That’s a wrap on Kilby Block Party 2026! In case you missed it, the festival returned to Salt Lake City, Utah over the weekend, and Stereogum was there. We’ve already posted an in-depth recap highlighting all the best sets, and now we present to you a trove of artist portraits by Emilio Herce as well as some behind-the-scenes interviews conducted by Stereogum’s new VJ Winter of the band Winter. Check it all out below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
METAL DEVASTATION PR CLIENTS IATT AND EMPIRE OF NONE FEATURED IN LATEST ISSUE OF SWEDEN ROCK MAGAZINE ALONGSIDE IRON MAIDEN COVER STORY
The latest issue of Sweden Rock Magazine has landed, and two recent Metal Devastation PR clients are making noise in its pages alongside a cover feature celebrating none other than Iron Maiden .
Both Empire Of None and IATT received detailed reviews highlighting the ambition, musicianship, and creative vision behind their latest releases.
Sweden Rock Magazine praised Empire Of None’s debut album Keepsake for fully realizing the band’s artistic goals, drawing comparisons to major modern acts such as Linkin Park , Bring Me The Horizon , and Dead By April . The review recognized the album’s polished production, emotionally driven songwriting, and strong connection to the modern metalcore and alternative metal scene.
Meanwhile, IATT’s Etheric Realms of the Night earned recognition for its fearless experimentation and genre-defying approach. Sweden Rock Magazine noted the Philadelphia band’s ability to blend progressive black metal with elements of jazz, folk, piano passages, saxophone, and atmospheric soundscapes, placing them in the company of boundary-pushing artists like Cynic , Ihsahn , and Devin Townsend .
The review also highlighted the album’s ambitious thematic focus on dreams and human consciousness, calling it a “fascinating musical journey” packed with creative ideas and adventurous songwriting.
Getting coverage in one of Europe’s most respected rock and metal publications is a major accomplishment for both bands, and sharing pages with an issue fronted by Iron Maiden makes the moment even more legendary. Old-school metalheads know Sweden Rock Magazine has been a cornerstone of the underground and mainstream heavy music scene for decades. Landing coverage there is no small feat.
Congratulations to Empire Of None and IATT on the international recognition. The underground keeps pushing forward, one riff at a time.
Grab a copy here: https://swedenrockmagazine.com/
Check out the bands here at these links:
https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/28118/decibel-magazine-premieres-iatts-new-video-an-ode-to-solace
https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/28942/empire-of-none-announce-debut-album-keepsake-out-may-15-2026
Shannon Lay hasn’t released a new album of originals in five years, since 2021’s Geist. But the LA musician has been busy in the interval. She released a covers album in 2023, logged some choicecollaborations, appeared on severalbenefitcompilations, and even released a Christmas song. Now she’s finally back with news of a new LP.
Left to Die has announced Initium Mortis, the band’s debut full-length, due July 17 via Relapse Records. The lineup brings together four veterans of the early death metal underground: bassist Terry Butler (Death, Massacre, Obituary), guitarist Rick Rozz (ex-Death, ex-Massacre), guitarist and vocalist Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) and drummer Gus Rios (ex-Malevolent Creation, Gruesome). The record draws on Death and Mantas demo material spanning 1983 to 1987, the era before Scream Bloody Gore.
The album’s first single, “Archangel,” can be streamed below, and the album is available for pre-order here.
Matt Harvey said about the album inception: “After Gus and I performed Spiritual Healing in its entirety with Terry and James [Murphy], Rick wondered if people might want to hear something similar, but with him joining the three of us to perform Leprosy. Of course, I leapt at the chance to do it, and we quickly threw together a tour which surpassed everyone’s expectations, especially in terms of how much fun we were having playing together. As we continued to tour throughout the US, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia, people kept asking if we were going to record or write anything. After going back and forth on the topic, we felt that (ahem) exhuming some of these old tracks made the most sense for us, after all, we’re not gonna top Leprosy.”
“I gleefully combed through the myriad Death/Mantas demos and rehearsals looking for stuff that would make sense for a record, and we ended up going with tunes that we felt would make the most cohesive album, hence why ‘Skill To Kill’ and ‘Back From The Dead’ sadly didn’t make the cut. I look at Initium Mortis as a kind of ‘alternate-universe’ version of the Scream Bloody Gore track list, as so many of these tunes were circling around the many Death lineups and rehearsals from ’83-’87. In fact, Chuck [Schuldiner] and Chris [Reifert] recorded a version of ‘Legion Of Doom’ for Scream Bloody Gore that never got completed. In revisiting these songs, it was crystal-clear to me that Rick‘s fingerprints are all over the Mantas stuff and tunes like ‘Slaughterhouse,’ so with that connection, the songs where his style really shone through immediately made sense to include on Initium Mortis.”
Terry Butler added, “Left To Die went from a thought to doing a full US tour in about three months! Pretty remarkable. We wanted to play the early material for the fans who couldn’t see the first albums in a live setting. There are many young fans at our shows who are hearing the foundation that Death stands on to this day live for the first time! With Matt channeling the best ChuckSchuldiner out there and Gus playing the material perfectly and respectfully, we hit the road and haven’t looked back!”
“For Initium Mortis, we wanted Death fans who never heard these demo songs to hear them with good production. Most of these early demos were recorded on a boom box, so by the time someone got their demo through tape trading, it was almost inaudible! We think these tracks are a good representation of the birth of Mantas/Death. This is ground zero – where it all started: three 15-year-old kids creating Death Metal history, and even within these choice cuts from the demo days, you can hear the evolution of the music. ‘Archangel’ is a great way to introduce this album. It’s controlled chaos at its finest: catchy and riffy with a killer evil-sounding middle section!”
Rick Rozz chimed in: “First, I would like to thank Gus, Matt, and Terry for making Left To Die happen. It’s been an honor and a pleasure working with them for the past few years and beyond. It’s really cool to be able to hear these tunes from 1984 properly! The old school Death fans are going to dig this release.”
Gus Rios concluded: “The band started simply because Rick called me and asked if I’d be into it… Which I very promptly replied by referencing bears, shit, and woods. I then called Matt and Terry, and the rest is history. Death‘s Leprosy record is my favorite death metal album, let alone Death album. To be given this unbelievable opportunity to play those songs with Rick and Terry across the globe is an honor and a blessing I find hard to put into words. Matt and I are living our 14-year-old selves’ death metal fantasy!”
“And now, to make an album with the guys is flat out surreal. I’m a pretty solid Death fan if I do say so myself, and yet these songs were all new to me. I never really gave the Mantas stuff much of a listen because I’m just not a ‘demo’ production fan. To hear these songs with clean and solid, yet classic analog style production for me is like getting new Death songs… Which rules!”
Ultimately, Left To Die celebrates a seminal band and the camaraderie of the genre’s most extreme corner of music.
The “Beast in the East” – Scotland’s oldest extreme music gathering, Hordes X – has officially announced the first wave of bands locked in for its monumental sixteenth edition. The influential underground live platform will return to the twin venues of Hidden and Music Hall Dundee on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September 2026, delivering … Continue reading Hordes X 2026 details sixteenth anniversary event and first wave of bands
The Hu has announced Hun, the Mongolian heavy rock band’s third studio album, due July 24 via Better Noise Music. The album is preceded by new single “Lost Soul,” which features Jonny Hawkins, vocalist of Nothing More. The Hawkins-featuring version is available digitally.
Morin khuur player and throat singer Galaa said: “‘Lost Soul’ is about finding your way back when everything feels lost. We all go through moments where we question everything — our purpose, our path, our identity. This song is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, the human spirit has the capacity to rise again.”
Hawkins added: “When The Hu reached out to collaborate, I was immediately drawn to the power and depth of what they do. There’s something primal and universal about their music that transcends language and culture. Being part of ‘Lost Soul’ was a profound experience.”
The Hu is currently on a North American tour with Apocalyptica and The Rasmus, running through June 7 in Anaheim, Calif. The band appeared on “Pray to the Sun,” a track by composer Declan de Barra included in the Netflix series One Piece, and contributed “Sugaan Essena” to the soundtrack of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. In November 2022, they became the first rock or metal band to receive the UNESCO “Artist for Peace” designation, presented by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay at a ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
