Judas Priest

THE NEW ALBUM. INVINCIBLE SHIELD. OUT NOW.

Of Mice and Men

Named after the John Steinbeck novel, Of Mice And Men are an American metalcore rock band from Costa Mesa, California.

Lamb of God

Far from holy, Lamb of God are a metal band from Virginia, US. They are recognized as being part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement.

Sepultura

Sepultura is a phenomenon. For over twenty-five years, the band from Brazil has been delivering a brutal mix of metal, hardcore, thrash, punk and tribal that could hardly be more intense or more passionate. What had begun in Belo Horizonte in 1984 soon turned into a metal hurricane of threatening proportions and has taken on undreamt-of dimensions since the enlistment of American vocalist Derrick Green in 1998. You have to experience this band live on stage to understand the fascination that this South-American act holds. And Sepultura's current songs always indicate the future of heavy metal.

SEPULTURA BIO 2016 (by Dom Lawson)

Class is eternal and metal is forever. The road to heavy music glory is littered with the shattered corpses of those that didn’t have the strength to complete the journey. But true masters always win through, and Sepultura have long since earned their status as legends of the metal world. In 2017, they return with more fire in their collective belly than ever before. Machine Messiah is coming…

Formed in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1984, Sepultura swiftly became major players in the burgeoning thrash metal underground. With a sound that was as inventive and exuberant as it was raw and primitive, the band shattered preconceptions by planting South America firmly on the metal map, as early albums like Morbid Visions, Schizophrenia and Beneath The Remains helped to shape the sound of this new, brutal strain of heavy music. With a dogged devotion to touring anywhere and everywhere, Sepultura steadily built up one of the most dedicated fan bases on the planet, and while the ‘90s caused many metal bands to struggle creatively and commercially, the Brazilians went from strength to strength: both 1993’s Chaos AD and its groundbreaking follow-up Roots in 1996 were instant classics and have since proved to be hugely influential on several generations of metal musicians.

The departure of frontman and founder member Max Cavalera in 1997 could easily have derailed a less focused outfit, but the recruitment of vocalist Derrick Green later that same year proved to be a masterstroke. The last two decades have seen Sepultura evolve, diversify and thrive, releasing a steady succession of devastating records that have added great depth and diversity to the band’s illustrious catalogue. From the scattershot euphoria of Green’s first album Against in 1998 and the snarling groove barrage of 2003’s Roorback to the gleaming, riff-driven futurism of 2011’s Kairos and the Ross Robinson-produced mutant extremity of the widely acclaimed The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart, released in 2013, Sepultura’s progress has been perpetual and their artistic integrity impeccable. Ever more revered as a destructive and exhilarating live band, the current lineup of Derrick Green, guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Jr. and drummer Eloy Casagrande recently celebrated Sepultura’s 30th anniversary with an unrelenting world tour that confirmed beyond doubt that the Brazilian crew are on the form of their lives right now.

Fast-forward to 2017 and Sepultura are poised to release an album that promises to once again reaffirm the band’s status as standard bearers for heavy music. Recorded with esteemed producer and engineer Jens Bogren (Opeth/Kreator/Ihsahn/Paradise Lost) manning the controls, Machine Messiah is not just the band’s 14th studio album – a remarkable enough feat in itself – but it is also quite simply the most complete and absorbing album the band have made in the Derrick Green era. Thrillingly broad in musical scope but always firmly rooted in the spirit and fire of no-nonsense heavy metal, it is clearly an album that the band have crafted with great love, passion and determination.

“We worked a lot in Brazil, doing as much pre-production as we could, to make it as complete as possible,” Andreas Kisser explains. “So when the producer comes, he comes with his suggestions and ideas and we refine the songs and then finally record it all. Jens was an amazing addition to the project. He’s a great producer. He’s very attentive to the details. I’m very happy with the sound – Jens mixed the album as well, in Sweden. We had an amazing time over there. We’re very excited about this record and we can’t wait for the it to come out!”

Ranging from the stately menace of the slow-burning title track and the heads-down fury of classic thrasher I Am The Enemy to the esoteric percussive riot of Phantom Self and the monstrous dark metal behemoth of Sworn Oath, Machine Messiah strikes an exquisite balance between delivering the goods and veering joyously off-piste. An album of meticulously crafted songs, but also of jaw-dropping individual moments, it reaches an epic and invigorating crescendo with the glowering, nightmarish Cyber God, as one of Kisser’s finest ever solos spirals, soars and fades to black. A towering achievement and a bona fide team effort, Machine Messiah may just be the finest Sepultura album yet.

“There are lots of new elements on this record, and that’s something we always do,” says the guitarist. “We always put 100% energy and passion into it. We talk about everything a lot, especially when it comes to the lyrics and finding the best way to express what we want to say. Derrick did his best job on this record. His voice sounds amazing and he can really sing! He really took over the lyrical part this time, too. Everyone was really professional. Even Paulo worked on his bass arrangements at home by himself, which he’s never done before! That’s what we need in Sepultura. I think this is one of our best albums, because it’s a real band effort.”

Armed with their finest album in decades and itching to get back on the road to share their new music with the faithful, Sepultura have never been in such a confident and content state of mind. Machine Messiah emerges into a troubled world, but its extraordinary contents are guaranteed to lift the spirits of any loyal metalhead. This is metal with a giant heart, a head full of inspiration and one foot planted squarely on the accelerator. The messiah is coming. Praise be!

“It’s a privilege to be in a band like Sepultura, 32 years into a career, and these are possibly the best times of all for us,” says Kisser. “It took a long time after Max left, we lost everything, so it took a while to rebuild everything and to find the right people to do stuff for us, but we’re in a good place now and we’re really excited about 2017. I love touring, man! We can’t wait to get back out there. Onstage is where the time stops and you lose your connection with reality and go somewhere else, and you have that exchange of energy with the crowd. It’s life - pure life.

Kittie

Thrust into heavy metal stardom as teenagers since their debut release, Kittie has thrashed and conquered the heavy metal world for more than twenty years. With six albums, over two million in sales and OzzFest co-headliners on their resume, Kittie has defied industry norms, fought back against women in rock stereotypes, and inspired generations around the globe since they appeared.

Now for the first time, they are sharing their untold story about the importance of family, perseverance, and the upside-down hurricane of rock n roll that includes a rotating line up of bandmates, on-going lawsuits and the pressure to live up to the expectations that put them on the map. Kittie Origins/Evolutions is generously peppered with archival footage shot by the band, which gives you an honest and brutal look at what it takes to survive in the music industry and the price of following your dreams.

Northlane

northlaneband.com

Carpenter Brut

† NEW ALBUM OUT NOW | TOUR & TICKETS: https://linktr.ee/carpenterbrut †

Saxon

The Official Facebook Page for The Mighty Saxon!

Slaughter To Prevail

Kostolom is the epic second LP from the duo Alex Terrible and Jack Simmons’ band Slaughter to Prevail. The album expands on the dynamic extremes of their 2017 debut, Misery Sermon — pairing Alex’s dark, cathartic lyrics with Simmons’ pummeling riffs and tense, cinematic solos. “We wanted to make each song for us stand out in a different way,” the guitarist says. “On some of the songs, we focused on wanting to keep it uptempo, building to a breakdown as the focal point. Other songs it was about groove or the chorus — ‘how can we make this melodic?’ The albums we love the most have those dynamics, and we want to use them to make each part hit harder.”

The songs evolved over several years, the first demos constructed shortly before the release of Misery Sermon. And they finally finished the material in late 2020, with everyone (Alex, Simmons, bassist Mikhail Petrov, guitarist Dmitry Mamedov) having tracked their respective parts at home. (Evgeny Novikov recorded his drums at a nearby studio in Moscow.)

Tracks like “Made in Russia” and “Head on a Plate” pile-drive their detuned riffs straight into your skull, offering a platform for Alex at his most menacing. But the frontman also stretches out across the record, adding clean choruses to anthems like “Baba Yaga” and “Your Only.”
Alex’s words — largely sung in Russian, with occasional bursts of English — are also more balanced than the bleak song titles may suggest. “The lyrics,” Simmons says, “are quite personal to anyone who listens, I think — of personal struggle, keeping a positive mental attitude and going through the shit to have a better life and achieve your goals.”

As always, Slaughter to Prevail aim to provoke you, even as they empower you. “We want something that causes an emotion — whether it’s good or bad, disappointment or excitement or whatever,” Simmons says. “We don’t want something that’s stereotypical.”

Municipal Waste

Tango & Thrash out via Nuclear Blast
https://municipalwaste.bfan.link/tango-thrash.fbi

Mushroomhead

Mushroomhead is an American metal band from Cleveland, Ohio which formed in 1993 and currently consists of Jeffrey Nothing and several other musicians.

Leprous

new album

•Melodies of Atonement•

out now

Death Angel

Death Angel is a thrash metal band from Concord, California formed in 1982 and currently consists of Rob Cavestany, Mark Osegueda, Ted Aguilar, Will Carroll and Damien Sisson.

Bleed From Within

Pure Scottish Metal.

Twitter @bleedfromwithin

Instagram @bleedfromwithin

Biohazard

Biohazard are a heavy metal band hailing from Brooklyn, New York, United States who formed in 1987. Since debuting in 1990 they have released nine studio albums and have become one of the true unsung heroes of American heavy metal, influencing generations of bands to this day.

Cryptopsy

Cryptopsy is an influential extreme metal band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. For over 30 years, they have sculpted and pushed the boundaries of their metal genre.

Management: Extreme Management Group: Joann Gullo – EMG.Joann@gmail.com

Orbit Culture

www.orbitculture.com

Vended

Iowa band looking to destroy and dominate this world.

Life of Agony

Wednesday 13

New album out April Napalm Records

USA Tour 2025 starts March 14th Las Vegas

DREAM STATE

Our new mini-album 'Still Dreaming' is available everyhere NOW!

Tickets for our headline tour this March/April available at www.dreamstateofficial.com

Castle Rat

On a mission to expand and defend The Realm from those who seek to destroy it!

Party Cannon

Graphic Nature

Black Spiders

Imperial Age

🔱Atlantis never died🌊

🎸It was just waiting for the right sound🎻

⚡Epic metal like you've never heard before

🎟️ Join the Atlantean return - European Tour 2025

https://linktr.ee/imperialage

https://tour.imperial-age.com

Evil Scarecrow

battlesnake

The rising titans of Australian hard rock and pure heavy metal, Battlesnake have quickly ascended from the underground, captivating audiences worldwide with their unique blend of powerful riffs and dynamic songwriting. Channeling the likes of Queen, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath into something familiar yet ground breaking. Renowned for their high-octane live performances, epic theatrical compositions and relentless energy, they have firmly established themselves as one of the most exciting acts in contemporary metal. Mortals tremble, all hail Battlesnake!

Heavysaurus

METAL - Out Now 💚

- Heavy Metal für Kids & Erwachsene 🔥

- https://playde.link/heavysaurus-metalIA 💚

Tour Tickets 2026 👇

- europa.lnk.to/heavy-saurusIA 🎫

Seething Akira

Stampin' Ground

Inhuman Nature

GREATER THAN DEATH - Pre-orders for our new album available now!

For bookings - tyler@atonal.agency

Shining

Restless. Fearless. Eccentric. Subversive. Unpredictable. Revolutionary.

FOREVER REBELS

Bootyard Bandits

The Scratch

BOOKING

EU/ROW: chris.smyth@teamwass.com

N. America: twindish@teamwass.com

MGMT: anon.musicmanagement@gmail.com

Flayed Disciple

Negative Frame

New Lows Out Now

Blood Blast Distribution

Signs of the Swarm

Deathcore was once dismissed as a trend, so it’s ironic that it now has trends within itself. Downtempo, slamming and now blackened variants of the style have dominated its scene at various points, with many bands jumping ship.

Pittsburgh’s Signs of the Swarm aren’t just any band, though. They’re a once-a-generation beacon that radiates the sounds that surrounded them, preserving history by reframing it. On fourth LP Absolvere, they’re bleak without being blackened, smashing without being slam, and downtempo as a choice rather than a stylistic confine. And as many of their deathcore peers experiment with adding singing, often gruff in tone, they add a more ethereal style that soothes on “Dreaming Desecration” and “Death Whistle.”

The band contrasts that with some of the most brutal moments in their eight-year career, with riffs more punishing than pensive and a rhythm section that frames them in creatively cacophonic ways. Above it all, they’re utilizing vocalist David Simonich monstrous range in a much fuller capacity than on his debut, 2019’s Vital Deprivation.

That transitional album found the band experimenting to re-find their footing, which here lands on solid ground through the addition of guitarist Jeff Russo, a former bandmate of Simonich’s fin Improvidence. The proof is in the placing, with Absolvere landing at #15 on “Current Hard Music Albums,” #21 on “Top New Artist Albums” and #139 on “Heatseekers.”

Behind the cohesive crusher is drummer-turned-bassist-turned-drummer Bobby Crow, who acted as de facto producer, arranging the riffs written across Skype to make the songs more than the sum of their parts.

This gave Simonich a lofty platform from which to roar about the real (loved ones struggling with addiction, submitting one’s self wholly to art despite negativity swirling about) and the surreal; he or his characters beg for the release of death only to be denied. “Nameless” centers around a character collecting souls marked by death to receive its blessing, while “Blood Seal” follows a ritual to summon it. “Dreaming Desecration” and “Hollow Prison” are two sides of the same coin. When one finds themselves trapped in a meaningless existence, they can either attempt to escape through murderous hallucinations or succumb to the grave, respectively.

“Death Whistle” is the penultimate song, closing the album and the writing sessions for Absolvere with a tale concluding in sweet release. The piercing screech of the titular whistle contrasts with a subtle serenade.

Indeed, sometimes contrast can be a perfect complement, but more often that effect is achieved when paired with something more in-line. So it is when Ben Duerr (Shadow of Intent) and Alex Erian (Despised Icon) join the band for growls and shouts, where Signs of the Swarm filter their guests’ bands through their own sound. Instead of taking away from their identity, it expands it.

They’re steadily expanding their global reach, too. In the few short months since Absolvere’s release, Signs of the Swarm have toured with the likes of Fit for an Autopsy, Born of Osiris and Shadow of Intent. Forthcoming domination campaigns of Europe and Australia will be added to their tenure with Aborted, Lorna Shore, Brand of Sacrifice and more. Forget the signs, the swarm is already here, and it’s growing larger and louder every day.

Godsmack

Godsmack is an American alternative metal/hard rock American band originally from Lawrence, Massachusetts. The current lineup consists of Sully Ema, Robbie Merrill, Tony Rombola and Shannon Larkin.

In Flames

New Album “Foregone” out now! Order here: https://inflames.bfan.link/foregone-newalbum.fbi

Black Label Society

ORDEN OGAN (ORDEN = german for a religious “order”, OGAN = old celtic for “fear”)

often referred to as a power-metal band, germany’s ORDEN OGAN have developed their very unique style of hard yet melodic heavy metal, that makes them totally stand out from the crowd. having their roots in traditional german power metal ORDEN OGAN implemented folk, symphonic and elements of modern metal into their sound, transferring the german legacy into the new millenium and creating their very own genre. welcome to the age of DARK POWER METAL!

having entered the official german album charts (media control) with “To The End” in 2012 at #41, with “Ravenhead” (2015) at #16 (3 weeks!), "Gunmen" at #8 (3 weeks!, "Final Days" (2021) at #3 and "The Order of Fear" (2024) at #3 again, having hit several international charts at top 50 positions, being featured on germanys biggest tv station RTL in trailers of the formula 1 broadcast with “we are pirates!” (approx. 11 million viewers), having played several european tours with bands like hammerfall, powerwolf, grave digger or van canto, to name a few, having played festivals with packed infields like WACKEN OPEN AIR (GER), 70000 TONS OF METAL (USA), SUMMER BREEZE GER), METAL FEST (CZ), MASTERS OF ROCK (CZ), HELLFEST (FR), BLOODSTOCK (UK), ALCATRAZ (BE), EVOKEN FEST (JP), ROCKSTAD: FALUN (SWE), PROG POWER USA (USA), ROCK FEST BARCELONA (ES), ROCK HARD FESTIVAL (GER), being tweeted by megadeths dave mustaine (“listening to orden ogan. anyone heard of these guys before? pretty cool me thinks. what is an orden ogan anyway? =)“) and having reached millions of views on their youtube clips - ORDEN OGAN today is an internationally established heavy metal act with a big and growing following.

Arch Enemy

For decades, Arch Enemy has stood as a global powerhouse, synonymous with precision, brutality, and melodic perfection. As one of the most influential forces in metal, they have conquered stages worldwide and defined the very blueprint of modern melodic death metal. For this band, led by founder Michael Amott, standing still has never been an option—evolution is their only constant. The year 2026 marks the dawn of a monumental new era. Following the success of their Blood Dynasty cycle, Arch Enemy is stepping into a bold new chapter of their storied history. With the arrival of the formidable Lauren Hart as their new frontwoman, the band has transformed into a revitalized and more lethal version of itself. Lauren Hart brings a raw, unbridled energy and a commanding vocal ferocity that fuses perfectly with the band’s legendary twin-guitar assault. This transition is far more than a lineup change; it is a powerful rebirth. Arch Enemy is ready to reclaim the throne, proving that their darkest and most intense era is only just beginning.

Nothing More

Rock

Helloween

Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg, West Germany.

On 14 November 2016, the band announced that both Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske were rejoining Helloween for a world tour, titled Pumpkins United World Tour, which concluded in 2018; the line-up perdured after the tour, with a new studio album planned for a 2020 release. Now Helloween is returning for another World Tour incl. the new Album.

Since its inception, Helloween has released fifteen studio albums, three live albums, three EPs, and twenty-seven singles, and has sold more than eight million records worldwide..

Deicide

Deicide are a death metal band from Florida, U.S. who have been wreaking havoc and stirring controversy since inception in 1987.

Dark Tranquility

Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg and are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene.

Stratovarious

Only the truly dedicated can keep the flame burning for nearly four decades. With an abundance of creative vigour and endless class, Stratovarius have earned the right to be considered true legends.

Emerging from a vibrant metal ‘80s metal scene, Stratovarius swiftly made their mark with early albums like gritty debut Fright Night (1989) and its more sophisticated follow-up Twilight Time (1992). Stratovarius spent the decade becoming increasingly successful, effectively defining the European power metal sound single-handedly and touring relentlessly all over the world. Meanwhile, a steady succession of acclaimed albums, including certified genre benchmarks like Visions (1997) and Destiny (1998), broke the melodic mould.

Despite multiple line-up changes, the Stratovarius spirit always remained proud and true, and a new millennium ushered in the band’s most productive period yet. Recent years have seen Stratovarius sustain their exalted status as power metal gods, with each successive album adding new shades to the band’s melodic colour spectrum, while always delivering the jolting dose of heavy metal power that fans demand. Finland’s finest have been resolute in delivering the goods.

Fast forward to 2022 and Stratovarius are making up for lost time. Seven years after the release of Eternal, Finland’s melodic masters have finally conjured a new, full-length album, Survive.

Heaven Shall Burn

Heaven Shall Burn, the metalcore band founded in Thuringia, Germany in 1996, has evolved into one of the most influential forces in the international metal scene. Comprising Marcus Bischoff (vocals), Maik Weichert (guitar), Alexander Dietz (guitar), Eric Bischoff (bass) and Christian Bass (drums), they have gained global recognition for their aggressive sound and politically charged lyrics.

Their 2008 album "Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)" solidified their reputation as an innovative force in the metalcore genre. This success continued with subsequent records such as "VETO" (2013) and "Wanderer" (2016), both of which propelled them to the top positions of international charts. Their latest release, "Of Truth And Sacrifice" (2020), not only reached number one in their home country Germany but also led to headlining performances at major metal festivals worldwide, including Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze Open Air.

This connection to the broader metal community emphasized their enduring relevance in the scene. The band not only sets musical standards but also actively engages in social and political causes, with a focus on human and animal rights. Through their passionate dedication to music and unwavering commitment, Heaven Shall Burn remains a driving force and undoubtedly stands as one of the most influential metal bands of their generation.

Saratoga

Dark Moor

Official DARK MOOR facebook

-Website: https://dark-moor.com

-Merch Shop: https://shop.dark-moor.com

Thundermother

Thundermother don’t just play rock’n’roll. Thundermother are rock’n’roll!

Hardline

Official Facebook page for the band HARDLINE

www.hardlinerocks.com

EU booking contact:

thomas.kreidner@seaside-entertaiment.com

Warcry

Mót í Warcry þar sem þátttakendur spila þrjá leiki.

Employed To Serve

ten56.

Since their emergence in 2021, ten56. has cemented itself as a prominent force in modern metal. Fusing raw aggression, crushing production, and an outstanding stage presence, the band has continuously pushed past boundaries. After leaving a lasting impact with their acclaimed debut album Downer, that brought them over 4 continents across the past 3 years, ten56. is gearing up to release an even more devastating second record.

Cabal

Rooted in a wide array of musical influences ranging from black metal and hardcore, to death metal and industrial, CABAL have cemented themselves as a band at the cutting edge of the extreme metal scene, ready to tear down all genre borders.

CABAL first emerged from the the shadows in 2016 as their first release Purge pushed the boundaries of the extreme metal scene in their homeland. Two years later, their debut album Mark of Rot ripped CABAL out of the Danish underground, establishing the band as an international act with a promising future. Soon after, the band began playing their first big festivals and toured through Europe, Japan and North America. But the cultists had bigger plans..

CABAL released their sophomore album Drag Me Down in 2020 - a dark descent into a personal hell brought to life by crushing instrumentals, an oppressive atmosphere and dark personal lyrics delivered with relentless intensity, while still leaving room for experimentation and expansion of CABAL’s signature sound. Drag Me Down took CABAL to new heights, as the shows got bigger and the attention of the music industry grew immensely.

With guest appearances on their previous albums from none other than Trivium’s Matt Heafy, Jamie Hails of Polaris, CJ McMahon from Thy Art is Murder and Filip Danielsson of Humanity’s Last Breath, CABAL no doubt have friends in every corner of the metal scene.

In the early winter of 2022, CABAL marked a new era with the release of Magno Interitus. Singer Andreas Bjulver Paarup says: “The main theme on the album is the great decay happening all around us. It seems that everything just falls apart in these days. This applies to politics, society in general as well as some personal things. We tried to translate the feelings that we have about the state of the world into music.”

CABAL are not only charting new territory with their visceral and doom-laden sound but are also moving out of the comforts of their dark, black and white signature aesthetic into bright colours inspired from Ari Asters latest masterpiece, ‘Midsommar’. Flowers, vines and eerie cultist May Queens are amongst the new visual elements that define the aesthetic of Magno Interitus.

Andreas, who is the art director and lyricist in the band, is excited about the new direction of the album: “We have a kind of base sound, our safe home. From there, we can experiment and try something new. On Magno Interitus we really left our comfort zone and went deeper into the details and extremes than ever before. You can hear it on the title track, as well as on the opener “If I Hang, Let Me Swing” or on “Exsanguination”. These are my personal three favourites on the album at the moment.”

Once more, CABAL brought in some extraordinary features on the album such as Joe ‘Bad’ Badolato of Fit For An Autopsy on Magno Interitus, as well as Simon Olsen from the Danish band BAEST on the track “Insidious”. This time around, CABAL also experimented with a completely different format by inviting the dark, industrial duo ‘John Cxnnor’ to co-create the unique track “Blod af Mit”.

The album was released in October 2022 through Nuclear Blast Records.

With the release of their 4th studio album ‘Everything Rots’, released through Nuclear Blast Records in 2025, the band shows their most ferocious and bleak side yet. Like a rabid hellhound this album is foaming at the mouth and is ready to once again unleash the rot upon the world.

CABAL is:

Andreas Bjulver - Vocal

Dennis Hursid - Guitar

Mikkel Hvam - Drums

Chris Kreutzfeld - Guitar

Dartagnan

Folkrock Musketeers from Nuremberg, Germany

The Baboon Show

Saurom

Eihwar

Lèpoka

Killus

AGAINST MYSELF

Salduie

Wings of Steel

Celtibeerian

Tailgunner

Ankhara

Blaze Out

MIND DRILLER

Bolu2 Death

CHAINED SAINT

Lándevir

Chez Kane

All enquiries: info@chezkane.com

Fallen At Dawn

Hadadanza

Daeria

Injector

Ekyrian

Latzen

Heleven

Jordi Wild

PROM KINKS

Xeria

Chelsea Grin

Chelsea Grin is an American metal band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Formed in 2007, the group has put out multiple full length albums and toured the world nonstop since their inception. Chelsea Grin is currently neck deep in finalizing the next full length which will be available early 2021. The new single Blind Kings available November 13th and is a glimpse into the future path of the band.

Temples on Mars

Testament

The time has arrived for TESTAMENT to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album: Titans OF Creation. Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in TESTAMENT represents a necessary component of this latest musical endeavor. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still bringing alluring, brilliant, and progressive ingredients to the table. Bass is showcased, new vocals are introduced, and as expected, the guitarwork of Peterson and Skolnick is greatly complex and mesmerizing.

Eliran Kantor stepped up once again to create a new piece of artwork for the cover of this release. His classic, almost Renaissance style of painting melds beautifully with the ancient, psychological, and enlightened subject matter of the songs. Three monstrous titans stand in the place where the planets are formed. One pours molding liquid which the others hammer into human DNA, twisting and turning into the ring of a newborn planet. Each titan has the flame of a dying star burning in their chest; the origin of the atoms making up the bodies that are bubbling and boiling on the curves of the spiraling helix.

Titans OF Creation has many moods and material contained within; all of which somehow tie into a common philosophy of creation and its necessary counterpart: destruction. “Children Of The Next Level” smashes through the gates as the opening track with a flood of sound that prepares the listener for an abundance of violent thrash. Meanwhile, the lyrics rage about the outrageous philosophies of the Heaven’s Gate cult (founded in 1974).

Songs like “Dream Deceiver” carry more old school sound that will tickle the senses of any common TESTAMENT fan. The lyrics describe being trapped in a dream by an otherworldly female force who is slowly working to degrade the mind. Dreams are part of existence, but when we are asleep we are entirely vulnerable; one of the many mysteries of being human. “Someone’s haunting you and won’t leave you alone; the only time they pick at you is at night when they can control the way you sleep,” describes vocalist Chuck Billy.

“Night of the Witch” features frightening and captivating vocals from Eric Peterson. Carrying a vibe far more akin to Black Metal, Peterson swoops in with a power that melds perfectly with Billy’s ground shaking, guttural growls. Taking some influence from Robert Egger’s 2015 horror masterpiece “The VVitch: A New England Folktale,” the song carries with it a magical quality that directly reflects the mood of the film. At the very end of the track, a theremin howls through the air much like witches rising towards the moon; setting the final tone. “The album has a lot about it that’s fresh to the ear,” explains Peterson.

Written by guitarist Alex Skolnick, “Symptoms” is filled with detailed with intricate guitar work that well represents the complicated and spellbinding journey that comes along with handling depression, mood swings, and a countless list of mental health frustrations. The lyrics in this song discuss a sad truth: that mental illness is more common than we all think, and than many of us are willing to acknowledge. On a lighter note, a vibrant track entitled “The Healers” swings back and forth between waves of death and thrash, heavy and melodic, light and dark. The words are spiritual, and extremely personal. They describe Billy’s own experience dealing with all natural medicine men; the elders of the earth, and how they managed to help him pinpoint and heal his past illness. “City Of Angels” comes bearing an entirely new sound for TESTAMENT. The creeping sludgieness and slow, stalking tempo, walk hand in hand with the almost unbelievably gruesome tale of the Nightstalker Richard Ramierz, all combining to form another stand-out track on the record.

In 2020 the days of writing an album all together in one room are far gone, but to be able to take advantage of technology allows for TESTAMENT to go about a very similar writing process to what they always have. Basic songs are molded, structures are added by everyone in the group, instrumentals are highlighted, and finally the lyrics and vocals are created to finalize the sonic story. Facetime and human on human contact still remain crucial elements to TESTAMENT’s song writing process and at some point throughout, every member physically interacts and writes with one another. In between writing this album, the band toured relentlessly which allowed for less stress, more time in between, and greater inspiration for this album cycle. There was also plenty of anxiety-free and level-headed time for pre-production and the initial recording process with Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios. Andy Sneap was then able to tweak, mix, and master this album to his usual perfection.

TESTAMENT’s process of creation has evolved and progressed yet they’ve remained steadfast over the course of literal decades. While always managing to present the genuine aspects of thrash metal that solidify their existence, they spread into unique horizons through developing crisp and fascinating sounds.

The Scratch (IRE)

Bloodstock Open Air 2026 @ Catton Park

Bloodstock Open Air 2026 @ Catton Park

Performers