What did you expect from this guy? Sportsmanship? Perspective? The kind of sober self-reflection that can only come from suffering humiliating defeat on the largest possible stage? No. Not this guy. It was never going to happen. That kind of thing would’ve directly contradicted the entire ethos of the Drake project. It’s not that Aubrey Graham never discusses his own vulnerabilities. It’s that he only ever does it on his own terms. He’ll say that he loves women too much and that he feels hurt when they fuck other dudes in the apartments that he rents for them. He will not allow himself to consider the idea that the entire world laughed at him and danced on his grave. That’s not what Drake does.
Today, Osmose Productions announces June 26th as the release date for Ruyned‘s highly anticipated second album, Profanum Sacrificium, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. Forged in the underground of Romania, Ruyned unleash their most ferocious and unrelenting material, Profanum Sacrificium, a blasphemous speed metal assault infused with elements of black, thrash, and heavy metal. The intro sets the calm before the storm. […]
At the end of November 2024, the young Polish band Burning Creation released their debut album “Sea of Dead Bodies” via the independent local label Via Nocturna. A year earlier, these lovers of melodic death metal and Nordic-themed lyrics first introduced themselves with their debut EP “Never Dead Nation”, released through the same label. It was a remarkably strong beginning, and although Burning Creation still belongs firmly to the Polish underground scene, quality clearly matters to them in every aspect – from the polished, crystal-clear sound and carefully constructed lyrics about northern myths to the memorable melodies and vigorously arranged compositions.
Burning Creation was formed in 2024 in the small southern Polish town of Żywiec, perhaps best known across Europe for the beer sharing the same name. But that has little to do with the matter at hand, because the musicians draw their primary inspiration from Norse mythology – with its bloody battles, quarrels among gods, and the principle that honour is worth more than life itself. It was with such a mindset that the seemingly invincible Vikings marched into battle, conquering new lands and intimidating local populations through berserker-like courage and frenzied fury. Burning Creation carries that same spirit like a banner, reviving Nordic history in a more or less modern form.
The band was founded by the Klimonda brothers – guitarist Marek and drummer Jarosław, who also play in bands Hauros and Consumer, while Jarosław was additionally involved in the rather original technical death metal band with the very unoriginal name Catharsis. Yet it is in Burning Creation that they fully embrace their passion for Scandinavian folklore, paying tribute to their idols Amon Amarth. And just like them, they chose to remain firmly within melodic death metal territory, with very little influence from ethnic or pagan metal traditions.
Norse mythology may be an overused theme in the world of folk metal, yet it rarely becomes tiresome because it has effectively become a classic gateway into the world of fearless Vikings aboard carved drakkars or into the ceremonial halls of Odin himself, where fallen warriors feast beside the Allfather every day. Slavic mythology is no less rich or fascinating, but it remains far less mainstream in music and, unlike Nordic mythology, was not preserved as thoroughly due to Christianity’s relentless attempts to erase pagan gods and traditions. Today, the gods of the North are praised across every corner of the world, and to some degree this has become a trend, though usually not for the musicians themselves, for whom it is more a lifestyle than a fashionable aesthetic. Many metal musicians begin with anti-Christian ideas, and after period of denial they begin searching for their own source of strength, eventually rediscovering the not-so-forgotten names of the great northern gods. And credit must be given to Burning Creation here: their lyrics are precise and filled with interesting minor details, making it obvious that this goes far beyond reading a Wikipedia article about Norse mythology once. Their understanding of myth and history feels genuinely deep, because every myth contains invisible layers that are not immediately apparent at first glance.
The album opens with the solemn and epic intro “The Calling”, immediately setting the proper mood for bloody battles, betrayal, and ultimately Ragnarök, the northern apocalypse itself. It must be said that the album flows on a single consistent wavelength. There are no radically standout tracks, no experimental detours, no sudden shifts in rhythm, and yet it never feels as you are listening to the same song for forty-five minutes straight. In general, each composition revolves around one memorable riff – not so catchy that you find yourself humming it afterward, but strong in a different way, like stainless steel resting on the ocean floor. “Snakebite” and “Tears of Mourner” slightly accelerate the album’s otherwise dominant mid-tempo pacing, leaning closer towards thrash/death, while “Snakebite” in particular surprises with a kind of rock’n’roll carelessness. “As the Ocean Takes Us Down” also stands apart, though in the opposite direction – slow, contemplative, and faintly melancholic. Yet this nostalgic sorrow is answered by the surprisingly optimistic “Under the Fading Sun”, restoring balance before the sadness becomes overwhelming.
And of course, not for a single second does one forget that this is not merely heavy music, but melodic heavy music. Melody permeates the entire concept of the album, and although it never softens the extreme spirit of this musical canvas too drastically, the music constantly flows with harmonies and melodic sensibility. The debut ends with Burning Creation’s cover of their idols Amon Amarth, fiercely and straightforwardly declaring that Nordic melodic death metal and Amon Amarth are truly a match made in heaven.
There are no hyper-complex elements here, but neither is there any dull simplicity. “Sea of Dead Bodies” is more about minimalism and careful devotion to genre canon – executed professionally and with candid enthusiasm. The album artwork, painted in leaden tones and depicting brave dead Varangians, an obvious reference to the ship of the dead Naglfar, perfectly captures the mood of the album while deepening the impact of its lyrical themes. And while “Sea of Dead Bodies” sounds, all that remains is to pull a dusty drinking horn down from the attic, fill it with sweet and fragrant mead, and cry into the Ragnarök night: Hail Óðinn!
His 1997 album Sunsets On Empire – a collaboration with Steven Wilson – remains a sunny moment in his stormy career, although one song might not be the same if it was written today
“I woke up at noon, and there were 45 years gone/ I never imagined I would live this long/ You don’t notice the days slipping away until there’s nothing left to protect except your next paycheck.” That’s the opening verse from “No Percentage In Caution,” the latest single from the noisy and transgressive quasi-industrial Austin…
The Transformers: The Movie Soundtrack – The Reformatted Edition Anniversary Tribute. Available July 24th Relive the soundtrack that fueled a generation. From soaring anthems to […]
LOS ANGELES, CA — The landscape of extreme metal is about to be leveled. Swedish melodic death metal titans Arch Enemy have officially announced a massive North American co-headlining run alongside the unstoppable The Black Dahlia Murder. Dubbed the “Wrath Across America 2026” tour, the trek marks a pivotal moment in metal history as it introduces the world to the “New Era” of Arch Enemy, fronted by newly minted vocalist Lauren Hart. With a punishing supporting cast including Septicflesh, Crypta, and Thrown Into Exile, this 2026 circuit is being hailed as the year’s definitive extreme music event.
A Bold Rebirth: Lauren Hart Takes the Reins
The headlines leading into the “Wrath Across America” tour are firmly fixed on the seismic shift within the Arch Enemy camp. Following the highly successful decade-long tenure of Alissa White-Gluz, the band has officially unveiled former Once Human vocalist Lauren Hart as their new frontwoman. This transition marks the third major vocal evolution for the band, following the legendary runs of Angela Gossow and White-Gluz.
The band’s latest single, “To The Last Breath,” serves as Hart’s studio debut and a blistering statement of intent. The track retains the trademark Michael Amott melodic ferocity while introducing a fresh, visceral vocal dynamic that has already energized the global metal community. “North America, we are proud to announce our return,” says guitarist Michael Amott. “An exceptional lineup, built for those who live and breathe pure fucking metal. We look forward to bringing you a new era of Arch Enemy.”
Servitude and Supremacy: The Black Dahlia Murder Returns
Sharing the top of the bill, The Black Dahlia Murder continues their relentless momentum in support of their 2024 masterwork, Servitude. The album, which marked a defiant new chapter for the band following the tragic passing of Trevor Strnad, has been lauded as a “collection of raging riffs and solid gold grooves.”
With guitarist Brian Eschbach transitioning to vocals and the addition of Ryan Knight, the band has found a “fresh energy” that has translated into a devastating live show. Drummer Alan Cassidy offered a characteristically blunt invitation for the fall trek: “I’d take my arch enemy to see The Black Dahlia Murder and Arch Enemy! Then throw them in the pit. See you this fall!”
Ticket On-Sale and Priority Access Windows
Tickets for the “Wrath Across America” tour are expected to move rapidly across all 2026 dates. Fans are encouraged to utilize the following staggered on-sale windows:
Wednesday, May 20 @ 10:00 AM Local: Various Pre-sales launch.
Thursday, May 21 @ 10:00 PM Local: Pre-sales conclude.
Friday, May 22 @ 10:00 AM Local: General Public On-sale begins.
‘Wrath Across America’ Fall 2026 Tour Dates
Oct. 05 – Riverside, CA – Municipal Auditorium Oct. 06 – Phoenix, AZ – Marquee Oct. 08 – Salt Lake City, UT – Rockwell at The Complex Oct. 09 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Oct. 11 – Dallas, TX – Echo Oct. 12 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Oct. 13 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre Oct. 15 – Orlando, FL – Beacham Oct. 16 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Oct. 18 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Oct. 20 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade (Heaven) Oct. 21 – Charlotte, NC – Fillmore Oct. 22 – Raleigh, NC – Ritz Oct. 24 – New York, NY – Palladium Times Square Oct. 25 – Silver Spring, MD – Fillmore Silver Spring Oct. 26 – Philadelphia, PA – TLA Oct. 28 – Worcester, MA – Palladium Worcester Oct. 30 – Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre Hall Oct. 31 – Montreal, QC – Olympia Nov. 01 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Nov. 03 – Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall Nov. 04 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre Nov. 05 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Nov. 07 – Minneapolis, MN – Fillmore Nov. 08 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre Nov. 09 – Saskatoon, SK – Coors Event Centre Nov. 11 – Calgary, AB – MacEwan Hall Nov. 12 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Nov. 14 – Vancouver, BC – The Key Nov. 16 – Seattle, WA – Showbox
Who is the new singer for Arch Enemy? As of May 2026, Lauren Hart (formerly of Once Human) is the official lead vocalist for Arch Enemy, following the departure of Alissa White-Gluz.
When does the Wrath Across America tour begin? The tour officially kicks off on October 5, 2026, in Riverside, California, and concludes on November 16 in Seattle, Washington.
What is the latest Arch Enemy album? The band’s most recent full-length album is Blood Dynasty, released in 2025, which featured Alissa White-Gluz. The 2026 tour will focus on new material featuring Lauren Hart, including the single “To The Last Breath.”
Band Bio: Arch Enemy
Formed in 1996 by Swedish guitar hero Michael Amott, Arch Enemy has spent three decades as a defining force in modern extreme metal. Fusing razor-edged thrash riffing with stadium-level melodic hooks, the band has traversed eleven studio albums and multiple legendary vocal eras. With the 2026 addition of Lauren Hart, the band enters a bold new chapter of global dominance.
Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder have announced a massive co-headlining fall tour, officially debuting new Arch Enemy frontwoman Lauren Hart to North American audiences.
Will the addition of Lauren Hart propel Arch Enemy to even greater heights, or is the Alissa White-Gluz era an impossible act to follow? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
