This fearless, confrontational, and adventurous Epic Heavy and Doom Metal horde returns with their their opus, a bold, daring collection of eight songs that continue to push boundaries and shatter conventions.
Fearless, confrontational, and adventurous Epic Heavy and Doom Metal. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Witch Wife in an Alien World, the brand new offering by the unstoppable multi-national beast known as Smoulder, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 sophomore Violent Creed of Vengeance. Recorded between Soundwell Studio by Valtteri Kallio, and Swift Road Studios by Vincent Ippolito, with mixing and mastering duties courtesy of Roland Rodas, and artwork by British fantasy and horror illustrator Ian Miller (reflecting the ugliness and hard truths of the album’s themes), the new offering by Sarah Ann on vocals, Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf on the guitars, Adam Blake on bass, and Kevin Hester on drums is a bold, daring collection of eight songs that continue to push boundaries and shatter conventions. Inspired by Sarah Ann’s current Finnish residence, citing the country’s “monumentally positive impact” on her life, including a high-functioning, affordable healthcare system to go along with a reliable 24/7 transit and robust outdoor space, complete with safe air and clean water, Sarah Ann wants the rest of the world to have what she has, tying into the album’s broader context of tackling more real-life themes that are purposely adversarial and coupled with a growing sense of disconnection in a world that, conversely, is more connected than ever through technology.
Kevin kicks off the band’s adventurous metal journey in Water Wars, before Sarah comes ripping with her epic, soaring vocals while Shon and Collin deliver their trademark Judas Priest-inspired riffs nonstop; and investing in a more Hard Rock-oriented sound we have Shadow Of The Vulture, with Adam and Kevin generating a reverberating atmosphere with their heavy, doomed kitchen. They keep blasting their hypnotizing fusion of Heavy and Doom Metal in Noitien Loitsu, boosted by another killer guitar attack by Shon and Collin while the song also features a guest solo from the band’s live guitarist, Bootleg Henkka (also of Finnish epic black metallers Havukruunu). And it’s time for another blast of Epic Doom Metal in the form of Crush The Neophytes, where Sarah once again steals the show with her striking, powerful vocals.
Back to a more ferocious, razor-edged sound we’re treated to the excellent Empathy’s Wrath, again showcasing the band’s characteristic epic vocals, crushing riffs and hammering drums, whereas they enhance their Doom Metal vibe in Their Name Lives On, melting our faces with the scorching riffs by the band’s unstoppable axed duo. Cathedral Of The Trees is another solid composition by the band, albeit a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, while they return to a more incendiary, killer sonority in Smouldering Remains, ending the album on a truly epic and visceral mode with Sarah’s vocals walking hand in hand with the rumbling sounds blasted by her henchmen.
After all is said and done, you’ll quickly realize Smoulder remain committed to exploration and adventure in their new album Witch Wife in an Alien World, always bringing something fresh and unique to their avid fanbase. If you want to explore the epic world ruled by Smoulder, you can find those amazing musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their striking creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the album from BandCamp, as well as from Cruz Del Sur Music as a CD, a black vinyl LP, or a limited edition spectral purple LP, or click HERE for all things Smoulder. Smoulder are on fire throughout their entire new opus, opening our eyes to some of the issues that are leading our society to damnation, while keeping our souls warm and protected by their killer, epic heavy music. All hail Smoulder, and may we all be able to one day experience the alien world inhabited by the mighty witch Sarah Ann.
Best moments of the album:Water Wars, Empathy’s Wrath and Smouldering Remains.
Worst moments of the album:Cathedral Of The Trees.
Released in 2026 Cruz Del Sur Music
Track listing 1. Water Wars 4:36
2. Shadow Of The Vulture 4:16
3. Noitien Loitsu 4:52
4. Crush The Neophytes 6:57
5. Empathy’s Wrath 5:02
6. Their Name Lives On 4:48
7. Cathedral Of The Trees 5:24
8. Smouldering Remains 7:00
Band members Sarah Ann – vocals
Shon Vincent – guitar
Collin Wolf – guitar
Adam Blake – bass
Kevin Hester – drums
Guest musician
Bootleg Henkka – guitar solo on “Noitien Loitsu”
Drawing from the lineage of metal gods, Raleigh, North Carolina’s own Heavy Metal brigade returns with a cinematic full-length album built on power, prophecy, transformation, and defiance.
Drawing from the lineage of Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Savatage, Crimson Glory, and Queensrÿche, Raleigh, North Carolina’s own Heavy Metal/Hard Rock brigade Crimson Steel returns with their sophomore offering Show No Fear, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Night Creatures, and a cinematic full-length album built on power, prophecy, transformation, and defiance. Produced, engineered and mixed by Wendy Brancaccio and Bill Spears at Vintage Noise Studio, mastered by Anthony Focx at A. Focx Productions, and showcasing an old school artwork by an artist named Jonathan, the new album by Tina Langevin on vocals, David Ryan on the guitars, Joel McGee on bass, and Will Adkins on drums captures a band fully embracing the grandeur of classic Heavy Metal while sharpening its own identity through dramatic storytelling, progressive arrangement, and commanding performances.
The cinematic intro As Above, So Below warns us all a metal storm is about to come in the breathtaking Dark Rider, with Tina already delivering her trademark soaring vocals supported by the pure metal riffs by David while Will and Joel make sure the atmosphere remains as thunderous as it can be. No Absolution is a classic display of Heavy Metal with Hard Rock elements where Joel once again hammers his bass mercilessly, making the earth tremble for our total delight; and David and Joel are on total fire armed with their axes in Purifier, inspiring us to bang our heads nonstop while Tina keeps delivering her classy high-pitched vocals in the name of rock and heavy music, supported by Joel’s vocals.
It’s time for a shredding feast by David in the thunderous Final Phase, supported by Joel’s massive bass lines, sounding darker than its predecessors yet deeply rooted in classic Hard Rock. David then takes care of the sinister acoustic interlude Prelude to the Blade, before we face Century Sword, starting with another solid riff attack and morphing into an Epic Heavy Metal feast led by Tina’s storytelling vocals. Then we face Bleed into One, featuring guest vocals by James Rivera of Helstar, a dark ballad by Crimson Steel that feels a bit disconnected from the rest of the album (not to mention Tina should have had a bigger role in it). Fortunately, there’s the title-track Show No Fear to put a striking, electrifying ending to the album, with their guitars and bass breathing fire while Will pounds his drums in sheer Heavy Metal insanity.
On Show No Fear, all of the band’s influences become the foundation for a mythic, dark, emotionally charged album driven by melody, muscle, and conviction, and if you want to put your metallic hands on it you can find the album on BandCamp, and of course give a shout to Crimson Steel on Facebook and Instagram, and stream their music on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music. Across its 39-minute runtime, Show No Fear presents Crimson Steel as a band rooted firmly in traditional Heavy Metal and intent on building something vivid and immersive. It is an album of dark myth, human struggle, and hard-won defiance. It is Heavy Metal as story, spectacle, and statement.
Best moments of the album:Dark Rider, Final Phase and Show No Fear.
Worst moments of the album:Bleed into One.
Released in 2026 Heaven And Hell Records
Track listing 1. As Above, So Below 1:11
2. Dark Rider 4:39
3. No Absolution 5:53
4. Purifier 4:18
5. Final Phase 5:44
6. Prelude to the Blade 0:45
7. Century Sword 5:18
8. Bleed into One 6:30
9. Show No Fear 4:52
Band members Tina Langevin – lead vocals
David Ryan – guitar, backing vocals
Joel McGee – bass, backing vocals
Will Adkins – drums, backing vocals
Guest musician
James Rivera – vocals on “Bleed into One”
So far away, yet held so close… I know you call me, wishing me back…
Let’s kick off the celebrations of the 13th anniversary of The Headbanging Moose, and there’s nothing better to represent over a decade of passion for the underground than paying a tribute to one of the staples of the Finnish extreme music scene as our metal lady of this month of October. If you’re not from another planet, you might have already heard of the name Tanja Kemppainen (sometimes also spelled Tanya Kemppainen), or Tanja Kirsi Tellervo Kemppainen, and who also goes by the darkly beautiful moniker Whisper Lilith or Tanya Whisper Lillith, the frontwoman for the incredible band Soulgrind since the already distant year of 1997, as well as the vocalist for other first-class bands from the land of ice and snow such as Lullacry and Gloomy Grim, always delivering those hypnotizing Stygian vocals we all love so much from one of the best places to be in the entire world when it comes to Heavy Metal. The skies are getting darker, the nights are getting colder and longer, and Whisper Lilith is among us all to remind us that winter might be coming, but there’s always beauty in its frostbitten landscapes.
Born in 1979 in Kajaani, a town of less than 40,000 people in Finland, and the regional capital of Kainuu, Tanja came to public attention as the singer of Melodic Death/Gothic Metal entity Lullacry (a play word with the words “lullaby” and “cry”) from 1998 to 2002, before being replaced by another Finnish singer named Tanja Lainio. The band called it quits in 2014, but their legacy remains with some excellent released with both Tanja Kemppainen and Tanja Lainio on vocals. Our metal lady of the month, Tanja Kemppainen (because as you know, there might be too many Tanjas in Finland), recorded with the band their very first demos in 1998 after changing their name from Coarse (which existed between 1992 and 1998 and played a more direct blend of Melodic Death Metal), those being Weeper’s Aeon and Sweet Desire, and the 1999 demo Alone.
After the release of those successful demos, the band then released their debut full-length studio album, also titled Sweet Desire, but containing 11 tracks instead of only the two original ones from the demo. The band picked up momentum and two years later released their sophomore opus, entitled Be My God, which gained tons of positive reviews from the fans and the media. Curiously enough, the band had a pretty steady lineup through the year with guitarists Sauli Kivilahti and Sami Vauhkonen, bassist Heavy, and drummer Jukka Outinen, with pretty much only Tanya leaving their classic formation and being replaced by the aforementioned Tanja Lainio in 2002, who stayed with the band until the end.
Between 1997 and 1998, she was also the female vocalist for a Helsinki-based Symphonic Black Metal horde named Gloomy Grim, having recorded with them the 1997 demo Friendship Is Friendship, War Is War!, and their 1998 debut full-length offering titled Blood, Monsters, Darkness, already going by the moniker Whisper. As a matter of fact, Tanja was the girlfriend of the band’s mastermind, vocalist and keyboardist Agathon (aka Juha Tapio Hintikka) while she was in the band. She left the band when they broke up (although they played together in Soulgrind after that). Furthermore, the band was put on hold in December 2019 due to Agathon’s deteriorating health, and then disbanded in August 2021. Unfortunately, Agathon died on May 30, 2022 due to complications of a brain cancer, but the legacy of Gloomy Grim lives on.
Another band which Tanja was a member of for a few years was Finnish Gothic Metal band Silentium. She was part of the band for a very brief period in 2003, when the band’s longtime original female vocalist, Tiina Lehvonen, took a temporary leave for personal reasons and Tanja stepped in to help them complete their next studio effort. By the time the band moved on to record their fourth album Seducia, in 2006, they had recruited a new permanent singer named Riina Rinkinen. Tanja and Silentium recorded only one studio album together, titled Sufferion – Hamartia of Prudence, released in 2003, a highly theatrical 16-song, 1-hour long concept album produced by Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen and featuring Tanja sharing vocal duties alongside Maija Turunen.
Apart from those, Tanja was also involved in two other pure Finnish metal bands. The first one was Symphonic Heavy Metal band Metallimessu. The band’s name is Finnish for “Metal Mass”, a service of worship which follows a Lutheran service patterns but where Finnish hymns are adapted to a Heavy Metal style. The first Metal Mass was held in 2006, becoming a phenomenon in Finland, but the group disbanded a couple of years later, in 2008. Tanja recorded with the band the songs Herra, elämääni, Herra, kädelläsi, and Ken tahtoo käydä Herran askelissa, which should translate to English as “Lord, my life,” “Lord, in Your hand,” and “whoever wishes to walk in the Lord’s footsteps,” from their 2008 self-titled album. She was also involved in the project Raskasta Joulua, which means “Heavy Christmas” in Finnish, delivering traditional Christmas carols and Christmas hits in a Heavy Metal style mostly with Finnish lyrics (although some are also in English and Swedish). In 2004 the project released their debut self-titled album, and Tanja was the vocalist for the song Maa on niin kaunis, or “the earth is so beautiful.”
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Needless to say, her biggest contribution to the world of heavy music will forever be her role as vocalist for Helsinki-based Gothic/Black Metal beast Soulgrind as Tanya Whisper Lillith, fronting the band alongside the excellent vocalist Miika “Azhemin” Niemelä. Tanja joined Soulgrind back in 1997, when the band was the solo project of guitarist Jussi “Lord” Heikkinen and already had a couple of EPs and two full-length albums released. Right after joining the band with other musicians, hence Soulgrind becoming a full-bodied group, she recorded with them a 1997 demo titled Helkavirsiä, Promo 1997, followed by the albums Whitsongs (1997), Kalma (1999), Elixir Mystica (2001), Into the Dark Vales of Death (2002), The Origins of the Paganblood (2005), Pakana (2007), The Tuoni Pathway (2010), and more recently the excellent Ad Pulchram Mortem, as well as an EP in 2010 titled March Butterfly, all available on Spotify, slightly changing her moniker to Ms W. Lilith or Ms Tanya Lilith, depending on the album. You can find most of the songs from all albums also on YouTube, including official videos and lyric videos for songs such as Jylhä metsämies (or “the grim forest-dweller”) and Tears of the Earth.
Our incredible and unstoppable vocalist also participated in several amazing bands and projects as a guest musician through her undisputed career. For instance, she recorded backing vocals for the 2007 album Silent Waters, by Finnish Melodic Heavy Metal/Rock masters Amorphis; additional vocals for the 2010 demo The Space Opera, and the voice as “Princess Celeste” for the 2024 album Legacy of Morfuidra, by Finnish Power Metal act Coventhrall; vocals on the 1997 album Yellow, by Finnish Death/Thrash/Black Metal horde Nomicon; backing vocals on the song Black Lotus, from the 2006 album Fuck the World, by Finnish Stoner Metal/Hard Rock band Stoner Kings; and additional vocals on the Sandra’s cover In the Heat of the Night, from their 2000 single In the Heat of the Night, and backing vocals on the 2001 album Epilogue, both by Finnish Gothic Metal/Rock titans To/Die/For.
Once our metal lady Tanja was interviewed together with the diva Tarja Turunen to talk about women in metal in their homeland, and Tanja made some interesting comments about that. “In Helsinki’s heavy circles tough women are called rude chicks. That means the attitude that combines all heavy women. You can be any size or look anyway as long as you have the right attitude. Although the concept of rude chick started out as a joke, it means not to make trouble with me,” she said. Displaying the same style both onstage and in her personal life, Tanja (and also Tarja) said it’s certainly not hard to be a woman in the world of heavy music. “I’ve never faced hardships because I’m a woman nor have I gotten any concessions. Except for the fact that I rarely have to be a roadie! I pretty much have the same things as the guys, there’s no special position,” she commented.
After all is said and done, it’s crystal clear that there is no Heavy Metal in Finland without Tanja Kemppainen, and there is no Tanja Kemppainen without Heavy Metal. She’s a staple of the metallic scene in the always beautiful land of ice and snow, and I’m sure she’ll keep on rockin’ no matter what until her final breath. She has a Heavy Metal heart and soul, and it’s a true honor to let you readers know more about her stunning career here on The Headbanging Moose. May Whisper Lilith continue to darkly whisper her hypnotizing words to us, mere mortals, through her undisputed music, keeping the fires of Finnish Heavy Metal burning bright for many centuries to come.
This German Heavy Metal and Punk Rock trio returns louder, sharper, and more dangerous than ever, delivering twelve hard hitting, no compromise tracks that tear down genre boundaries without mercy.
Officially founded in Geislingen, Germany in January 2013 by vocalist and guitarist Twisted-Felix Ruyn and his best buddy, bassist Dome Ruyn, being later joined by drummer Sammy Ruyn in 2015, Heavy Metal/Punk Rock outfit Ruynor returns louder, sharper, and more dangerous than ever after a five-year silence with a new album titled Metal To The Punk, the follow-up to their 2021 opus Here We Go. Mixed and mastered by none other than singer Michelle Darkness of End of Green, Metal To The Punk delivers twelve hard hitting, no compromise tracks that tear down genre boundaries without mercy. As stated in the title of the album, brutal metal clashes head on with raw, filthy punk without filters and safe zones.
The trio ignites their Motörhead-inspired feast with the excellent Bring Bakk The Balls To Punk, with the inebriate vocals by Twisted-Felix being nicely boosted by the song’s rebellious backing vocals; and Dome’s bass and Sammy’s drums will make you bang your head like a maniac in 10 Years, followed by the also rockin’ tune Your Threats Don’t Sway Me, presenting darker, more sinister elements that end up giving it an old school Heavy Metal vibe. Then of course a name like Metal Punk Commando would carry with it a frantic, heavy-as-hell sound, a true Metal N’ Roll hymn led by Twisted-Felix’s piercing riffs, while Fear Is A Strategy keeps the momentum going with its high dosage of heaviness and rebelliousness, followed by Date Of Death, one of the songs with the strongest Punk Rock vein, again showcasing their striking combination of raspy vocals and insurgent backing vocals.
Twisted Daze / Hellfire Nites is clearly inspired by the Rock N’ Roll and Hard Rock sound from the 80’s, as if it was taken from an afternoon adventure movie; and let’s raise our horns and praise the rock gods to the sound of Hail Rock’N’Roll, led by the pounding drums by Sammy while Dome hammers his bass nonstop. Misanthropic Tendencies is by far the weakest of all songs. It doesn’t work at all, in special if compared to the electricity flowing from all other tunes; whereas back to a more ferocious, faster sonority we face Into The Mosh, which will drag you to the mosh pit without you even noticing. Then inspired by the sound of the mighty Misfits they bring forward Nightmare (Horrific Scenes Of Days Past), offering a nice twist to the album, and there’s nothing better than a wild fusion of Rock N’ Roll and Punk Rock, just like what they offer in P.C. Scum, to conclude any rock album, again showcasing the sharp, incendiary riffs by Twisted-Felix.
Still rooted in real life, still unapologetically diverse, but this time with a level of songwriting and sonic power Ruynor have never reached before, Metal To The Punk will inspire you to slam into the mosh pit like there’s no tomorrow, keeping the adrenaline flowing inside your metallic veins. Hence, you can get in touch with such a talented Teutonic trio by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, including their highly energetic live performances, stream their killer creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Metal To The Punk from BandCamp or Big Cartel, as well as from Metalapolis Records. With the release of Metal To The Punk, the trio is more than ready to rock your world, or as they like to say… TRIGGA TRIGGA PENG!
Best moments of the album:Bring Bakk The Balls To Punk, Metal Punk Commando, Hail Rock’N’Roll and Into The Mosh.
Worst moments of the album:Misanthropic Tendencies.
Released in 2026 Metalapolis Records
Track listing 1. Bring Bakk The Balls To Punk 4:08
2. 10 Years 3:46
3. Your Threats Don’t Sway Me 2:45
4. Metal Punk Commando 1:53
5. Fear Is A Strategy 3:40
6. Date Of Death 4:00
7. Twisted Daze / Hellfire Nites 3:33
8. Hail Rock’N’Roll 2:46
9. Misanthropic Tendencies 2:42
10. Into The Mosh 2:48
11. Nightmare (Horrific Scenes Of Days Past) 5:27
12. P.C. Scum 2:58
Band members Twisted-Felix Ruyn – vocals, guitar
Dome Ruyn – bass
Sammy Ruyn – drums
This German horde continues their darkened path by offering their own blend of Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal in their sophomore studio album.
Having created their own highly distinctive style by drawing on numerous influences from Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal, Gelsenkirchen, Germany’s own Post-Black Metal outfit Old Ruins is back with their sophomore full-length offering, entitled Mount Arreat (a major fictional location in the Diablo video game franchise), following up on their 2023 debut full-length album Always Heading East. Displaying a dystopian artwork by Timon Kokott, the new album by Christian Krajewski on vocals and guitars, Ersin Kara also on the guitars, Oliver Krajewski on bass, and Mike Gelnar on drums sees the band continue the darkened path which stated with their self-titled debut EP from 2020, sounding tighter, heavier and more dynamic than ever.
The strident guitars by Christian and Ersin ignite the band’s dark and heavy feast in Once There Was Light, with Christian’s deep vociferations sounding haunting yet captivating, followed by Gates Of Harrogath, even heavier and more dynamic, offering a wild fusion of Melodic Death and Doom Metal led by Mike’s thunderous beats and fills, always supported by Oliver’s rumbling bass. Call To Arms is a more cadenced and sluggish tune, with its Sludge Metal elements adding a visceral vibe to their core sound before their classic Heavy Metal vein pulses through their dual guitar attack; and a serene intro morphs into another massive metal onrush by the quartet titled Uileloscadh Mor, with the guitars by Christian and Ersin once again cutting our flesh mercilessly.
Nihlathak flirts with old school Black Metal, hence its dirtier, rawer and more aggressive sound, while Mike dictates the song’s pace with his spot-on beats and fills, whereas Mount Arreat, the song that carries the name of the album, is just as grandiose as the location that inspired it, offering a solid fusion of Death and Doom Metal with the epicness of Heavy Metal. Then we’re treated to Lord Of Destruction, the heaviest and darkest of all songs, where Mike’s drums sound immense while Christian roars like a demonic creature until the song’s very last second; and they conclude the album with an overdose of epicness and rage in the form of Tyrael’s Despair, with their guitars once again breathing fire.
In a nutshell, Old Ruins offer in the excellent Mount Arreat their unique blend of melodic, catchy and gripping Black and Death Metal for fans of In Flames, Children Of Bodom, Arch Enemy, and Tribulation, inspiring us all to join them in their darkened quest, while also fueling the band to continue fighting for extreme music in their upcoming releases. Those talented German metallers are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their music on Spotify and to purchase Mount Arreat from their own BandCamp or from Sick Taste Music. In other words, it’s time to climb the mount of extreme music together with Old Ruins while listening to their new album, keeping your blood running wild through your veins as you face such a demanding and exciting challenge.
Best moments of the album:Gates Of Harrogath, Uileloscadh Mor and Lord Of Destruction.
Worst moments of the album:Call To Arms.
Released in 2026 Sick Taste Music
Track listing 1. Once There Was Light 5:48
2. Gates Of Harrogath 4:52
3. Call To Arms 5:02
4. Uileloscadh Mor 7:27
5. Nihlathak 5:15
6. Mount Arreat 6:25
7. Lord Of Destruction 5:37
8. Tyrael’s Despair 6:16
Band members Christian Krajewski – vocals, lead guitars
Ersin Kara – guitars
Oliver Krajewski – bass
Mike Gelnar – drums
Delving further into darkness, this Gothic Metal quartet returns with an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion.
Delving further into darkness with a sound situated in Progressive Gothic Metal, the veteran Australian and Finnish quartet known as The Eternal is set to unveil their eighth studio album upon humanity, titled Obscured Horizons, following up on their 2024 opus Skinwalker. Produced by Jan Rechberger and Mark Kelson, and displaying a darkly stunning artwork by Kate Roney, the new album by Mark Kelson on vocals and guitar, Richie Poate on lead guitar, Niclas Etelävuori on bass, and Jan Rechberger on drums and percussion is the band’s most immersive and definitive work to date, an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion, moving through states of emotional collapse, liminal transition and existential unrest, confronting deception – both external and internal – before emerging into renewal and self-awareness.
Mark and Richie start the band’s metallic engine with their melodeath-infused guitars in Lament For The Hollow, already presenting their trademark fusion of Progressive and Gothic Metal. Then bringing elements from Gothic Rock from the 80’s we have Existing To Expire, with Niclas kicking some serious ass with his heavy bass lines, followed by Colours Fade, again showcasing an endless dosage of progressiveness added to their core sound, as if Dream Theater went absolutely goth. And striking background keys bring even more adrenaline to Harmony Breaks, with the melodious vocals by Mark embracing us in a comforting darkness in the name of Gothic Rock and Metal.
I’ve Seen The Dream is a stunning ballad in the vein of Dream Theater from their masterpiece Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, with Richie stealing the spotlight with his enfolding guitars lines and solos; followed by Liminality, presenting seven minutes of a lecture in Progressive Metal, with Mark’s vocals being flawlessly complemented by the groovy, multi-layered and intricate kitchen crafted by Niclas and Jan. The title-track Obscured Horizons keeps their fires burning bright led by another killer performance by Jan behind his drums; while the incendiary guitars by Mark and Richie keep piercing our minds mercilessly in Yesterday’s Gone, another stylish display of the band’s first-class Heavy Metal. Finally, we face Awaken, again presenting several layers and nuances, with Richie sounding on fire with his axe, breathing piercing riffs and solos nonstop and, therefore, ending the album in great fashion.
A work concerned with the erosion of truth, the masks we inherit, the weight of memory and the courage required to awaken from imposed realities, Obscured Horizons represents both culmination and evolution, a bold statement from a band entering a new creative chapter with their gaze fixed firmly on the unseen. You can get to know more about The Eternal, their new album, their tour dates and other nice to know details via Facebook and Instagram, stream their unique creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE. Rather than surrendering to decay, Obscured Horizons charts a defiant ascent, refusing numbness, rejecting illusion, and ultimately reclaiming light from the shadows that threaten to eclipse it.
Best moments of the album:Lament For The Hollow, Liminality and Yesterday’s Gone.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Reigning Phoenix Music
Track listing 1. Lament For The Hollow 5:04
2. Existing To Expire 4:10
3. Colours Fade 4:58
4. Harmony Breaks 5:05
5. I’ve Seen The Dream 4:14
6. Liminality 6:59
7. Obscured Horizons 5:11
8. Yesterday’s Gone 5:13
9. Awaken 6:07
Band members Mark Kelson – vocals, guitar
Richie Poate – lead guitar
Niclas Etelävuori – bass
Jan Rechberger – drums, percussion
This new Symphonic Metal force emerging from the shadows of Music City is ready to attack with their debut album, a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty.
The Nashville, Tennessee music scene is historically synonymous with country legends, yet a new force is emerging from the shadows of Music City to claim a different kind of throne. Having rapidly ascended to become the definitive Symphonic Power Metal powerhouse of the American South, the up-and-coming act Valkyrie’s Fire is unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, titled Out of Darkness, following up on their 2024 EP Ascension. Produced, engineered, and mixed by the band’s own Joey Grimaldi, mastered by Swedish metal luminary Mikael Sehlin (Amaranthe, Engel, In Flames), and visually anchored by the striking artwork by renowned illustrator Jan Yrlund (Delain, Battle Beast, Manowar), the new album by vocalists Adam Sanders and Bettie Floyd, guitarist Joey Grimaldi, bassist Dave Hale, keyboardist and cellist Salem Belladonna, and drummer Ryan Metroka is a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty, positioning the band at the absolute forefront of modern Symphonic Metal.
The cinematic intro In Spirit, In Shadow will transport us to the band’s fantasy realm, warming us up for Evermore, with the vocal duet by Adam and Bettie working really well, reminding me of the absolute joy flowing from all songs by Visions of Atlantis. Then we have Valkyrie’s Fire, the song that carries the band’s name, bringing to our avid ears epic sounds clashing with the incendiary riffs by Joey, sounding absolutely fast, thrilling and fun; and Salem keeps embellishing the airwaves with her magical keys in Cascade, while Bettie steals the spotlight with her soaring vocals. Featuring Mikael Sehlin of Amaranthe as a guest vocalist, Ryan kicks off the ban’s Epic Power Metal feast in Burning Sky, another ass-kicking tune by the band, followed by Shattered, the most theatrical of all songs, with the cello by Salem bringing sheer melancholy to their dark sounds; and I See the Angels Fly is a dense, multi-layered ballad that will bring peace to our blackened hearts, with Joey’s guitar lines spreading sheer passion.
Then back to a more electrifying and fast sound we’re treated to the Symphonic Power Metal beast Skylark, with Dave’s thunderous bass walking hand in hand with Ryan’s beats, crafting that galloping rhythm we all love so much in Heavy Metal. Labyrinth feels a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, as it tries to be too epic but falls flat after a while; whereas Bone and Thorn is another bold power ballad by the band where Joey steals the show once again with his classy riffs and solos. After that we face Dark Moon, inspired by the classic sound crafted by Nightwish while boosted by Salem’s hypnotizing cello, followed by Nocturne, offering a more direct, in your face Power Metal sonority overflowing adrenaline and setting the stage for I Will Rise Again, an epic ten-minute journey through the lands of modern-day Symphonic Metal that puts a climatic ending to the album.
Pacing Valkyrie’s Fire as a formidable contemporary to bands like Epica, Within Temptation and Nightwish by blending the grandiosity of European Symphonic Metal with the sharp production values of the modern Nashville metal scene, Out of Darkness feels both timeless and urgent, inviting us all to join the band in their quest for heavy music. Hence, if you have what it takes to embark on such a mystical and thrilling journey, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Out of Darkness by clicking HERE. Valkyrie’s Fire will certainly spread their wings over the entire metal community with the release of Out of Darkness, and when the music in question is so good and compelling, we’ll all be very happy to be caught in such a dark embrace.
Best moments of the album:Evermore, Valkyrie’s Fire, Skylark and I Will Rise Again.
Worst moments of the album:Labyrinth.
Released in 2026 Eclipse Records
Track listing 1. In Spirit, In Shadow 0:50
2. Evermore 4:41
3. Valkyrie’s Fire 4:42
4. Cascade 5:21
5. Burning Sky 4:00
6. Shattered 5:44
7. I See the Angels Fly 6:49
8. Skylark 4:43
9. Labyrinth 4:33
10. Bone and Thorn 7:31
11. Dark Moon 6:38
12. Nocturne 5:47
13. I Will Rise Again 9:57
Band members Adam Sanders – vocals
Bettie Floyd – vocals
Joey Grimaldi – guitars
Dave Hale – bass
Salem Belladonna – keyboards, cello, backing vocals
Ryan Metroka – drums
Guest musician
Mikael Sehlin – vocals on “Burning Sky”
These German Heavy Metal veterans are celebrating 45 years on the road with their sixteenth studio album, reflecting their long history while opening a new chapter in their career.
Founded in Münster, Germany in the distant year of 1981 by guitarist, songwriter and leader Jürgen Breforth, Mad Max have been a constant name in the European Heavy Metal and Hard Rock scene for more than four decades, always showcasing their powerful guitar driven sound, strong melodies and classic Hard Rock attitude. Now in 2026 the band formed of the aforementioned Jürgen Breforth on the guitar alongside vocalist Alan Clark (known to many fans from Dark Heart), guitarist Wilfried Schneider, bassist Thomas Hoffmann, and drummer Uwe Starck is celebrating 45 years on the road with their sixteenth studio album, titled Stories Of Destiny, following up on their 2022 opus Wings of Time. Built around songs that Jürgen had the honor to co-write with respected names from the rock and metal world, including Sascha Gerstner of Helloween, David Readman of Pink Cream 69, Andreas Broon of The Sister of Mercy, and Michael Voss, known from his work with Michael Schenker, the album showcases the unmistakable Mad Max style from start to finish, an absolute delight for all fans of their old school style.
Jürgen and Wilfried ignite their rockin’ machine in Silver, a very melodic tune that will work brilliantly if played live, and then we have the first of the two previously unreleased Mad Max songs from 1991, Weapons Of Love, where Thomas and Uwe make the earth tremble, offering pure 80’s Hard Rock to our metallic hearts. Keep You Alive is a mid-tempo tune that takes some time to take off, although Uwe keeps the rhythm flowing behind his drums, followed by Far Behind, an amazing Hard Rock extravaganza by the band with Alan kicking some serious ass on vocals. The newly recorded version of Piece Of Candy, based on the very first guitar riff Jürgen ever wrote for Mad Max in 1981, is now performed as a duet between Alan and guest Andreas Baesler (their original vocalist, back after 45 years), and it will certainly inspire you to bang your head nonstop at a rock pub.
‘Til The End Of Time, the second unreleased song from 1981, keeps the album at a high level of electricity with its 80’s inspired sonority, with their guitars breathing Hard Rock magic; whereas in Bullet, just like a Rock N’ Roll bullet, the music will penetrate inside your mind with Alan stealing the spotlight with his soaring vocal lines. Mad Gone Blind is another song tailored to be played live, with Jürgen and Wilfried being in absolute sync from start to finish; whereas She Was Mine continues from where the previous song left off, again showcasing the striking combination of Alan’s classic vocals and Uwe’s hammering beats. It’s then time to slow things down and deliver the introspective, emotional ballad Wings Of Freedom, or in other words, simply raise your lighters together with Mad Max; and closing the album we face Dulces Falsos, their first song ever recorded with Spanish lyrics, serving as a tribute to the band’s fans in Latin America, a no shenanigans Heavy Metal and Hard Rock feast for lovers of the golden years of heavy music.
Not only that, the visual world of Stories Of Destiny also connects to the Mad Max comics created by Mexican comic artist Maestro Arturo Said, telling the story of the band from its founding days in 1981 through the 80’s and up to their first shows in Colombia in 2023, making the album both a musical and visual celebration of the band’s legacy. You can get more information about such an important band in the world of heavy music via Facebook and Instagram, stream their music on any platform like Spotify, and purchase Stories Of Destiny by clicking HERE. Reflecting the band’s long history while opening a new chapter in their career, therefore creating a direct link between their earliest days and their present, Stories Of Destiny points to a bright future ahead of them, always loyal to the foundations of our good old Rock N’ Roll.
Best moments of the album:Silver, Far Behind and Bullet.
Worst moments of the album:Keep You Alive.
Released in 2026 ROAR! Rock of Angels Records
Track listing 1. Silver 4:10
2. Weapons Of Love 3:23
3. Keep You Alive 4:02
4. Far Behind 4:37
5. Piece Of Candy 3:22
6. ‘Til The End Of Time 4:29
7. Bullet 4:51
8. Mad Gone Blind 3:48
9. She Was Mine 4:42
10. Wings Of Freedom 4:31
11. Dulces Falsos 3:22
Band members Alan Clark – vocals
Jürgen Breforth – guitar
Wilfried Schneider – guitar
Thomas Hoffmann – bass
Uwe Starck – drums
Guest musician
Andreas Baesler – vocals on “Piece of Candy” and “Dulces Falsos”
I searched for my fate, wore my feet raw on the stones, barefoot I walked… Bring my body home, promise me…
September is that type of month that you never know how its going to be. It’s sometimes scorching, sometimes cold. However, one thing is certain, and that’s darkness will keep growing as the month progresses. Hence, there’s nothing better than celebrating the arrival of the longer nights with the obscure fusion of Post-Black Metal with even darker styles such as Doom and Depressive Black Metal by Dymna Lotva, spearheaded by our metal lady of the month, the indomitable Katsiaryna Mankevich, or Кацярына Манкевіч, also known by her stage moniker Nokt Aeon, or simply Nokt. Considered an “extremist” in her homeland Belarus due to her fight for freedom and justice through her music, she will hypnotize you with her ritualistic vocals and multi-layered compositions, darkening our hearts, our thoughts and our minds faster than the night comes. If you have what it takes to face such a deep dark, you’re more than welcome to join The Headbanging Moose on this humble tribute to one of the must-see names of the music scene worldwide.
Born on February 21, 1989 in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, but currently residing in Warsaw, Poland for not-very-nice reasons (which will be explained in detail shortly), Katsiaryna is not only an accomplished vocalist and lyricist, but she’s also a digital creator, studied Scientific and Production Activity (or “научно-производственная деятельность”) at Belarusian State University (BSU), and studied Radio Engineering and Electronics (or “Факультет радиотехники и электроники”) at Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR), or БГУИР, and all of those courses of course helped her develop skills that would be extremely useful in her career as a professional musician.
As already mentioned, Katsiaryna is the striking frontwoman for Depressive Doom/Post-Black Metal entity Dymna Lotva, formed in 2015 by our she-wolf, who goes by the moniker Nokt Aeon, and guitarist and bassist Yauheni “Jaŭhien” Charkasau, drawing inspiration from the history and culture of Belarus, evoking the mystical fog and ancient marshes of their homeland. As a matter of fact, Dymna Lotva translates from Belarusian as “swamp in smoke,” referencing the devastating atrocities and burned villages of Polesia, a deeply distinct geographic and cultural region that extends across southern Belarus into Ukraine and Poland. Guitarist Mikita Stankevich and drummer Wojciech “Bocian” Muchowicz complete the band’s current lineup, and if you have never heard anything about such an amazing metal ensemble, don’t waste another second and go listen to their entire discography because they surely kick some serious ass.
There’s an interesting story behind the creation of the band over a decade ago, linked to the news of Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. “I remember when I read the book, and it was so terrific. I was going home with a big idea that I needed to make a song for the part of the book with quotes from Lyudmila Ignatenko, the widow of the Chernobyl liquidator, and her account of her husband, Vasily Ivanovich Ignatenko. If you watched the Chernobyl Netflix series, you might remember her as the main character. She’s a real person; she’s still alive, living in Kyiv, and these are her real words,” commented our metal diva. “The same day, I was checking a certain metal forum in case somebody was searching for musicians. I read that Jaŭhien was searching for a vocalist for his post-metal project, and I wrote to him that maybe I could help. I said I knew almost everybody and could bring him the vocalist he wanted. He said that I was OK and that he didn’t need another vocalist. So let’s do it. I told him about the idea I had and that we needed to make that song. I asked him to send me some material, and he did it, and one of the songs fit. So, for our first single, Самотны чалавечы голас, I just read that monologue. So, officially, our birthday was on 8 October 2015.”
Katsiaryna has no idea if Svetlana knows she was the inspiration for the band, saying she tried to contact her without much success. At least she was able to contact her agent to discuss the author rights to use Svetlana’s text for a song. “So, we have rights if it’s not commercial. I think we are still not a commercial band because selling 500 copies of the album is not really commercial.” Furthermore, their second album is fully based on Svetlana’s book Chernobyl Prayer, a collection of real people’s stories and monologues. “We were just going through this book and did the lyrics for the album,” she commented in one of her interviews.
Speaking of their discography, Dymna Lotva have already released upon humanity four full-length records, those being Зямля пад чорнымі крыламі: Дрыгва (which translates from Belarusian to “The Land Under the Black Wings: Swamp”), from 2016, where Katsiaryna was responsible for the vocals and lyrics, and also played the flute; Палын (or “Wormwood” in English, dedicated to the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster), from 2017, where she also took care of the vocal duties and lyrics; Зямля пад чорнымі крыламі: Кроў (or “The Land Under the Black Wings: Blood”), from 2023, also doing vocals, writing all lyrics, playing the flute, and being responsible for the artwork; and more recently Vyraj ( a mythical realm to where birds migrate for the winter, and where the souls of the departed find their final rest), also doing all vocals, lyrics, and playing the flute, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify.
You can also go to YouTube and enjoy their official videos for some amazing tunes the likes of Buried Alive, Zory, The Boat Of Despair, Return My Coffin Home, Death Kisses Your Eyes, Come and See, Hell, among others, and visit the band’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find amazing footage from their breathtaking live performances such as for the songs The Pit, Dead Don’t Hurt, Buried Alive and Ravens Are Also Mortal, as well as full concerts like live at Brugge Club in 2019, and live at Metal Mine Festival in 2024. While listening to their music, you’ll soon realize most of their songs are in their mother tongue, with the song titles and lyrics in Cyrillic, and the fact that countless fans around the world won’t fully understand their lyrics doesn’t seem to be an issue to them. Another important detail is the difficult task to categorize the music by Dymna Lotva due to their always shape-shifting fusion of atmospheric and dark styles like Doom and Black Metal with Folk and Experimental Metal. Katsiaryna said they’re similar to Austrian Black/Folk Metal entity Perchta in style, but even so, comparing Dymna Lotva and Perchta is not an easy challenge.
Apart from her career with Dymna Lotva, Katsiaryna can be found as the vocalist for a crushing Polish-Belarusian party-DSBM and Post-Black Metal outfit named Hangover in Minsk, formed in 2024 out of a drunken bus-ride debate by members of Dymna Lotva, also under the moniker Nokt Aeon. Born in 2024 on a brutal 12-hour drive from Munich to Warsaw after the Dark Easter Metal Meeting when the Dymna Lotva crew couldn’t agree on tour tunes with a hangover, they forged their own brand of “Depressive Beer Metal,” having released in 2025 their debut effort Party Is Over, available on both BandCamp and Spotify. Their music is melancholic, dark and haunting, just like in the official videos for the songs Farewell and Party is Over, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this interesting alter-ego by the Dymna Lotva brigade.
Before and during her career with Dymna Lotva, the unstoppable Katsiaryna was the vocalist and lyricist for a Depressive Black Metal project named Absence of Life between 2018 and 2022, together with a former member of Dymna Lotva named Forladt. They recorded together the 2018 EP The Fall, and the 2021 full-length Instinct of Self-Destruction, both also available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Another band featuring our she-demon on vocals was Belarusian Gothic Metal band Aconitum, with whom she recorded the vocals and flute for their 2018 EP Недолго. Несчастливо. (having also taken care of the EP recording process). The band split up in 2018, but you can still enjoy the full EP with Katsiaryna on vocals on BandCamp. And finally, she also sang on the 2015 single Навальніца, by Belarusian Atmospheric Black Metal project Трызна, and sang live with Belarusian Blackened Death Metal horde Dwellstorm Borned in 2018.
As a guest musician, you can find Katsiaryna lending her stunning vocals to an array of distinct bands. For instance, she recorded the vocals on the song Falsygen Mask, from the 2015 single Black Depth Domain, by the probably now defunct Belarusian Groove/Death Metal band Apologeth; choir vocals for the Twisted Sisters’ cover We’re Not Gonna Take It, from the 2020 album Pandechristmas, by Belgian Heavy Metal machine Déhà; vocals on the 2018 single Demons and Witches, by the aforementioned Dwellstorm Borned; vocals on the 2018 single Петля времён, by Belarusian Black Metal horde Engraving Infinity; vocals on the 2019 album Before It All, by Belgian Depressive Black Metal entity The Penitent (another one of the excellent project by Déhà); and vocals on the 2019 album Far Away from the Painless Life, by Mexican Depressive Black Metal outfit Traurigkeit. Not only that, she also worked on grammatic consultations for the 2020 EP Час адплаты, крыві і смутку, by Ukrainian Black Metal duo Цемра.
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Regarding her idols and influences, our dauntless metaller mentioned Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance and Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride as two of her major influences, as well as Ville Valo and his HIM. In addition, despite the fact the initial idea behind Dymna Lotva was to write music based on the fictional work of Edgar Allan Poe, they became an anti-regime band, reclaiming parts of the Belarusian culture that Alexander Lukashenko’s predominantly Russian-speaking administration has tried to suppress. “He hates our culture and language,” commented Katsiaryna. “I’ve been in love with Belarusian culture since I was a teenager, and I started to collect books about native language and pagan traditions. We based our lyrics and concepts on legends, literature and history.” By the way, Alexander Lukashenko has been the first and only president of Belarus since the office’s establishment in 1994, making him the current longest-tenured European president.
However, before talking about the band’s conflict with the Lukashenko administration, let’s discuss the impact of Dymna Lotva when the band hits the stages. “I can call our show an emotional exhibitionism. If you want to drink beer and cry, please come to our show. After the concert, you can drink even more beer with us,” said Katsiaryna when asked what the audience can expect from their live performances. Always eager to go onstage and play their music to rock and metal fans from all over the world, the band had to flee their homeland in 2021 after getting involved in the mass protests that were happening all over their homeland then, performing music and opening their homes to offer food and medicine to those who were injured. When two members of the band Irdorath, and singer Lesley Knife of Gods Tower (with whom they had recorded the protest song Да Волі (or “To Freedom”) were arrested, they knew it was time to run away. “We had some shows planned, and the promoters called us to say that someone from the Ministry of Culture had pressured them to remove us from their events, else they would be imprisoned and their clubs closed. We started to live in places we weren’t renting officially, so that they would not find us. Eventually, we knew it was time to go.”
Now based in Poland, they continue to sing songs filled with grief and pain, writing lyrics lyrics based on true stories from the rich history of Belarus, filled with sorrow from historical events or folklore while new horrors are committed in their country every single day. Belarus has a lot of excellent metal bands, including for example, Eximperitus, Belle Morte, and Ciemra, but Lukashenko’s administration has repeatedly squashed them to pieces since he got into power. “So many bands have been imprisoned for playing metal music,” she said in one of her interviews. “You cannot organize any underground concerts, clubs are forcibly closed. Every generation starts new bands who are then forced to emigrate or disband. It’s a miracle that we have one metal band who have played since the end of the 80’s, Gods Tower.”
Katsiaryna actually moved first to Ukraine, then from Ukraine to Poland in 2022, and at least while Lukashenko is the Belarusian leader they cannot return to their homeland, otherwise they’ll certainly go to jail. Jaŭhien is considered a “terrorist” by the Belarusian government, while Katsiaryna is an “extremist.” The band’s videos were officially declared “extremist” in December 2025, and there are several additional criminal cases pending in Belarus courts that are very similar to what’s happening with Dymna Lotva. Not only that, Belarus officials are also using their accusations against Katsiaryna to imprison the band’s Belarusian fans who simply liked, reposted or commented on their videos online.
“Every presidential election after his first one has been stolen,” mentioned Katsiaryna about the “unofficial dictatorship” imposed by Lukashenko. “It’s not normal. Opposition has been put in prison, some of them murdered, hanged in the forest. Murders, repression, stolen money, stolen land. That is dictatorship in Belarus.” Granted international protection status in Poland in 2022 alongside Jaŭhien, and living with her fellow Belarusian refugee cat Beelzebub, she mentioned their escape from Belarus to Ukraine wasn’t an easy one, as they had to go though Russia first. “We got into Russia by train, and there was a document check near the end of our journey. We stayed and hid inside the train a little longer,” she commented. “If we had gone to the nearest official shelter or to our flat, we would be dead.”
It was only in 2023 when the duo was able to restart Dymna Lotva, releasing their third album that same year, as already mentioned, and making an emotional return to the stages at Prophecy Fest in Germany. “We had just released our new album, so we thought that nobody had heard about Dymna Lotva. When we came to the stage and saw this big crowd, it was like, ‘Whaaaat?!’ Our bassist Jaŭhien was in Warsaw, because his new Polish documents weren’t ready in time. So we placed his bass on the stage, put the Belarusian national flag on it, and I told the public our bassist was a ghost.”
The Belarusian government’s ban on their music has made them determined to keep moving forward no matter what, resulting in their fourth album Vyraj, incorporating their experiences while using a concept about a passage through the Underworld as an allegory for emigration out of one’s country due to war and oppression. Unfortunately, she has no idea if she’ll ever be able to return to Belarus and play her music again in her homeland. “Every year we are further away from Belarus. Two years ago, all of us would have said, ‘Yes.’ Now, we’re not so sure. I definitely want, when the regime falls, to stage our own metal festival in Belarus. I want to go home and make something good for the scene there. It would be hard though, because most of the people we love are not in Belarus anymore.”
As a huge supporter of not only the underground, but also of freedom of speech and of justice, The Headbanging Moose truly hopes Dymna Lotva can one day return home and kick some ass with their beautiful music. Several bands might sing about wars and battles, but deep down inside they just want to show their fans how horrible those things are. Metalheads only want peace, they just want to be able to hit the stages all across the world and bring happiness to their fans through their music and concerts, and Dymna Lotva might be one of the most important leaders of that movement in music nowadays. In the meantime, while the war and dictatorship in Belarus linger, let’s show our utmost support to Katsiaryna by listening to Dymna Lotva’s music, buying their merch, attending their concerts, and raising our fists together with her and her bandmates. Oppression and dictatorship have no place in the Heavy Metal universe. Long live Nokt Aeon! Long live Dymna Lotva!
This up-and-coming American Death and Thrash Metal brigade erupts on the scene with a scathing form of extreme music in their debut album, taking a narrative process pertaining to their original dark fantasy world.
Hailing from Maryland, in the United States, the venomous Death/Thrash Metal brigade known as Ninth Realm erupts on the scene with a scathing form of extreme music bearing influences of Hardcore and Heavy Metal, with a slight blackened edge, perfect for fans of bands like Power Trip, Malevolent Creation, Deceased, Ritual Fog, and Glorious Depravity. Now in 2026 the band formed of Ben Hageage on vocals, Liam McMahon and Charles House on the guitars, Amelia Morris on bass, and Joey Burke on drums is ready to crush our souls armed with their debut album, titled Damnation’s Veil. Adorned by a stylish artwork by Jerry “Wyrmwalk” Hionis (Maul, Celestial Sanctuary), the album takes a narrative process pertaining to their original dark fantasy world, Tythorin, while being intense and violent for the most part.
The dark and sinister intro Valigeth will embrace our souls in darkness before we face Damnation’s Veil, which evolves into a massive beast of Death and Thrash Metal led by the striking guitars by Liam and Charles. Joey then takes the lead in Cohorts of the Abyss, hammering his drums nonstop while Ben delivers his trademark visceral gnarls, followed by Imbued in Hellfire, another hard hitting, heavy-as-hell tune by the band, with the enraged roars by Ben being nicely boosted by the stringed attack by Liam, Charles and Amelia. Then we face Rituals in Thar’amath, one of the songs with the strongest Thrash Metal vibe, as violent as it can be, with Ben once again vociferating rabidly like a wild beast, being therefore perfect for some action inside the pit.
After the ethereal (but unnecessary) interlude Orphaned Throne, it’s time for a progressive extravaganza entitled Wyrd of Strideborne, where the thunderous bass by Amelia adds even more heaviness to the already demented beats and fills by Joey. Let’s all travel together with Ninth Realm beyond absolute darkness in Beyond the Void, where the striking guitars by Liam and Charles exhale Melodic Death and Thrash Metal; whereas back to a more ferocious, no shenanigans sound we have Vengeance Unto Rot, a high-octane composition perfect for slamming into the pit to the brutal vocals by Ben. All Hail Treachery continues to spread the same level of insanity and violence as its predecessors, with their strident riffs penetrating deep inside our skulls; and last but not least, let’s raise our swords to the sound of Twilight’s Blade, a headbanging tune led by their flammable riffs and crushing drums.
A fascinating, expressive, and most importantly, exciting album that is sure to please fans of the classic Death and Thrash Metal sound as well as those who dig well-written, nuanced, and invigorating extreme music in general, Damnation’s Veil is only the first step in the promising career by Ninth Realm, who are waiting for you armed with their swords, axes and shields on Facebook and on Instagram to join them in battle. Don’t forget to also stream their powerful music on Spotify, and to purchase their incendiary new album from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. As you prepare to die in battle, there’s nothing better than the crushing heaviness found in Damnation’s Veil to inspire you to fight until your last breath in the name of extreme music.
Best moments of the album:Damnation’s Veil, Rituals in Thar’amath and Vengeance Unto Rot.
Worst moments of the album:Orphaned Throne.
Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records
Track listing 1. Valigeth 1:30
2. Damnation’s Veil 3:49
3. Cohorts of the Abyss 4:09
4. Imbued in Hellfire 3:54
5. Rituals in Thar’amath 4:17
6. Orphaned Throne 1:00
7. Wyrd of Strideborne 3:52
8. Beyond the Void 4:18
9. Vengeance Unto Rot 3:38
10. All Hail Treachery 2:36
11. Twilight’s Blade 3:58
Band members Ben Hageage – vocals
Liam McMahon – lead guitar
Charles House – rhythm guitar
Amelia Morris – bass
Joey Burke – drums
Fearless, confrontational, and adventurous Epic Heavy and Doom Metal. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Witch Wife in an Alien World, the brand new offering by the unstoppable multi-national beast known as Smoulder, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 sophomore Violent Creed of Vengeance. Recorded between Soundwell Studio by Valtteri Kallio, and Swift Road Studios by Vincent Ippolito, with mixing and mastering duties courtesy of Roland Rodas, and artwork by British fantasy and horror illustrator Ian Miller (reflecting the ugliness and hard truths of the album’s themes), the new offering by Sarah Ann on vocals, Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf on the guitars, Adam Blake on bass, and Kevin Hester on drums is a bold, daring collection of eight songs that continue to push boundaries and shatter conventions. Inspired by Sarah Ann’s current Finnish residence, citing the country’s “monumentally positive impact” on her life, including a high-functioning, affordable healthcare system to go along with a reliable 24/7 transit and robust outdoor space, complete with safe air and clean water, Sarah Ann wants the rest of the world to have what she has, tying into the album’s broader context of tackling more real-life themes that are purposely adversarial and coupled with a growing sense of disconnection in a world that, conversely, is more connected than ever through technology.
After all is said and done, you’ll quickly realize Smoulder remain committed to exploration and adventure in their new album Witch Wife in an Alien World, always bringing something fresh and unique to their avid fanbase. If you want to explore the epic world ruled by Smoulder, you can find those amazing musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their striking creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the album from BandCamp, as well as from Cruz Del Sur Music as a CD, a black vinyl LP, or a limited edition spectral purple LP, or click HERE for all things Smoulder. Smoulder are on fire throughout their entire new opus, opening our eyes to some of the issues that are leading our society to damnation, while keeping our souls warm and protected by their killer, epic heavy music. All hail Smoulder, and may we all be able to one day experience the alien world inhabited by the mighty witch Sarah Ann.
