 Germany’s Obey The Kraken are back, dragging listeners into the void with their second EP, "Apocrypha", out 10th April via Seek & Strike. What began as an unplanned follow up to 2025’s "Worship The Sunken God" has evolved into a dark, relentless descent into a world where angels fall and hell rises. First single, 'Betrayer', tears open the gates of Obey The Kraken’s mythic world. It’s deathcore stripped to its rawest elements, riffs that hit like falling iron and production built around weight and impact rather than excess. Commenting on the single, Obey The Kraken said: "'Betrayer' marks the opening chapter of the biblical saga that unfolds throughout our EP. The video is fast paced to match the song’s energy and we made the deliberate decision not to visually portray the story itself, as translating it literally would have been difficult and limiting for us. Instead, we stripped it right back to focus on a classic performance video that emphasizes the intensity and drive of the track.” Apocrypha tells a story in sound, an angel cast from heaven, forging an alliance with hell, returning to challenge the celestial order itself. Every song is a chapter, every breakdown a hammer blow. The EP moves like the story, deliberate and immersive, pulling listeners into Obey The Kraken’s realm where narrative and brutality are inseparable. Nothing is decorative. Nothing is wasted. Every note exists to damage and leave its mark.
The band’s conceptual ambition remains central. Whilst preserving the DNA of their debut, Obey The Kraken push further into uncharted territory. With production carried out entirely in house, leaving the band with full control over how heavy, how clear and how oppressive they needed it to feel. The result is an EP that is heavy and unflinching, a complete assault for fans who crave deathcore that hits as hard thematically as it does musically. Obey The Kraken add, "Apocrypha means a lot to us, especially as we hadn't planned this second EP. After finishing our first EP (Worship The Sunken God) last year things developed naturally and we realized we had more to say within this world and sound. We consciously kept the formula of the first EP intact, so anyone who enjoyed EP1 will feel right at home with EP2. Listening back to the final masters, we’re genuinely happy with how consistent and powerful the release feels as a whole. Everything was designed to feel massive, heavy, and epic, supporting the narrative without overcomplicating the production approach. Lyrics play a central role for us. Our first EP told the complete story of Cthulhu and his resurrection across four songs and we wanted to apply that same conceptual approach again. On Apocrypha, the songs tell the story of an angel who is cast out of heaven, forms an alliance with hell and ultimately seeks to conquer heaven itself. Each track represents a different chapter of that narrative."
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 Photo by © Kenia Catiollo (@bluemphasis) After taking the world by storm last year with their new album "ÜL", Mawiza are beating the drum for indigenous metal even louder in 2026. The modern day Mapuche warriors paid a visit to Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier’s Silver Chord Studio and performed to a packed house in Santiago before taking the stage alongside Mr. Bungle and Avenged Sevenfold. Today, Mawiza are releasing a new video for the most fierce and combative song off ÜL. While at one with the forces of groove metal, “Ngulutu” (The Western Storm) declares war on encroaching urban decay. “In Mapuzugun, 'Ngulutu’ comes from Ngulu, which means West”, Mawiza’s vocalist and guitarist Awka says. “The song refers to an abysmal storm born in the turbulent Pacific Ocean that reaches the land in the form of bursting, shattered clouds. It’s a declaration of war on the so-called progress of large cities, merging ourselves as a single entity with nature”.
Mawiza wrote “Ngulutu” six years ago in response to a social uprising in Chile, but the source material that inspired the latest single from ÜL dates as far back as the 16th century. “Both historical records and our oral tradition remember the ancient Mapuche war toki Michimolongko, who, together with his kona and weychafe, managed to destroy Santiago in 1541”, Awka recalls. “This song is a tribute to those ancient warriors and to the power of the natural territory that lies beneath the city”. While the torrential groove of “Ngulutu” is bound to churn the pit when Mawiza storm the stage at Midgardsblot this summer, the band draws its strength from their ancestral land. The song’s chorus calls on the spirits of the Mapocho and Maipo Rivers with surging, shark-like riffs and drums that beat with the unrelenting force of a tidal wave. “Müley taiñ amuleal / Fewla, fey llemay (We must keep moving forward / Now it shall be done!)”, Awka chants, summoning a breakdown that brings the most towering cities crumbling into ruin. “The two rivers named in the chorus of ‘Ngulutu’ are both vital for life in the territory and even for the lives of city dwellers”, Awka explains. “Yet when it rains enough, the rivers overflow, causing the collapse of the urban order. It reminds us that nature is an active entity that cannot be tamed, one that sets the path we must follow as Mapuche people”. The video for “Ngulutu” was realised by - Director - Andrés Hetzler. Producers - Awka Mondaka, Andrés Hetzler Cinematography - Soledad Gatica Lighting - Pedro Salgado Gaffer - Simón Jorquera Bandcamp: https://mawizakvlt.bandcamp.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mawizakvlt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mawizakvlt TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mawizakvlt Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oJP24bXA2fbdVmNGNmCtt YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mawizakvlt Apple: https://music.apple.com/artist/mawiza/165343595  Leaders and titans of Symphonic Black Metal, Hecate Enthroned return seven years since the release of the group’s last album with a new, vicious single! “Gallery of Rotting Portraits” is now online at all digital platforms, or watch the lyric video (created by Jack Maguire from artwork by Erskine Designs) here https://youtu.be/UyS7z94yEUk?si=BZWz2IUUh_CADwIt "The single takes its name from the morbid preservation of the peat bogs, where bodies like the Lindow Man have rested for centuries,” - explains bassist Dylan Hughes. “‘A Gallery of Rotting Portraits’ uses these 'pagan sacrifices' as a metaphor for obsolete devotion. It captures the jarring disconnect of unearthing a ritualized past only to find it stripped of its power. The song confronts the cold reality that while the bodies remain, the spirits and superstitions that put them there have long since rotted away, leaving us in a world devoid of its ancient magic." “Gallery of Rotting Portraits” gives us the first glimpse of the much anticipated new Hecate Enthroned album ‘The Corpse of a Titan, A Lament Long Buried’ to be released May 29 on Digipak CD, limited-edition coloured vinyl including 250 Boreal Light (EU) and 250 Draconic Vision (US) variants, and digital. Also pre-order package available with exclusive merch design. Pre-Order now at www.m-theoryaudio.com/store
‘The Corpse of a Titan, A Lament Long Buried’ is once again produced by Hecate Enthroned and Dan Abela (Akercocke, Bleed From Within, Annal Nathrakh), who also mixed/mastered the album with cover art created by Erskine Designs (Inanimate Existence, Bleed The Sky). Regarding the new Hecate Enthroned album Dylan continues, “Our first release since 2019, these are huge, epic, hard-hitting songs carved in the traditional Hecate Enthroned way with a menacing veil delivered with a crisp punch. Lyrically based around ancient British myths and legends.” HECATE ENTHRONED is: Joe Stamps – Vocals Nige Dennan – guitar Andy Milnes – guitar Dylan Hughes – bass Pete White – piano/keyboards Matt Holmes – drums www.m-theoryaudio.com www.facebook.com/hecateenthroned www.instagram.com/hecateenthronedofficial https://hecateenthroned.bandcamp.com  Promo picture by Sami Kettunen Finnish Death metal band Hautajaisyö are set to release their fifth album 'Surun Paino' on March 20th 2026 via Inverse Records. The first single 'Maan Nielemä' is out now, accompanied by a music video available here: https://youtu.b/L4ygntH5stk The first single from the new Hautajaisyö album, Surun Paino (Weight Of Sorrow), comes with brutality. 'Maan Nielemä' (Swallowed by Dirt) showcases the band at their best. It features heavy riffs, violent drums and low-growl vocals. The song is inspired by the year 536, the "Year of Darkness", when the world was shrouded in darkness and nearly all of humanity perished. Amidst the chaos, a lone gravedigger toils endlessly. The song has a DIY music video which was filmed in one take at the band's practice venue. This fits well, as the album was recorded by the band themselves using their own equipment. "'Maan Nielemä' is one of my favourite songs from the new album. It hits like a hammer on hot metal, and you can feel the darkness of the song. Making the video was damn fun. We had a rough idea of what we wanted to do, and we tried to keep the costs down. Then we just 'hit our heads against the wall' until we had the finished video." says vocalist Janne Partanen
LISTEN to the single on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/hautajaisyo-maan-nielema Line-up: Janne Partanen: vocals Sami Lustig: guitars Simo Pesonen: bass Teemu Roth: drums https://linktr.ee/hautajaisyo  Over recent months Hungarian Symphonic metallers, Meteora, have released a trilogy of EPs -"In this Silence", "Broken Mind" and "Dissonance". They have now brought all the songs that comprised these EPs together, with an additional unreleased instrumental track, into one full length album - "Darkest Light". Darkest Light will be launched with a special show at Dürer Kert in Budapest on January 31st and the band have unveiled a video for the album's stunning title track, which you can see now at the Meteora YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCCrBla8V6E A remarkable song which opened the Dissonance EP, 'Darkest Light' features the talents of Sirenia guitarist Nils Courbaron. Speaking about the video Meteora have said... "Shot at a theatre stage in Budapest, showcasing the amazing talent of Edina Molnár and Fábián Lugosi, dancers of the video who captured the convoluted feelings of the lyrics with their choreography, beautifully filmed and edited by Kill Monday Management this video is so much more than we ever hoped for! And of course the highlight is the guest appearance of Nils Courbaron, shred-master of Sirenia, Bloodorn and Dropdead Chaos."  Releasing a trilogy of EPs and then a full length album has been an incredible journey for Meteora, as the band have explained in a recent statement... "We are really excited that we got to the finish line of our half year long EP releasing spree that started with In this Silence in the summer, went on to Broken Mind in the fall, and now concludes with Dissonance. Darkest Light is the culmination of these three with an additional instrumental track to set you in the mood for the title track. Thank you very much for tagging along the past half year, we hope you will like Darkest Light and meet you at one of our shows this year. Also a huge thanks to all the wonderful people who helped us in creating our new album!" The extensive supporting cast for the Meteora's grand work has included guest guitarist Nils Courbaron, Ádám Attila Kurucz, conductor of the Meteora choir and the singers from the Hungarian National Opera, Nino Helfrich at Skull Tone Studios, Joel Wanasek, Dmitry Kim, Balázs Pálfi at Sonic Garden Studio, Dronicon Films, Kill Monday Management, Balázs Gerócs and Tamás Tombor, Zsuzsa Tóth, Ulyana Tim and AnyStone Photography - all of them playing vital roles in the realisation of this ambitious project. Follow Meteora on Facebook Visit H-Music Hungary here  Photo: Soft Neon Audiovisualin / Jerkka Perälä Symphonic metal band Memoira has released a new video for their latest single "Dollmaker". The epic new video is loosely based on the world of the well-known Italian fairy tale, Pinocchio, and the song is now being heard in its entirety for the first time. The video was produced and shot by SOFT NEON AUDIOVISUAL, while the band members were heavily involved in the production of the video. The band's bassist Niko Laaksonen is responsible for the lighting and lighting design of the video, and keyboardist Lassi Nuolivaara is responsible for the scriptwriting and directing the actors.
“The story of the video is seen from the perspective of a dollmaker, who desperately hopes for a son of his own, with whom he can share the joys and sorrows of life. He decides to build a doll out of wood and hopes that it will come to life. It’s also great to finally have the full version of the song out in video form and see the audience’s reaction.” - Lassi Nuolivaara / Keyboards A single edit version of the song Dollmaker was released earlier this fall and is available on all streaming services. Memoira is a symphonic metal band from Finland formed in 2007. Known for it's big atmospheric and epic sound, Memoira combines dynamic melodic metal and symphonic ethereal orchestrations into one, consistent flow of storytelling. On their 15 year journey before the latest line-up changes, the band has released three albums and seven singles worldwide. With the current lineup, which has been active since 2023, and Krista Astrid Schröter as their vocalist, the band has already released three singles (Cryonic Heart 2024, Emerald Eyes 2024 and Dollmaker 2025), each of which has brought the band more listeners and streams. The renewed line-up has also brought a whole new energy to the band's stage performance and image, which has already been noticed among fans. MEMOIRA LINE-UP
https://www.memoiraofficial.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MemoiraOfficial https://www.instagram.com/memoira_official https://www.youtube.com/@MemoiraOfficial https://www.tiktok.com/@memoiraofficial  PHOTO CREDIT: Wyatt Clough The Devil Wears Prada, who released their critically acclaimed ninth album "Flowers" last year via Solid State Records, have now officially released "Play The Old Shit," the secret song that appears at the end of the vinyl version of "Flowers". Due to popular demand, the band has made the song available on all streaming services. Hranica comments:- "Never have we played around with any kind of secret song, so it was really fun rolling out 'Play The Old Shit' vinyl-only, with that said, we've always known we'd release the song digitally, as well. The song is super straightforward, and within the context of the album, it provides a totally different ending in terms of mood. We are all very excited for listeners to check it out." Also, after a 2025 international tour schedule that would crush mere mortals and saw the band perform at Orlando Warped Tour, and in South Africa, Australia, and across Europe, TDWP will embark on the Spring 2026 US headline tour in support of the album with Four Year Strong, Split Chain, and I Promised the World. The band will return to the UK this Autumn for a five-date tour, full dates below. TDWP UK HEADLINE DATES 2026:
TICKETS - HERE English metalcore band Shields release new single 'Miss Me' - their tribute to lost bandmate8/1/2026  Jennifer McCord credit Acclaimed English metalcore band Shields have released their new single and music video 'Miss Me'. The song is taken from their upcoming studio album "Death & Connection", to be released on 30th January via Long Branch Records. "We lost someone dear to us. This song is our tribute — a personal account of the unbearably tragic farewell to our friend, George Christie." - Shields Pre-order the album here: https://shields.lnk.to/deathconnection "Our new album Death & Connection is a body of work born from the absence of the people who no longer hold space in our lives," comments the band further. "This record was created from a necessity to express and soothe our deepest losses; however, that was never the intention — we simply set out to make an album we wanted to hear." Shields are:
 Photo credit: Tunde Valiszka English heavy metal’s rising stars Tailgunner present the masterful single 'Eulogy', taken from their upcoming album, "Midnight Blitz", out February 6, 2026 via Napalm Records. As the album’s closing song, 'Eulogy' adds gentle orchestral melodies to their nostalgic sound before the power metal feel explodes into a speed metal firework. Epic and bold, the young quintet prove yet again what inspired the rare appearance of metal icon K.K. Downing as producer on their triumphant second record.
TAILGUNNER comment on 'Eulogy': "'Eulogy' is the most epic release of our career so far. Inspired in particular by our heroes in Helloween & Blind Guardian, it's TAILGUNNER at full throttle, telling an epic journey into the afterlife. We needed a video that could match the scope of this quest, so once again sought the help of Andy Pilkington at Very Metal Art. Andy first came to our attention with his work on Judas Priest's Painkiller, and of course killed it with our last single 'Tears in Rain' too. Prepare to battle demons, to ride over fire & ice, and to face the ultimate fate. This is 'Eulogy'!" Tailgunner unleash their second album, Midnight Blitz on 6th February 2026 via Napalm Records. Bursting onto the scene in 2022, their sophomore work draws heavily from classic British heavy metal, but just like those influences, the band are determined to push forward. Always crafting their sound and building on what they have, whilst never compromising on what they started with - pure heavy metal. In an astonishingly short time, the emerging British heavy metal talent have found support in the very heroes they follow: after making a strong impression supporting KK’s Priest, legendary guitarist K.K. Downing went on to produce the upcoming album, "Midnight Blitz". "Midnight Blitz" is classic Heavy Metal without being pastiche. This is a band for the here and now – not just worshipping at the altar, but determined to stand upon it as the Metal Gods of a whole new generation of headbangers. Tailgunner prove their skills effortlessly, carving themselves out as Heavy Metal’s future and grabbing the torch from the legends themselves. Catchy hooks, killer riffs, and appealing to every heavy metal fan – join K.K. Downing and discover your new heroes now. Tailgunner comment on new album Midnight Blitz: “Like phantoms of the clouds, the "Midnight Blitz" screams silently through the air. Descending on their prey, a Heavy Metal militia striking at the speed of sound. Only blood can run! Whilst touring our debut album, we were described by one roadie as ‘The bastard child of Maiden & Priest’ and that became the ethos for our new album Midnight Blitz. Just like our fore bearers, we are determined to push forward, always crafting our sound and building on what we have, whilst never compromising on what we started with – Pure Heavy Metal! We are not just worshipping at the altar of those who have gone before, but determined to stand upon it and be the heroes for a whole new generation! We played over 100 shows touring our debut album, sharing the stages with some of the most legendary names in Metal while paying our dues in blood, sweat, tears and endless nights out on the road. Everything we learned is on display here, packed into 10 tracks in what we feel can be a true, essential Tailgunner album. Produced by none other than the Metal guitar God K.K. Downing, working closely with K.K. during this entire process has been the ride of a lifetime and you can hear those touches of a bona fide Metal God throughout this album!” Tailgunner are:
 Irish post metal sludge doomsters Raum Kingdom, after their critically acclaimed debut “Everything & Nothing”, announce full details of their sophomore album entitled “Monarch”. Grateful and humbled by the inundation of positive reviews and attention from music critics, webzines and fans from across the globe, haunting, fearful, Raum Kingdom continue to create hype in the community by doing what they passionately enjoy doing. Raum Kingdom started out in late 2013 on the east coast of Ireland when singer Dave Lee and guitarist Andrew Colohan set out to create a soul crushing experience of sonics. When long time friends, bassist Ronan Connor and drummer Mark Gilchrist joined the line up, the project was ready to express itself. Exploring their collective passion for all heavy genres of music, the four-piece began to channel that energy into what would turn out to be Raum Kingdom’s first, self-titled five track EP, self-released in April 2014. Taken unawares by the instant and positive critical response, Raum Kingdom‘s ability to resound with their audience comes from their heart for turning negativity into positivity and the ethos of having a blast doing what they have a passion for. To date, the band has completed numerous shows on the Euro circuit, and released an EP, a split EP with Belgian group All We Expected, and their much acclaimed debut album ‘Everything & Nothing’, a one hour sonic journey of redemption and hope. After the sudden and sad passing of bass player Ronan Connor in March 2021, Raum Kingdom wanted to release their last recordings and writings in respect for Ronan’s memory.
Their new effort is something beyond everything: emotive, melodic, atmospheric and hypnotizing. A musical journey for our deep senses. "Monarch" will be released on January 27th by Argonauta Records. The first single and video “Red Admiral” is out now and streaming here: https://youtu.be/6SIyhMLRYAU Watch out for many more news to follow soon! Raum Kingdom are:
https://www.facebook.com/Raum.Kingdom.ie https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords |
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