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  • FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Fortress Festival 2026

    FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Fortress Festival 2026

    Words: Sam Jones
    Photos: Tim Finch

    Attending Fortress is ranked alongside the premier highlights of last year when we recall 2025 in its entirety. It’s slew of black metal from atmospheric to bludgeoning to melodic has endeared the festival a most fearsome rapport, bringing exclusive acts over from all over. With this year’s edition quickly approaching and again sold out months in advance, Fortress has become a potent name in the UK’s extreme metal festival roster.

    First off, just look the lineup. Other than a few acts every single band is either a UK exclusive performance, a special album set or a worldwide live debut. It’s when you see names like Gallowbraid and Old Forest and Vesperal on the lineup that confirm Fortress are not pulling punches. They never have done frankly but the confirmation of such names on the bill bespeaks the pulling power their name has acquired. These are bands people likely never dreamt they’d get to see.

    But then you see other heavyweights plastered upon the bill: Akercocke, Abigail Williams, Black Cilice, A Forest Of Stars. These are names many would pay to see headlining their own shows, let alone on the same day as many surely will be playing on. One band I personally am excited for is Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult and I wouldn’t be surprised if many more like myself will be ravenous to grab a spot near the stage for such an esteemed name. Midnight Odyssey, a band I never thought I’d get to experience live, also satisfy a slot too and will be amongst my most anticipated acts.

    Photo Credit: Tim Finch Photography

    But new to Fortress come 2026 is the unveiling of the Dungeon Synth stage. Whilst not a new thing experienced in the UK festival circuit, Fortress is arguably the biggest name in that said festival circuit to incorporate Dungeon Synth within its repertoire. Though Gate Master (at the time of writing this) have had to pull out, they’ve been replaced by Salt Lake City-aficionados Fief to great acclaim. Other dungeon synth names include Atlantean Sword, Italian Tolkien masters Emyn Muil, the aforementioned Old Forest and possibly one of the subgenre’s forefathers, Mortiis.

    But, what’s that? You wanted… more? Fret not because Fortress also bring back the In Conversation side-experience from last year; this year’s edition sees more intimate, in depth conversations with Akercocke and what went into crafting their 2003 masterpiece: Choronzon. Also included are Vinterland, not only embarking on their UK debut performance but commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of their cult melodic black metal opus: Welcome My Last Chapter. Each of these shall be hosted by Into The Necrosphere podcast host Jackie Smit, so if you’re looking for something quieter and more reserved, this is one option for you.

    This is an impeccably organised festival with wonderful people, wonderful bands and, held within a beautiful Victorian spa house in Scarborough on the Northern English coast, Fortress has become one of the UK’s most revered extreme metal outings. So regardless what severity of black metal you’re after, the festival have you covered. See you in late May.

    Photo credits: Tim Finch Photography

    For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

    The post FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Fortress Festival 2026 appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

  • EXTREMA Unleash “Thrashing ‘Till The End – Live at Slaughter Club” – A 30-Year Thrash Milestone Captured in Full Force

    Italian thrash metal pioneers EXTREMA are set to release Thrashing ‘Till The End – Live at Slaughter Club – a high-impact live document celebrating the 30th anniversary of their legendary debut Tension At The Seams. The performance was recorded at Slaughter Club in Paderno Dugnano (Milan) on October 7th, 2023 – exactly three decades after the album that helped redefine the sonic and cultural framework of Italian metal.

    The full show will be rolled out as an episodic live video series on the band’s official YouTube channel, alongside a digital release across all major streaming platforms.

    Subscribe and follow the full series here: https://bit.ly/ExtremaLive

    Released in 1993, Tension At The Seams stands as a cornerstone of European thrash: a record built on razor-sharp riffing, percussive precision, and an uncompromising compositional approach that pushed beyond genre orthodoxy. Its impact extended well beyond the Italian scene, setting new benchmarks in terms of arrangement density, production clarity, and expressive aggression.

    To mark its 30th anniversary, EXTREMA returned to the stage with a purpose-built show engineered for maximum impact – conceived as a full-contact, no-compromise live assault. The setlist moves with surgical intent: a dominant portion of the debut album performed with renewed intensity, seamlessly integrated with key tracks from across the band’s catalog, culminating in material from their latest release, Headbanging Forever.

    Thrashing ‘Till The End – Live at Slaughter Club captures that performance in its entirety, preserving the raw kinetic energy of the band’s live delivery while enhancing it through a modern visual production pipeline.

    Beginning April 29th, all 16 tracks from the show will be released on a weekly schedule via the band’s official YouTube channel, with three videos dropping per week, structuring the release as a sustained content cycle designed to maintain engagement and narrative continuity.

    Subscribe to EXTREMA’s official YouTube channel to follow the full release schedule:
    https://www.youtube.com/@Extrema_Official

    Filming and direction were handled by Daniele Farina, with the production delivered in 4K. The visual language combines tight shot sequencing, dynamic camera movement, and performance-focused editing, resulting in a final product that translates the physical intensity of the live set into a sharp, high-definition audiovisual experience.

    Line-up:
    Tommy Massara – Guitars
    Tiziano “Titian” Spigno – Vocals
    Marco Cassone – Guitars
    Gabri Giovanna – Bass
    Francesco “Frullo” La Rosa – Drums

    For more info:
    https://rockshots.eu/

    EXTREMA:
    https://www.extremateam.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/extrema.official/

    https://www.instagram.com/extrema_official/

    Source: ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

  • GODLESS Release “Architect of Torment” Official Video Out Now – @thebeast

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    GODLESS Release “Architect of Torment” Official Video Out Now
    Indian extreme metal force GODLESS have dropped the official video for their new single “Architect of Torment,” delivering one of their darkest and most oppressive statements to date. The track continues the band’s ten year run of uncompromising death metal intensity while pushing deeper into atmosphere, tension, and controlled chaos.
    “Architect of Torment” sees GODLESS locking into tightly wound aggression, sharp rhythmic shifts, and a suffocating sense of unease that leans heavier on mood and pressure than anything they have released before. It is precise, punishing, and built with intent from the ground up.
    What sets this release apart is the visual capture. The video was filmed live during their co-headlining set at the Wacken Open Air Pre-Party in Bangalore , documenting the very first time the track was ever performed. No studio polish, no tricks, just raw stage energy and a crowd witnessing the song come alive in real time.
    From the band:
    “ Architect of Torment feels like a progression for us, leaning into a darker, more sinister atmosphere without losing the core of what GODLESS is. After over a decade of locking into a sound, it felt right to push things further and see where it goes.”
    Formed in 2015, GODLESS have carved their place in the global extreme metal underground with a sound rooted in thrash driven death metal brutality. From Centuries of Decadence (2016) through States of Chaos (2021) , the band has built momentum across India and beyond, earning attention from Rolling Stone India, Metal Injection, and Invisible Oranges, and sharing stages at Wacken Open Air, Obscene Extreme Festival, and SWR Barroselas Metalfest.
    “Architect of Torment” stands as both a milestone and a warning shot, signaling a heavier and more atmospheric direction while staying locked into the band’s signature precision and force.
    Watch the official video now:

    Media Contact:
    zach@metaldevastationradio.com






     Connect with GODLESS:
    https://linktr.ee/godlessindia
    www.godless.in
    Contact: Abbas Razvi | godlessindia@gmail.co
  • M.I.A. Kicked Off Kid Cudi Tour Over Onstage Political Rants

    M.I.A.’s descent into right-wing absurdity is nothing new. Back in 2022, she compared Alex Jones’ lies about the Sandy Hook mass shooting to “every celebrity pushing vaccines.” In 2024, she went on The Alex Jones Show to launch her line of clothes that supposedly block 5G signals. Last month, she dropped her “gospel” album M.I.7 and introduced a new clothing line, this one designed to block 10G signals. Now, after some ill-received stage banter at a Kid Cudi show in Dallas, she’s gotten herself kicked off of a big summer tour.

    The post M.I.A. Kicked Off Kid Cudi Tour Over Onstage Political Rants appeared first on Stereogum.

  • Britney Spears Pleads Guilty To DUI

    Britney Spears has plead guilty to her misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the New York Times reports. The pop star was arrested for suspicion of DUI last March after highway patrol officers in Ventura County, California found her driving erratically on Interstate 101 and showing “signs of impairment.”

    The post Britney Spears Pleads Guilty To DUI appeared first on Stereogum.

  • Yoth Iria – Gone with the Devil Review

    When I see the title of Yoth Iria’s third full-length, Gone with the Devil, I can’t help but think of the Spanish farewell, “vaya con Dios,” or “go with God.” Originally—and still, in some circles—the phrase was an earnest blessing and wish for safety; however, centuries have stained it with a negative connotation. The phrase can now showcase a speaker’s disapproval for the recipient’s intended actions, implying that whatever they’re going to do is dumb enough that only God will be able to get them through it. After two enjoyable-to-impressive albums, is Yoth Iria’s cheeky inversion of the phrase a genuine wish for guidance from the Son of the Morning, or is Gone with the Devil a hot mess only Satan can save?

    On 2021 debut As the Flame Withers and 2024 follow-up Blazing Inferno, Yoth Iria’s sound was focused—Hellenic black metal injected with a mix of 70s-80s metal and Middle Eastern atmospherics. Gone with the Devil sees the Athens-based five-piece employ a more exploratory, instinctual, and unrestricted approach to composition…or so the promo material says. In actuality, Yoth Iria leans into accessibility. Elements of their original Hellenic sound remain (“The Blind Eye of Antichrist,” “Woven Spells of a Demon”), infusing the album with a warmth typically absent in black metal. But with tracks that wouldn’t be out of place on an Equilibrium record (“Dare to Rebel”), the newest Arch Enemy (“I Totem,” “Blessed Be He Who Enters”), or a metalized Imagine Dragons (“3AM,” “Once in a Blue Moon”), Gone with the Devil feels fundamentally different from previous releases.

    In pursuing wider appeal, Yoth Iria dilutes much of what made them unique, and Gone with the Devil is less engaging for it. The markers of heavy music are all still present—blast beats, harsh vocals, distorted guitars, etc.—but the soul that gives an album weight is totally absent. “3AM” is as forgettable as elevator muzak, and much of the back half of Gone with the Devil1 shares a similar mid/slow-paced rhythm that barely gets my eyes open, let alone my heart pumping. Predictable song structures and played-out tropes, like whispers preceding a heavier passage (“I Totem”) or synths/folk instrumentals returning to bolster a final chorus (“Give ‘Em My Beautiful Hell”), give the impression that Yoth Iria is just going through the motions or following someone else’s recipe.

    This isn’t to say Gone with the Devil is bad. Yoth Iria, as a band, is obviously wildly talented, and what they do play, they play well. There are some songwriting bungles, like the end of “I Totem,” the pacing of “Harut-Government-Fallen,” and the choral chanting of “The Blind Eye of Antichrist,” but the album flows well and sounds great. Guitarists Nikolas Perlepe and Naberius weave a lush tapestry of blackened trem-picked riffs and retro leads (“I Totem,” “Give ‘Em My Beautiful Hell”), while bassist Jim Mutilator’s (ex-Rotting Christ, ex-Varathron) presence and influence infuse every second of Gone with the Devil. Vocalist HE and drummer Bill “Vongaar” Stavrianidis have excellent synergy, driving the album’s atmosphere and the ebb and flow of its tension. These performances shine thanks to Gone with the Devil’s production. The vocals might be a smidge forward and the rhythm guitars a touch back, but the mix is both intimate and spacious, offering warmth and clarity on an open soundstage.

    Sound and performance can’t save an album, though. Where once Yoth Iria demanded my attention with a unique sound, Gone with the Devil seems geared toward maximum radio engagement or being inoffensive corporate playlist fodder. During my time with the album, I often felt like I was listening to a Temu version of Havukruunu. A seemingly intentional forfeiture of individuality, vapid filler track energy,2 and uninteresting—though adeptly played—instrumental performances make Yoth Iria’s latest a far cry from their previous work. Again, Gone with the Devil isn’t a bad album per se. It’s just milquetoast and unremarkable.


    Rating: 2.0/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
    Label: Metal Blade Records
    Websites:Official | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: May 8th, 2026

    The post Yoth Iria – Gone with the Devil Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.