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Bay Area Thrash metal pioneers EXODUS are about to release their new single "Promise You This" – the final single taken from their new album Goliath (out March 20, 2026). Fueled by cyclonic riffs, ferocious energy and turbocharged soloing from guitar icon and main songwriter Gary Holt, the track channels the band’s unrelenting power and marks another fierce showcase of Rob Dukes' commanding return. EXODUS prove once again that their thrash supremacy remains untouchable, after shaping the genre for almost half a century.

Even over 40 years after their debut, EXODUS are steadfast in their refusal to settle for the safety of mediocrity and continue to forge their trademark just as resolutely as they did in their fruition. The band's highly anticipated 12th studio album is their most multifaceted offering so far, featuring several epic collaborations and marking the return of Rob Dukes as lead vocalist. Secure your copy of Goliath now and check out the music video for the title track below!

EXODUS on "Promise You This": "Promise You This" is one of our favorite songs on the new record, it’s just heavy as fuck but rocks just as hard. The song was inspired by some of the life lessons learned from my father and how long it took me to really listen." 

Check it HERE.

Metal heroines NERVOSA unleash a new single from their upcoming album, Slave Machine, out on April 3 via Napalm Records.

"Ghost Notes" lets loose a storm of heavy, yet easily recognizable riffs, driven by impelling drums and the ever-so-furious vocals of Prika Amaral. Culminating in a powerful guitar solo, "Ghost Notes” shows yet another side of the versatile Brazilian thrash band.

Once again working with producer Martin Furia of German legends DESTRUCTION for their upcoming release, the women bridge the gap between old-school power and critical modernity. NERVOSA are ready for a fierce new era!

NERVOSA about "Ghost Notes": "Strong and heavy riffs with a lot of groove showing deep feelings in a very poetic way, this song is definitely special in many ways."

Watch the Official Music Video for "Ghost Notes" —  NOW! Right HERE.

Tarja will unleash her brand new metal album Frisson Noir on June 12 via earMUSIC, and it's the heaviest record of her career and a powerful statement of identity, strength and belonging. After years of exploring different musical landscapes, Tarja stands firmly where she belongs — in metal.

Frisson Noir reflects Tarja's ongoing dialogue between cinematic orchestration, classical heritage, and the power and intensity of contemporary metal. The album moves between intimate piano passages, dramatic orchestral textures, and powerful, guitar-driven moments.

At the center of the soundscape is Tarja's distinctive voice, moving effortlessly between fragile emotional expression and operatic power. Around it, orchestral arrangements, choirs, and layered instrumentation create a cinematic world that constantly shifts between darkness and light, exploring deeply human themes such as fear, beauty, nostalgia, resilience, defiance, transformation, identity, disappearance, independence, trust, and perseverance.

Across 10 tracks, Tarja delivers intensity, emotion, and strength, joined by special guest Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Apocalyptica, Marko Hietala (ex-Nightwish), and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Mixed by GRAMMY-winning producer Neal Avron (Linkin Park, Skillet, Disturbed), the album blends a modern, hard-hitting sound with the dramatic and emotional elements that define Tarja's unmistakable metal identity.

The album will be available in retail as CD Digipak, Black 2LP Gatefold and Ltd. Purple 2LP Gatefold. The first pressing of all formats is finished with high-quality copper foil and logo embossing. Further exclusive formats as signed editions and a strictly limited Collectors Box Set (incl. Black 2LP Gatefold (180g) with 24-page vinyl size booklet of illustrations, photographs, and lyrics, CD Digipak with 28-page booklet, Box Set exclusive 7" vinyl single with "I Don't Care (Tarja Solo Version)" and "I Don't Care (Dani Mix)", four Box Set exclusive animal print postcards, Box Set exclusive DIN A2 Frisson Noir poster, and a fine art print signed by Tarja) will be available in the official album store.

Access the album Frisson Noir  HERE.

Kicking off the album, the first single "At Sea" is out now.

The song embodies the core idea behind Frisson Noir – the physical reaction that music can provoke, the shiver that runs through the body when sound, emotion, and performance align in a real moment. With "At Sea," Tarja captures that moment, reminding listeners what happens when sound, emotion, and human performance collide. The track combines Tarja's voice with live musicians, orchestral arrangements, and choir performances recorded in Budapest with the Budapest Art Orchestra and Budapest Art Choir, conducted by Gyorgy Gulyas Nagy. The result is a heavy metal endeavor within a cinematic sonic landscape that mirrors the emotional journey of the song itself: The tension between fear and determination when facing the unknown.

Stream the single "At Sea" HERE.

Moldovan modern metal force Infected Rain have released the official music video for their brand new single "Stranger." The track offers the first glimpse into the band's upcoming musical chapter and marks the beginning of a new creative phase for the group as it continues to evolve its sound.

Built around themes of identity, transformation, and inner conflict, "Stranger" dives deep into the moment of realizing you no longer fully recognize the person you have become, pairing introspective lyrics with driving rhythms and the band’s sharp, modern metal edge.

Vocalist Lena Scissorhands explains the inspiration behind the song: "'Stranger' came from the moment when you realize you don't fully recognize yourself anymore. It's an inward fight with identity, with the roles you've worn for too long, and the distance that grows between who you are and who you think you should be. In the end, it's about becoming strangers to ourselves, and trying to find the way back."

Check out the video single HERE.

On May 15th, old school death metal legends Jungle Rot will release their 12th full-length album, Cruel Face Of War, via Unique Leader Records. For a first preview of Cruel Face Of War, the new single "Apocalyptic Dawn" can be seen here: https://youtu.be/mCEf1kH6_6I

Dave Matrise (vocals, guitars) comments: "Let's start off by saying what an amazing accomplishment it is to hit 12 releases in my career. Never would I think I'd still be doing this 30+ years later. I guess be careful what you wish for.

"I'm very grateful to all of our fans that have supported us for so many years and for never giving up on us.

"To my bandmates for all of their hard work and dedication to me and JRot over all these years.

"'Cruel Face Of War' will not disappoint.

"It's full of crushing grooves and violent hooks that will surely break anyone's neck."

Pre-order Cruel Face Of War in various formats via: https://orcd.co/CRUELFACEOFWAR

Internationally acclaimed vocalist Alissa White-Gluz returns with “Checkmate,” a striking new single that marks a powerful evolution in both sound and creative vision.

Beloved for her commanding presence in extreme metal, White-Gluz steps forward here with a renewed sense of freedom, fully embracing the breadth of her vocal range and artistic identity. “Checkmate” showcases a dynamic fusion of melody, heaviness, and razor-sharp precision, delivering a track that is as catchy as it is emotionally resonant. The crushing new single was written by Alissa White-Gluz, Alyssa Day and Dani Sophia, and mixed and mastered by Kile Odell.

“This is a song where everything just clicked,” says White-Gluz. “Checkmate is an extremely cathartic song for me. It was created in one of those flow states where the lyrics and melodies and rhythms just write themselves and you get the feeling that you're onto something powerful. It's probably the heaviest thing I've written in terms of lyrics, and probably the lightest of what we have cooking in terms of sound. I wanted to share the intensity of these feelings with fans and give them something to hold onto. I’m so happy to see so much support for Blue Medusa already; fans can look forward to more dark, heavy, brutal and haunting music very soon.”

Beyond the music, “Checkmate” also highlights White-Gluz’s expanding role as a visual storyteller. Co-directing the music video with Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films - whom she previously collaborated with on high-ranking videos for “The Wolf You Feed” with Nita Strauss and “I Am a Machine” with Kat Von D - she brings a cinematic, detail-driven approach that elevates the track into a fully immersive experience. Built around a unique, outside-the-box concept developed by White-Gluz, the video unfolds within a game of chess, where each move carries deliberate allegory and layered symbolism.

"CHECKMATE" MUSIC VIDEO: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T21hSKREXGk

Canadian's Opal in Sky is made up of twin brothers Dylon and Tyson, who have such a passion for music, that it runs deep and is so limitless its endless with possibilities. These brothers are set on a mission since their band's formation, that they will write music that not only inspires, but motivates, and encourages all of those who may be feeling lost. Thus, they have gone on to release a debut EP, and their newest full-length "Dream Shift" (2024). With all of this under their belts already, they have gone on to announce at the end of 2025, that they would be crossing over and touring in the U.S.A. For the first time ever, on what is possibly part one of a US. run, bringing with them Villain of the Story and Young Medicine.

Running throughout the month of March, but before the tour would even commence one-month prior Opal In Sky, would post a video explaining how the band's tour poster would get backlash about offending some American's online. Would this mishap cause them to turn away the chance to tour within the U.S.A.? Nope!

So, with that, the band would head out in March, and after running for two weeks, they would hit California stopping in Long Beach, California, at a bar known as Alex's Bar this show being set for adults 21 and up but they brought it regardless. Opening the show would be locals Against The Sun, a melodic metalcore act whose momentum would be quite chaotic. They had their bassist doing double duty, playing bass, and then jump in as fronting the band during the band’s cover of one of Slipknot’s tracks, that everyone was totally into. The rest of their set had a lot of heartfelt, and emotional tracks that were still heavy duty. It had all witnessed their set bang their heads and cheer and shout. They had a very fun set, that made them very lively and unique.

AGAINST THE SUN:

Following them would be Kansas synthwave metal band Young Medicine, whose performance would be my second time catching them live. This time around though, they felt just a little heavier with their performance. The crowd felt it, bobbing their heads, not much movement, but being entertained was there. The three piece, would goof off, upon the stage, singer doing vocals and keyboards, doing a kick flip during one of the songs, made that an interesting sight. The jest of their set would so much fun, that’s how it went with a majority of these acts tonight, and these guys have got it going on.

YOUNG MEDICINE:

Up next would-be Villain of the Story an act out of Minneapolis that drove headfirst into the metalcore element with some alternative rock vibes thrown in, they had some melody of nu-metal rap in there as well at times. But this did not dismay the crowd, as they too bobbed their heads, and got busy with the mosh pit shoving around. It was non-stop energized through and through, lot of progression and crazy antics that made it all worth wild so much fun to catch.

VILLIAN OF THE STORY:

Last up would be Opal in Sky, the one from Canada, whose performance felt at a loss, because there was no bassist present, perhaps the guitarist had one of those guitars that did bass and guitar? Or the bass was covered within the elements of the PC. Either way, this band was so much to watch, throughout their set. From start to finish the band would do goofy dances, jump into the crowd, creating mosh pits, to singing right into the faces of the crowd on the floor. Just so much happening all at once, it was hard to keep track of it all. But made it that much more entertaining and so much fun!

OPAL IN THE SKY:

All of the acts used up that angst, lighting effects, and energy that kept the flow of the evening never ending. It was as I keep repeating just so much fun! Surely all of these bands are ones to check out live if not online at least once, you will not be misled but lead to happiness.

For the past eight years, a new kind of circus has been touring around, a horror themed circus that was launched within the U.S. known as the Paranormal Cirque part of the Cirque Italia. It fuses together several traditional circus acts, such as theater, cabaret, burlesque, with some supernatural and horror elements thrown in, which is set underneath the black and white tent, with ghouls and monsters roaming out front and inside as well. It should also be noted that No-one under the age of 13 will be admitted to the show. Guests aged 13 - 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

Having never been to this type of circus, having seen AD's and post's about it on social media over the years, this year would be the commencing time to attend for my first time ever! Being held in Los Angeles County in the City of Commerce,  right next to the Citadel Outlet mall off the freeway. The spooky circus tent, would loom on the outskirts of the mall, with people aligned heading inside via vehicles, and standing outside to get inside. Once checked in via phone, you were greet with a merchandise stand with numerous masks, t-shirts, key-chains, stickers, and food of course, popcorn, candy, drinks, with an in house spook house! A mini walk through experience with scare actors roaming its halls, scaring those who entered.

After checking around the events activities, entering the tent itself, featured a circular seating arrangement, the main acts being in the center, around 7:45PMish is when the show would commence, this version being the "Voodoo" one, with other variations including inferno, specter, and nightmare as their themes. Tonight's would be out of the bayou, featuring dark lights, strobe lighting, and lots of acts, ranging from a mime clown doing goofy dancing and comedic acts, with other performances such as dancing, magic tracks, clown performances with giant balls, to tight rope, aerial performances, and much more.

It was truly such a fun filled evening, with such laughs, and so much fun, it made this experience worth attending. Surely trying to check out the other themes involved in its touring run, would definitely be worth it sometime. 

Puerto Rico Death Metal band Sons of Kali released their new single "Bloodshed" from the upcoming album. The single was recorded in "Island Recording Studios" by Jorge Vega, and mixed/mastered in "Lady Starship Studios" by Christian Rodriguez.

Check out the new single linked below:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1glyfFmcHXJ5eorcQrKE5G

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTB2g7MtpMM

Sons Of Kali is a blackened death metal band from Puerto Rico, formed in 2024 by guitarist Fabian Milian and bassist Diego Garcia. Soon joined by Sebastian Sousa (vocals) and Elier Bonilla (drums), the band established a powerful lineup focused on delivering faster, heavier, and more aggressive extreme metal. Blending diverse influences into a distinctive sound, Sons Of Kali have already released three singles, previewing their upcoming debut album.

Los Angeles rock band Stitched Up Heart have unleashed their new single “Cannibal,” featuring Heidi Shepherd of Butcher Babies, out now via Judge & Jury Records. The track is a powerful collaboration between two incredible women in modern heavy music. Alecia 'Mixi' Demner and Heidi Shepherd deliver a fierce vocal performance that celebrates strength, attitude, and the unapologetic presence of women in the rock and metal scene. The single arrives alongside a brand new music video, capturing the electrifying chemistry between Mixi and Heidi as the two powerhouse vocalists.

“‘CANNIBAL’ is a song for the man-eaters; to all of the baddies stealing hearts and eating them for breakfast,” says Mixi.

She continues, “I was at Butcher Babies very first show. Crammed on the stairs at a dive bar on the sunset strip. Heidi hurled this wrecked Barbie into the crowd. Hair hacked off, totally mangled. I caught it. Looking back at that moment it felt like she’d passed me a torch. 'Hey girl, let’s conquer this industry together.' Years later, we’re still at it cheering each other on from the sidelines. Collaborating on this song together is such a fulfilling moment.”

Shepherd adds, "I've been a big fan of Mixi and Stitched Up Heart for nearly 2 decades. We've clawed our way through this industry together, and had each other's back when no one else did. After all of these years, it's so fitting that 'Cannibal' is the song that we finally get to SCREAM together! This song is so fun, and has quickly become one of my favorite collabs that I've been a part of. You can tell by the video that we had an absolute blast making it. I can't wait to see what else SUH has in store of us fans in the future!"

In 2025, the band inked a deal with Judge and Jury Records and their fourth full-length album Medusa will be available on June 12. The band is currently on tour with Sebastian Bach and will be out supporting Infected Rain this summer.

Beyond the stage, Mixi continues to use her platform to advocate for more women in rock and metal while actively volunteering with multiple animal rescue organizations throughout Southern California.

STREAM "Cannibal"

https://ffm.to/suhcannibal

Check out the music video right HERE.