyards of Joy, the musicianship is restrained. There are no exceedingly technical or shred passages, with TodoMal instead choosing to let the vocals take the spotlight, a strong choice on their part. This style of doom metal is better served by sparse and emotional playing rather than technical shredding. An example is the lovely slide guitar leads that show up from time to time, a beautiful choice for adding an extra layer to the overall tapestry.

Graveyards of Joy, as a collection of songs, offers dynamic songwriting, a wide range of moods spanning the spectrum from light acoustic to heavy doom, and a cohesive theme. As a monument to grief, pain, anger, and the way humans process these feelings, it nails the mood. It shifts through desolation, fear, anger, sorrow, and more. It is not a masterpiece, but it doesn’t need to be. It is simply a personal journey through grief, from the heavy doom metal weight of anger and pain, through the desolate melodic wandering of depression, and finally, the pyrrhic uplifting of acceptance.

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Graveyards of Joy releases tomorrow via Season of Mist. 

Producer Mark Lewis oversaw this latest record.

The post Darkest Hour’s Eleventh Studio Album Is Now Fully Mixed & Mastered, New Music Due Out Later This Year appeared first on Theprp.com.

Italy’s Hierophant are currently in studio tracking down new tunes for their upcoming long player, the successor to 2022’s record Death Siege. More info in due time.
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Their (E)motional (S)upport (C)are (P)ackage is out now.

The post Sleep Theory Complete Their New Covers EP With Their Take On Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” appeared first on Theprp.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE SPECTRE BENEATH RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM THE DEVIL’S WHISPER

UK Power/Progressive Metal Force Expands Its Cinematic Universe on New Full-Length Release Out July 17, 2026
The UK based power/progressive metal band The Spectre Beneath returns with their newest studio album The Devil’s Whisper , set for release on July 17, 2026. Blending razor sharp musicianship, cinematic storytelling, and emotionally charged vocals, the band continues to push a sound shaped by classic influence and modern ambition.
Drawing inspiration from giants like Megadeth , Savatage , Queensrÿche , and the theatrical edge of Iron Maiden , The Spectre Beneath fuse progressive complexity with melodic weight and narrative depth.
A BAND SHAPED BY EVOLUTION AND ENDURANCE

The Spectre Beneath began in 2018 when guitarist Pete Worrall and longtime collaborator Katy Lennon began developing material that leaned more melodic and cinematic than their previous work in Plague and the Decay. What started as a side idea quickly evolved into a full creative identity.
With drummer Consta Taylor joining the fold and vocalist L.L bringing a unique, nontraditional phrasing style, the band released The Downfall of Judith King in 2019, followed by The New Identity of Sidney Stone in 2020, later reissued via WormHoleDeath Records. Both releases earned critical praise for their ambitious storytelling and genre fusion.
After L.L stepped away in 2021 due to health reasons, the band faced uncertainty but continued forward, later recruiting vocalist Nicole Garza for 2023’s The Ashen Child . By 2024, lineup changes once again left the future unclear until a renewed creative spark arrived in early 2026, reigniting the project.
THE DEVIL’S WHISPER EXPANDS THE STORY

The Devil’s Whisper connects directly to earlier chapters in the band’s narrative, continuing themes introduced in The Downfall of Judith King and The Ashen Child . Tracks like “The Devil’s Whisper” and “Forgiveness” carry forward the unfolding saga, while other songs explore cinematic influences including Hammer Horror inspired storytelling with “Sister Hyde” and “The Man Who Could Cheat Death.”
The band also nods to television drama influence with the melancholic “White Tulip,” adding emotional depth to an already expansive record.
Across the album, The Spectre Beneath refine their signature blend of soaring vocals, intricate guitar work, and dramatic progressive arrangements that balance melody with intensity.
QUOTE FROM THE BAND

“The past gets in touch with The Spectre Beneath and they return after 3 years with their new album, The Devil’s Whisper .”
ALBUM DETAILS

Genre: Power / Progressive Metal
Label: Independent
Produced and Engineered by The Spectre Beneath
Mixed and Mastered by Juho Kilponen, Kilproduction Audio
FOR FANS OF

Megadeth , Savatage , Queensrÿche
PRE-ORDER AND PRESAVE


Bandcamp Pre-Order

https://thespectrebeneath.bandcamp.com/album/the-devils-whisper
Presave / Hyperfollow

https://www.submithub.com/link/the-spectre-beneath
With The Devil’s Whisper , The Spectre Beneath continue carving their own lane, blending tradition with forward motion and proving the story is far from over.


Connect:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSpectreBeneath
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespectrebeneath/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thespectrebeneath3812
Contact: thespectrebeneath@gmail.com

Power metallers Noveria have launched a Simone Serafini-directed video clip for “Convicted To Rise”, the first single from their next full-length offering Becoming After.
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Georgetown, Massachusetts based alternative metal collective Fleshwater will be heading to the “land down under” later this year for a string of headline shows. Ingrown and Secret World will be joining them as support.
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Their eleventh album will arrive in September.

The post Nonpoint Unveil Their New Album “The Last Word” Alongside Their “Is It” Music Video appeared first on Theprp.com.