A couple of friends of the site are bringing something quite new to Finland with Ankea Festival, to take place next summer in Tampere, giving a space for music that isn’t as much represented at festivals overall with a focus on alternative rock and progressive metal! The first dozen of names confirmed is already pretty impressive with Ihsahn, God Is An Astronaut, Oranssi Pazuzu, Kaelan Mikla, Green Carnation, Circle, A.A. Williams, Bruce Soord, Earthside, Ihlo, Vermilia and Virta!
To celebrate the 1-year anniversary of ‘The Last Will and Testament’, Opeth unveiled a brand-new animated video for ‘§3’! Catch them live next year on tour in the North America early 2026 and in Europe during summer festival season with for instance a headline spot at Hellsinki Metal Festival!
Progressive act Phendrana announce new album ‘Cathexis’ to be out in February 2026 and shared the title track with a mesmerizing video!
Melbourne progressive metal visionaries Black Sea Of Trees return with their powerful new single ‘Servant to the Sun’!
Rising LA metal band In Virtue unveiled their brand-new music video for ‘Karma Loop’, featuring Charlotte Wessels and a track from their album ‘Age of Legends’, available now everywhere!
V’s Metal Media organised their first festival and invited us to experience ‘V’s Metal Fest’ and we were only too happy to drop by and support a budding organisation! With 10 Cats Down, #40Something, Noord, Narsic, Behind the Veil, Fabulae Dramatis, Promise Down, ArseA, Primal Creation, and No Apologies.
The Gloom In The Corner announce new studio album ‘Royal Discordance’ to be released in February 2026 via SharpTone Records and unleashed the new single and video ‘Angel’s Wrath Whiskey’!
Katatonia came to Tampere, Finland on November 11 for an emotional show. Together with Evergrey and Klogr they managed to fill Tavara-Asema even on a cold and rainy Tuesday.
Dutch progressive metal pioneers Textures returned with ‘At the Edge of Winter’, featuring Charlotte Wessels and the second single from their upcoming new album ‘Genotype’, set for release in January 2026 on Kscope, right before they go on an extensive European tour as special guests for Jinjer!
Alcatraz Festival just gave us an early christmas present by adding 32 more bands to the 2026 lineup, making it almost complete with another nice selection of metal icons, underground greats, up-and-coming bands and artists from its own Belgian soil!
